I’m surprised (yet totally not surprised…) to say I’ve never written a blog post about fitness!
I hated fitness and any type of physical exertion my entire life. Physical Education class was my LEAST favorite and boy was I elated during my junior and senior year when it was no longer mandatory! It wasn’t until the last few years that I tried to be more active so I could have a healthier lifestyle.
I still haven’t picked up any sports that I enjoy but I do love hiking and going on walks, so I try to do that any chance I get. Especially with coronavirus and having to quarantine, going on my daily walks around the neighborhood for a few miles really positively elevates my mood and mind. The fresh air and sunshine just make me feel a lot better.
I’ve also dabbled in pilates workouts for the last few years. However, I didn’t get serious about it until the last few months due to COVID-19. Now I try to workout every single day and do about 40-60 min. I’ve always been a huge fan of Blogilates; Cassey is really encouraging and her calendar gives me enough structure.
I also discovered Chloe Ting’s workouts and did her 28 day flat tummy challenge. I honestly think that was just what I needed to dive deeper into my fitness journey because prior to that, I couldn’t commit as seriously to the Blogilates monthly calendars. My body just wasn’t strong enough for me to power through all of her harder workouts, so I didn’t feel as motivated to do all of them. But, after completing the Chloe Ting challenge, I actually do feel a lot stronger and can power through so many more pilates moves than before.
I think Chloe’s workouts are really intense yet still “easier.” You get stronger and actually feel your progress pretty quickly, which motivates you to continue through to the end. I thank Blogilates for learning good form because unfortunately Chloe doesn’t have great form, but if you can learn the fundamentals of good form elsewhere that shouldn’t be a problem. And regardless of form, Chloe’s workouts are perfect for someone who isn’t used to working out or pushing their body.
I feel so much stronger nowadays and I feel happier in general. I’ve always had a mild bit of body dysmorphia and felt “fat” even if my BMI was on the lower end of normal, so once I actually did gain a bit of extra weight (happy relationship weight they call it), I felt even worse. Always looked down at my stomach and felt unhappy. Being more fit in general lessened my displeasure in appearance but it also just makes me feel so much more confident and healthier.
Here are a few general goals of mine:
- Drinking more water (at least 8 cups or 64 oz a day)
- Sleeping more (at least 7-8 hours a day)
- Stretching more
- Eat more fruits and veggies
- Walking for a few miles every day & doing home workouts
I’ve been making a green smoothie to drink almost every day as an easy and delicious way to get more greens in my body. It’s so yummy!!! I’ll have to post a recipe sometime later.
It’s funny to say because I never thought I’d get there but I’m finally “old” and my metabolism is really slow nowadays. You always hear people talking about how their bodies aren’t like they used to be and in your youth you laugh and think about how great it is you can eat some deep fried twinkies with no consequences! Haha. Now I know I can’t eat anything and everything I want anymore. It’s all about moderation. I still love food so I like to indulge sparingly or eat good stuff in moderation. I just want to live a healthier life so I can look better, feel better, and live better.