(Even More) Tips to Get Motivated to Workout

The struggle. Is. REAL!!!! I cannot for the life of me get myself up to workout these days. I guess along with sweater weather comes sweater WEIGHT!! ;p But it makes sense to lose motivation right? I mean, it's cold out and the crave for coziness is in...there will be no warm weather for a while and therefore no showing of skin. Loose, oversized sweaters and ginormous scarves are everywhere, and the couch has turned into your most favorite place on earth because, Hello?! Fall TV!! Now someone please hand me my fuzzy socks and pumpkin spice latte while I continue to validate my laziness...

(Just kidding. For the record, I never had a PSL.)

But truthfully speaking, this is a difficult time for me to stay motivated. Therefore, I thought I'd write this post to help me and anyone else out there that's finding it hard to hit the gym these days!

I came across this article and pulled out a few of the tips that I like and know work for me, and also created some of my own. Enjoy!

1. Hold yourself to other commitments in your life. I find that whenever I find myself slacking, it helps to take a break from that one thing I'm trying to achieve and turn my attention to another part of my life that needs it, such as organizing a part of my house, paying off debt, checking something else off my to-do list...doing this reminds me that I'm capable of keeping a promise/commitment and therefore motivates me to continue pursuing other things I've committed to.
2. DONUT...oops, I mean do not...bring those donuts home. They say out of sight, out of mind, right? Leave those fatty snacks at the grocery store and only bring home what's going to help you in your weight loss journey. Or, if you must, limit how much you buy (for instance buy 5 individually wrapped snacks to last you through the work week.) This way, going out for a Gotta Have It cup of Coldstone ice cream will feel more like a treat. I find that this works best in the winter, because at times when I'm really craving something that I don't have in the house, I end up telling myself it's too cold to go out to get it. :p
3. Compete. I've participated and took lead on coordinating the Biggest Loser competition at my work for two years now. I'm not one to get ridiculously motivated by competition, but because I spearheaded the whole thing and because I was simply participating, I felt the need to show up!! I knew that I wasn't going to be first (others had more weight to lose and therefore had a greater advantage), but I sure as hell didn't want to be last! So I did what I had to do and in the meantime, reached some of my personal fitness goals.
4. Dress up. I know this may sound weird...but this is one thing that really works for me! I first noticed it works when I was packing for my trip to Hawaii about a month before my actual trip. Lol! What can I say? I was excited... But I'm glad I did it because it got me to try on everything I wanted to wear and I saw how it looked on me before I had to go out in public in it. When I didn't like how it fit, I was left with two options--ditch the outfit or make my body fit in it better. It also allowed me to recall how certain clothes used to fit. I'm packing for a cruise right now, and I can tell you...there are some items from my Hawaii trip that do not fit like they did just a few months ago!! And unfortunately, since it's winter, I can't just go out and buy new shorts/tanks/t-shirts, because the stores aren't selling them! Which brings me to my only option: Get your ass in shape, Jessica.
5. If you did it once, you can do it again. I learned to tell myself this early in my childhood. My father is an artist and I used to try to draw as well as he did--for some reason I was convinced that he passed down that trait and I had to learn it in some way. Well let's just say there were many mistakes and "abstract" pieces, and there were some masterpieces that came about while I "practiced." I hated that I would finally get it right after a million tries, but it was on my practice paper and not my actual "canvas." Lol...so I started telling myself, if I did it once, I can do it again. And nowadays, I apply that mindset to other aspects of my life, including fitness. I once was at my ideal size/shape/health...and I can get there again.
6. Set fitness goals, not just number goals. "Losing weight" is associated with fitness, but it doesn't encompass all that "fitness" is. Instead of only focusing on what the scale is saying after two weeks, two months, 1 year, etc...set goals for your entire fitness journey, such as: Running a longer distance, eating a fruit everyday, packing a healthy lunch everyday for a month, increasing your water intake each day, increasing your speed, running (without stopping) for a certain amount of time. These little accomplishments all tie in to your overall goal, and celebrating each of them will ultimately keep you motivated and keep you moving in the long run.

As always, good luck on your own individual journeys! Please wish me luck on mine. I'm thinking this all-inclusive-cruise idea is not going to agree with my fitness regimen. Should I really be complaining though? Lol! Until next time,

Romper Love

Another one of my favorite things to wear in the Fall are rompers!

 

For some reason, I like wearing them more in the Fall than I do in any other season. Maybe because I like layering and layering and layering, and I like the long seamless look that rompers provide to break up all the many layers I put on top of it.

 

I also like how rompers are thigh length--I have short legs so I like to wear shorter length shorts/skirts, as I feel like it makes my legs look longer. However, I also do not want to look like I'm just walking out of the house wearing just a t-shirt...lol. So I like that rompers appropriately allow for this kind of look. And since they're shorts (as opposed to a skirt or dress), it keeps it casual in a dressy kind of way. It also allows me to run around and play with/pick up my kids without having to worry if my stuff is gonna hang out if I bend over!! LOL ;p

 

 

I found this romper earlier this season (around Sept or early Oct maybe?) at Forever 21. I had to get a Medium--the small wouldn't fit my hips. I like the fit around my waist, but not loving it at the top. It's loose and doesn't fit my arms or bust area so it makes it look waaay to big for me! But thanks to my favorite sweater (H&M from like 5 years ago--maternity gift from my bestie, thnx bee!), I was able to pull it all together and "hide" the looseness that's happening at the top. But don't get me wrong! The romper is really cute on its own! It's also 3/4 sleeve so very appropriate for this time of year (especially with the 60 degree weather we've been getting here on the east coast!). I would just try it before you buy it.

 

 

Can we talk about how good my photographer was doing on this day?! She was on top of her game. Lol! --thnx Kimbo :p

 

I need to shout out these boots really quick--because they haven't been getting enough attention from me. Lol! They were only $10 at DSW! Very cute and very comfy, but honestly, I do not wear them enough!
 



 

Side note--I've been living in this hat for the past few weeks now! I never thought I'd fall into the wide-brim fedora trend, but look at me now. Lol :p Never say never!

Hope Fall is treating you all well. :)

 

Until next time,

6 Ways to Avoid Burnout

 

Sometime last week, the thought of writing this blog post came to me--probably in the midst of running my kids back and forth between school and daycares, going to work, and running around Baltimore for work events. It's certainly very very challenging to be a full time mother, housekeeper, worker, and friend all at once. I constantly struggle with the balance of my time--between work, my social life, my love life, my career, (this blog!), and being there for my kids. With "so much to do and so little time," it can be easy to get burnt out. And since this blog is partly about balance, I was inspired to write this post for you!

B A L A N C E . . . it's something I have committed to working on every. single. day. It's taken a lot of time and a lot of effort to try to achieve a "well balanced life," and while I am still on my journey to finding it, here are some things I've learned:

1.  Time management is everything! I've learned to value my time more. At home, there are a million things I could be doing, and choosing wisely is key!! Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! Trust me, I hate coming home to "more work" as much as the next kid, but the truth is--the dishes have to be done and the clothes have to get washed. And unless you can afford to have it done for you, you have to do them yourself, Superwoman. But during the week when I come home, I don't want to spend the only 2-3 hours I have each night with the kids doing housework. So I started looking at my time, rather than looking at the tasks. Instead of going down my list of chores, I give myself a time limit to do them. My week-night schedule is now limited to 45 minutes of chores TOPS when I get home. I've acknowledged that not everything will get done in one day, and I've learned to be okay with that. Whatever I can get done in that time will get done, and what is not done can wait until the next day. This has forced me to prioritize my chore list better, and do them a hell of a lot faster too! But the biggest benefit is that it ensures time with my family and for myself every night. This may not work for everyone (some people can't go to sleep with a messy kitchen--I get it!), but it works for me! I used to not be able to sleep until the job was done. I got over that quickly once I realized how much time I was missing with my family. That was more important to me...which brings me to my next point...
2. Think about what you really want and need. Is what you're doing really worth your time? Are the people you make time for really worth your time and energy? Or are there more important things you'd rather be doing? This speaks to your career aspirations as well. If you get that job you've been dreaming of, will you have to make any large trade offs for it? And will those trade offs affect anyone else that's important to you? My time is very valuable to me. And as I make my decisions day by day, this is one that I put a lot of thought into. I am your number one people-pleaser, and what I needed to learn was that if you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. I had to figure out what was most important to me and determine if my trade offs were worth it or not.
3. EAT. Seriously. Eat. Have you ever had something big that you were working on and you spent so much time working on it and focused on it, you go a whole day without eating anything? It's like the moment you get busy, adrenaline rushes in and you forget all feelings of tiredness, pain, and hunger! Make time to eat...and eat well! I just recently switched my diet to being...well lets say 80% of my diet...all organic foods. (Hey, all about the balance, right?!!) Not only have I lost 5lbs in two weeks, I find myself more focused, more efficient, and constantly eating!! That is...constantly eating throughout the day to keep my metabolism going. Workout too. Even if you walk at least 30 minutes a day, every little bit helps. Taking care of yourself physically will definitely help you mentally as well. Keeping a well balanced diet and exercise routine, I stay energized and it forces me to do the next thing:
4. Take a break! Walk awaaaayyy--just walk awayyyyy! :p But really. Walk away from your desk if you need to. Has anyone ever told you to "take a chill pill"? It's because you really need one. 1) No one wants to be around a grouch, and 2) You won't be able to do anything to its full potential if you don't take a break! Are you a stay at home? Call someone and have an adult conversation at some point during your day while you're at home with the kids. Nap. Read. Watch a show or a movie. It's important for your mind to rest. I was told once before--we are not superheroes (as cool as it would be to my kids if I was one, I am not.), and we need to learn how to take the cape off.
5. Prepare. Staying prepared saves you from so much stress! I learned the hard way. HELLO. I am your number one procrastinator!! I used to have a magnet on my fridge that said, "I'll procrastinate later." :p Yup, that was me. Until I had kids. And until I was put into a role at work where I couldn't be! Life was teaching me a good life lesson. What takes you 5 minutes to do the night before will save you 10 minutes in the morning! Getting things ready while your mind is active is much more efficient that trying to get things ready while you're just waking up and probably rushing.
6. Last but not least, turn it off. I attended a woman's conference this past week and one of the speakers talked about how we now live in a 24/7 society. She mentioned in the past how TV stations used to turn off at a certain time at night so that people could sleep. Nowadays, you not only have the option of watching TV all night, but you can get on social media, play games, text/chat with people...all from the palm of your hands, and at anytime, 24/7. While it's good to stay connected, it's also good to disconnect. After Thanksgiving, I plan on "fasting" and getting off of social media until Christmas. As much as I'm nervously anticipating it, I'm also looking forward to it! See ya'll lataahhzzz ;) (jk...I will most likely still post on here.)

All in all, these are just some things to keep in mind while we try so tirelessly to save the world. I think it's important for everyone to find their own ways--as I said before, what works for me may not work for the next person. But the key is to make the time to not lose your mind! Do what makes you happy, fulfill your purpose, and do it with passion, and you will always feel blessed. :)

Until next time,

Holiday Green

One of my favorite colors this season has been dark green. I have never been a green kinda girl, but something about that color makes me feel classy and elegant. (Which is a hard feeling for me to come by nowadays as a mommy of two! So let me live.) I also love to wear this color over the holidays as a non-red holiday option. Not that I have anything against red...red is just your typical "holiday" color, aaaannd let's just say I like to go the non-traditional route sometimes. ;) #rebel (Not.)

Anyway, I had time this weekend (shocking!) and I thought I'd play around with this dark green top I bought from Express earlier this year. I guess you can say I did a form of the day-to-night concept with a dressy/day/work look, then a keep-it-casual look. Really I just couldn't make up my mind on how I wanted to style it, so I did all three! :p (Imagine how my mornings are like!) So here it is three different ways!

This is an easy wear-to-work outfit (holiday season or non-holiday season).....that will likely be on repeat over the next few months for me. The shirt is one of the Portofino shirts from Express. These dress shirts are so comfortable--I could buy them in every color! I've listed a few of my favorites at the bottom of this post. I have two, this dark green one and one in burnt orange and can pair them with anything (dress pants, jeans, skirts, etc.). Love em!


















Last year I splurged a little bit and bought this faux fur vest from Francesca's and I LOVE it--but I don't wear it enough! So I feel like I need to get my money's worth and wear it as much as I can...but that just ain't happening...I just don't go to enough cool places to break out my faux fur. Lol! So anyway, I'm constantly on a hunt to find casual outfits that I can make using this vest. Yanno, working around my accessories. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Aaaand just in case the vest was "too much".... :p

By the way...this is the first time I did a photoshoot with my kids around. It wasn't easy trying to keep them busy and out of my photos! I broke a sweat!!
And I may or may not have let them eat a jar of cookies to stay still................

Alas--gotta have the gold!

Hope you enjoyed! I hope to post more non-red holiday looks for you soon, so stay tuned for that!

As promised...my fave portofino shirts out right now:

What Went Right?

As I was driving to work one morning, I was listening to the radio--Christian rock, for my positive vibes in the morning--and they mentioned a thought that really resonated with me. She said, "Everything could always be better." They went on to discuss how and when that thought comes into our minds, and it's normally when something goes wrong that we end up telling ourselves, "It could be better." But what if we told ourselves that all the time--even when things go right?

The reality is this: When something goes wrong, we accept that it happened and that we can't go back to change it. Then we analyze how it went wrong and what can be done in the future so it doesn't happen again. But when something goes right...typically, we pat ourselves on the back and don't think twice about it.

The idea they were sharing is this: When something goes right, analyze why it went right and what can be done in the future so it can happen that great again or even better.

In my world, I don't do that often enough...but it makes so much sense! I spend SO MUCH TIME focusing and analyzing what goes WRONG in my life, and spend SO MUCH ENERGY trying to fix it, and I spend so little time on what goes right. And I wonder why I'm so stressed out sometimes.

There will be many times in your life that something doesn't go your way. It may rain on your wedding day, your client meeting may not have gone as well as you planned, you may bomb a job interview, you may flunk a final test, you may not get into the top college on your list, you may lose a friend, your relationship may end, your marriage may be failing...life tests us too many times, in too many ways. And although I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, I also believe we all have a part to play in our journeys. And don't get me wrong--it is important to look back at the things that have gone wrong and look at how to better the situation going forward. The thought here isn't to stop that, it's to apply it to the good situations in our lives too. My team at work "debriefs" after large meetings to address what went wrong and what went right, and the information that comes out of it is always so helpful. I admit, it hurts when you have to accept that you can't go back and fix things (especially when it could've been so easy of a fix!), but now, that one easy fix becomes top-of-mind for next time, and your meetings after that will get closer and closer to flawlessness. (Cue Beyoncé.)

Relationships and marriages are the tough ones. You know that "new" feeling at the beginning of a relationship? That fun little honeymoon stage? That fun little temporary honeymoon stage? How great it was, right? If you took a minute today to look back at how and why you and your significant other started, what do you remember? Really focus on it. Block out the thoughts of "well it was great, we used to do this and that, and feel this way...but this led to that, then that happened, and it was because he/she was like this to begin with in the first place, and now it's all gone down the drain." Yeah don't do that. Think about how you used to show your love. What made it all work? What did you do to make it all work? Why were you such a great pair for each other in the first place? Too often, we wait until things go wrong in our relationships to start asking ourselves these questions. If we keep these thoughts at the top of our minds all throughout, and work to figure out and remember how our relationships work, we eliminate the guessing game if it breaks. You can't fix a car if you don't know how an engine works. If we never look at why something went so right, when it breaks, we don't know how to fix it because we never knew how it worked in the first place.

I just wanted to share this thought with you. It was a great piece of advice that I was fortunate to hear at the right time. Be blessed and happy Friday!!

That Moment I Lived the HI Life

A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Hawaii to visit my best friend. I took the trip alone, which seemed crazy to me, but I couldn't take the kids with me for a few reasons, and I needed some R&R anyway. And what better place to do it than the beautiful Aloha State? ;)

As most people that visit Hawaii say, it is be-a-u-tiful, and for me, it was more than I imagined it to be. I spent one week there, and it was not long enough! There was too much to see, too much to do, too much to EAT. I left really wishing that I had time to do more, but all in all it was a great trip. I mean--I can't complain too much...after all, I got to go to Hawaii!

Being with my bestie satisfied some much needed girl time (that I didn't even realize I needed!). Ever got caught up in life so much you don't even have the time to realize that you need a break?? That was me. Not that I'm complaining, I love my life and I love to stay active and busy...but what a relief it was to slow down and take time for myself! I spent a week on an island with a new culture, knowing only ONE person on that entire island, driving along long windy roads along the coast (traffic sucked, but it is what it is), eating new food, meeting really nice people, and experiencing picture perfect views EVERYWHERE! And the cutest little island babies! The kids were just too adorable. (And now I really want to teach my kids how to surf.)

But what this trip really opened my eyes to is how to fully live in and accept every moment--each moment--one at a time. I realized that no matter how good or bad a moment is, they are all temporary. They don't last. And you can ruin a great moment by putting all your effort into trying to make it last, or putting all your thoughts towards how you're going to cope when that moment ends. Stopping that habit was the best thing I've done for myself, and it was a great life lesson. The truth of the matter is, I need to learn how to best experience things. Not think ahead or look behind, just take it for what it is and let it be just that. Here's an excerpt from an article a friend shared with me. This for me, sums it all up:

Enjoy now fully. No matter how much time you have in an experience or with someone you love, it will never feel like enough. So don’t think about it in terms of quantity—aim for quality, instead. Attach to the idea of living well moment-to-moment. That’s an attachment that can do you no harm.

Quality over quantity--why didn't I think of that before?! It makes so much sense now. I put so much effort into creating moments; rather than making them last, I need to make the most out of them. So that's what I did for the rest of my trip. Enjoy my collection of moments below. ;)

1. Amazing sunsets.

 

2. Amazing views!

3. Local food to feed the foodie in me! I have to admit--I didn't take a picture of each plate like I wanted to. I didn't wanna be "that girl"! Lol! (Regretting it now.)

4. Catamaran with new friends. Blue water. Just...really blue water.

 



5. Experiencing nature at its finest. Double rainbows, lava tubes, and exotic beaches

We walked through this...

To get to this!

Mermaid Cove

Green Sand Beach.
This was a sight to see, as there are only two in the world! The sand is a green/olive color, and it got its color from olivine crystals created from a volcano eruption many years ago.

6. Driving new cars! ;) --and off-roading. Forreal. We had some bumpy rides on the Big Island. But it made for a better experience! Let's just say, you can't make it to Green Sand Beach, or a lot of other nice places on Big Island without a 4WD.

  


7. Cliff jumping! I am afraid of heights, but I managed to do this. This was a big accomplishment for me! Although, I'm not as ballsy as the chick in the bottom pic. Props to her but I'm not on that level yet! :p

Spitting Caves

Of course there are many more pictures, but I thought I'd share the most memorable ones with you. Plus, I tried to stop myself from going too snap-crazy everywhere I went since I was trying to enjoy the moment and all. ;)

Wait...one more...this is just fitting for this post. :) Aloha!

My Fitness Journey...Just Got A Little Bit Dirty...

Who doesn't love a little mud bath?!

Recently I participated in the LoziLu Mud Run in Frederick, MD. My knees will never forgive me for it, but I had a blast! This was an obstacle course 5k, so in addition to running, we also had to climb 8-12' walls, nets, jump through hurdle loops and crawl through mud. I will say that I completely underestimated the difficulty of this 5k! The climbing, the jumping, the crawling on mud-covered ROCKS...oh and did I mention it was raining too?! And on top of all of that we still had to run 5k. And I am still not a runner. Lol but I'm proud to say I did it, and I'm proud to say we weren't last. In fact we were first-ish. :p

Anyway, I've learned that committing to something like this does help you stick with it. Especially when you commit along with people who are much faster than you, much more athletic, and much more...committed. Lol...all in all, it was a great run and especially a great workout. Oh and meanwhile my 5-year-old is wondering why I can jump and crawl through mud and he can't. Haha! Ummmm...because Mommy says so!


Here are more pictures from the run:

Oh yeahhh, baby.

Finish Line Fine. ;)

My Fitness Journey & Tips to Stay Motivated

It has been a great year for getting in shape! I have so much to motivate me and keep me going. The main thing--apart from being a very healthy me--is my trip to Hawaii this summer! It's my first time going there, and to my understanding, I will spend a lot of my time half-naked, soo...I need to look good half-naked.

Anyway, I put a lot of focus into cardio nowadays. From my experience, it's the best way (for me at least) to lose fat. That and eating right. I've spent the last 2-3 years on Weight Watchers, and it's taught me how to be mindful of portion size and calorie intake. And it works! It's now pretty much second nature to me so I'm fine doing it on my own. Toning is still a big part of my workouts as well, but my main priority is to lose fat in order to show the muscle. ;)

I can honestly say that the most challenging part of working out is remaining motivated to work out. I'm sure I'm not alone on that one! And what I've really gained out of all this is the mindset to keep pushing. I believe it when they say you work your mentality more than you work your body! Here are some things that have really helped me along the way:

• Work out in a public area. I purposely do not work out at home anymore. I have some equipment and videos, and could very well have a good workout at home, but here's my problem: I see Shawn T. (for those that don't know, he's the guy from the "Insanity" videos), and I see my couch. And the couch looks muuuuch more appealing. Lol! I know a lot of people that do great working out at home, but my house is too much of a distraction for me so it helps when I'm out and about. Plus, if I run around my neighborhood instead of running on a treadmill, the only way to get home is to run/walk back, so it motivates me to keep going!
• Workout with other people. Finding good, equally-motivated-if-not-more, people to work out with was THE BEST thing I could've done. I cannot workout by myself. I'll quit too soon. (Yeah--I'm working on that. Another mentality challenge.) I'm so lucky to have people to workout with, run with, to coach me...Sometimes it takes someone else telling you what to do to keep you moving. It also helps if those same people partake in the same healthy eating habits as you do. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Kristy. Weight Watchers Queen.)
• Commit to doing something you never done before. I donated $50 to participate in the Mud Run. Oh, trust me, I was gonna get my monies worth! The no-turning-back-now mentality will click in and you'll be working out/training like never before!
• Make other small commitments to improve your health or appearance. Working out and eating right aren't the only ways to look and feel beautiful. Studies show that taking care of your overall appearance will boost your mood and can serve as easy self-motivation. For instance, when I started taking better care of my skin, even wearing makeup a little bit more, or dressing up a little bit more, I felt more of the need to take care of the whole package! That motivated me to not just look great in clothes, but also in my own skin, which led to more efficient workouts and more conscious eating habits.

I'm proud to say that my focus on cardio is really paying off. My cholesterol is back to normal. My blood pressure is back to normal. I've participated in two 5k's since May--something I NEVER thought I would ever do! (Always been a sprinter, never a distance runner.) I feel better, look better, and the scale is loving me a little bit more. ;)

More posts on my workouts and meals to come! Until then...off to the gym.

Dad's 50th Birthday

The day has come when my oh-so-young father has turned 50. FIFTY. Over. The. Hill. It's hard for me to believe that my parents are getting older. Probably because the older they get, the younger they act! Lol...I'm not lying when I tell you they partied hard until 3 in the morning. I mean...clubs (here in the DMV) don't even stay open that late...

I helped with the food table of course, and decided to keep it simple. My dad on the other hand, transformed his unfinished basement into a sah-weeeeet karaoke bar! Enjoy the pics:

I am big quote person so I love when I can incorporate a good quote or two as part of the decorations! I used two here. One was on the picture timeline hanging above the food table: "I may be over the hill but the climb was terrific." And the other I thought captured my dad perfectly! "50 is fine when you look 39" Both I found on good ol' Pinterest. :)

Cake credit: Follow Jen @allcakedupdc on Instagram! She is amazing and the chocolate-mocha cake tasted so so good! It was the FIRST time the cake was completely finished by the time the party was over. We normally always have leftovers! Anyway, I couldn't have been happier with the finished product. I've ordered from bakeries who didn't even make their cakes this clean, and they charged me double than what she did! Hit her up if you're looking for a cake in the DMV area. You can thank me later! ;)

The basement was covered with colorful plastic table cloths. Amazing how much that can transform a room! The red and blue walls kinda reminded me of the big top ;)

It wouldn't be one of my dad's parties if he didn't have his friends do something crazy--like participate in a balut eating contest! For those that do not know what the filipino delicacy, "Balut", is, please feel free to see the exact definition here. Warning: Don't freak out! ;)

Judging from the Facebook pictures (that I refuse to share for good reason)...I think everybody had a good time! ;)

Happy 50th Birthday, Dad!

(I clearly get my coolness from him.)