I am so excited to have my fitness page up and running. Many, many thanks to Seth for helping me!

 

I have barely touched upon my passion for fitness and exercise on my blog. This is so exciting for me!

 

As some of you may have read, it came at an early age for me. My dad always worked out in our basement, using a Soloflex (Remember those?? He still uses it!) and an Air Dyne bike. Oh, the good ole’ days.

 

I was never a thin kid. Or a thin adult, unless you count the 10 minutes total I’ve been on stage during fitness competitions.

 

But one thing I always did consider myself? Healthy.

 

Sure, I’ve had and still have my moments of gobbling macaroni and cheese, chocolate, and cheesecake. Don’t we all deserve a bit of indulgence once in awhile?

 

Since I was about 13, I have consistently exercised. I cannot even tell you what this did for my self esteem. Well, ok – my husband can probably tell you.

 

I was fairly active – I participated in dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading –  sometimes willingly, other times unwillingly. I was never slim, though.

 

Growing up, I ate moderate portions (sometimes big, sometimes small). We rarely ate dessert. Fast food was seldom purchased. Maybe once every 2 months? I’m grateful for that now, though I do remember many a day when I was cryin’ for a Happy Meal.

 

My fitness journey has fully encompassed such a large part of me. I have learned so many things about myself, about others, and would not change it for a second. I always have my ups and downs with nutrition and exercise, and relish in finding balance in my happy place.

 

My tried and true tips that I always stick to?

Water

I drink a ton. Growing up, it was all I ever wanted to drink. Carbonated drinks hurt my mouth and chest, and I don’t like the bubbly feeling. I may have a carbonated drink once a month. The benefits I find from drinking water?

  • It keeps me full. When I think I’m hungry, I truly am sometimes just thirsty.
  • It keeps my skin glowing and blemish-free.
  • It keeps headaches away. I can always tell when I am dehydrated – my head begins to hurt.
  • It fuels me during cardio sessions.

So how much do I drink? Close to a gallon a day. Because I want to – not because I think I should. I usually do 45-60 minutes of cardio daily. Drinking this much makes me feel good.

If you slack off in the water drinking department, I used to tell my clients to begin with doubling the amount they drink in a day. So if you drink one bottle a day (and a lot of people do only drink that), try drinking 2 bottles tomorrow.

 

Eat Protein

I eat some at each meal. I always feel a bit fuller longer. I also physically see changes in my body. I get it in many forms, and can range from 70-130 grams a day. It just depends on what I eat. No lectures, please. :)

 

Strength Training

My, oh my. I heart strength training. Love it! I started young and have never looked back. I remember overhearing my mom telling a friend on the phone one day that I had ‘reshaped my body.’

She was right! I did reshape my body. So many women are scared of it. They want a shapely body, yet are afraid to build the muscle underneath. Not me. Give me some old school dumbbells and I’m a happy chick.

 

Rest

I always rest 1-2 days a week. Total rest. I do not go in the gym. I don’t feel the need to ‘exercise’ every day. A huge part of fitness is recovery. Just because I spend a few days resting does not mean I am sitting down. I may be shopping, on my feet baking, or chasing my husband with a frying pan.

 

 

These are just a few of the easy, simple things that work for me. As with many things in life, there is no one right way to do things. I encourage people to change things up. Change is a wonderful and inevitable thing.

 

Like when I changed homes. See – change is a good thing!