FITspiration Lifestyle Tip #2: Find Support

"Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher."

Along with clean eating and regular exercise, having a support system is necessary for living a healthy, active lifestyle.  It's in our nature to seek love, acceptance, and encouragement to truly thrive. We are only human, after all.  Not only do we need people around to lift us higher, but they will also be able to hold us accountable too!

Building a support system will include a variety of people in your life. Below I will list some examples of who can be a part of your support system.

1. "Social Supporters"-  This refers to friends/family members/co-worker's that you interact with on occasion or even daily (workplace).  I often think about the quote "Live and let live".  At a social gathering, you may choose to pass on dessert or even alcohol (oh my!).  These are the supporters who "live and let live" and say "You have great will power, keep up the good work!"

Alas, you will encounter those that may not understand your new, healthier choices.  "C'mon, you look great! Just have a drink!"  OR "Seriously?! One piece of cheesecake isn't gonna kill you!"  Peer pressure somehow re-surfaces when a new change affects the way you socialize. 

Don't be afraid to say no and stick to your guns.  You can still have a social life and enjoy birthday parties, holidays, celebrations, etc. without over-indulging in fried food, booze, and sweets. Your future self will thank you later. ;)
..

2."Workout Buddy"-  I can almost guarantee that there is a workout buddy out there for you! It can be your spouse, best friend, mom, sister, co-worker, etc.  Accountability at it's best.  If you make plans to meet at the gym for Tabata class in the morning, you best believe you are gonna think twice about hitting that snooze button. No one likes to be stood up!

 Having a collective desire and goal to exercise and eat better will be motivating and encouraging for both of you, especially if you're both "new at this".  You don't need a gym membership, it can be as simple as having a walking buddy a few nights a week.  Instead of grabbing happy hour (or maybe before happy hour, hehe) go on a 30 minute walk with your girlfriend and chat about the normal things you do over a drink.

I'm sort of a hybrid-workout buddy, lately.  Last few Mondays I have been meeting my lovely friend Chey for Tabata.  If our children's nap schedules align, my friend Desiree and I will meet up too! When my SIL Michelle isn't traveling to Hawaii or Vegas, we love to hit the weights together.  On the weekends, the hubby and I go together and make it a family affair.

Bicep/Tricep day with my main squeeze

..

3. "Fitness Groups & People"- There are so many awesome communities and groups that focus on fitness.  Fit4Mom.com even has a program called "Stroller Strides" that incorporates bringing your child in their stroller while exercising.  Groupon (and the like) offer great deals for boot camps, bikram yoga, etc.  If you can't find a reliable workout buddy, consider looking within your community!

I've also included "Fitness People" in this category.  The majority of us uses social media on the daily, which is how you got to this blog (probably!)  Find someone that inspires you (pick me, pick me! hehe jk) Really though, I love following other fitness peeps to get ideas and motivation.  Fit moms like Natalie Hodson and Maria Kang or beach body coaches like Shaun T and Chalene Johnson.  This is my version of following a celebrity since I don't watch reality TV (Does Catfish count?!)


3. Inner Circle Support- This refers to anyone that lives in your household or someone you are very close with.  Your significant other/spouse especially needs to be on the same page.  Get the whole family to change to a healthier lifestyle together!  Having your fridge and pantry stocked with healthy eats will help you "stick to it."  Confide in your spouse and ask for support and encouragement.  Call your best friend that lives across the country and tell her your goals and aspirations.  These supporters will be your foundation when you have a weak moment and want to give up. Don't be afraid to lean on them.

For me, it was my husband.  I would tell him, "Even if I get mad at you, please remind me why should (fill in the blank)".  He did that for me. "Lex, just press play!" when I was doing T25 at home.  I would give excuses and pout like a child, "But I'm so tired!"  "But Sofie woke up 5 times last night!"  and he would say, "It's only 25 minutes of your day, you will feel better after. I promise!"

..

I am so grateful and thankful for his and all the other support that I continue to receive. If it wasn't for their support, I wouldn't be writing this blog post.  They have lifted me up when I have wanted to give up, and supported any decisions that were geared toward being healthier and happier.  Even complete strangers or acquaintances that I have spoken with since starting this blog are a part of my support team.  THANK YOU for believing in me!


Regardless of fitness/healthy eating, you need a positive support system in your life.  Surround yourself with people who love you and have good intentions.  Life is too short to be around people that belittle your ambitions and goals.  It's amazing how much happier you feel when surrounded by like-minded, positive people.  And of course: you will always find support right here!

That does it for this post.  I hope that you're all having an awesome week so far!  4th of July festivities are just around the corner, which will also mean lots of temptation.  80/20 rule to the rescue!

Xoxo

Lex

FITspiration Lifestyle Tip #1: Set Realistic Goals

"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you."

 I'm really excited to go into more depth on the each of the 7 FITspiration Lifestyle Tips that I shared last week.  Today I want to talk about goal-setting.  Making attainable, yet challenging goals will have boomerang effect.  When you hit a bump, you can always go back to your list of goals to remind you WHY you will push through and what you are setting out to accomplish.

I recommend buying yourself a notebook (this will also come into play when I talk about Accountability) A great "template" to use is S.M.A.R.T. criteria.

S. Specific- What's the end game?  Why do you want to make a change? If you want to lose weight, exactly how many pounds? Do you want to run a 5K? Maybe you just want to feel happier and have more energy? (this is a little more generic, but you can write down specific goals on how you will get there) Write it down! This is a great time to reflect and visualize how you will succeed on your own FITspiration journey.

M. Measurable- Time to face the music! Write in your notebook how much you weigh, take measurements (Chest, Waist, Hips, Both biceps, & Both Thighs), and most importantly take pictures! I promise you will be glad you did it.

When I first started out, I took pictures weekly to track my progress and I relied on how well my clothes fit as the main metrics of measure.  When taking pictures, choose the same spot with good lighting and a blank wall.  Do more than 1 pose (Face forward, hands on hips and/or flexing, side profile, and back)  This is a great motivator, because you will lose inches before you lose pounds and can visibly see more of a difference than any fancy scale.

Progress Pics put it into perspective!

Your notebook you can be used for a food journal and to track your fitness progress too. You can reference the previous week and motivate yourself to "run for 1 more minute" or to go up in weight if you start pumping iron (do it!)

A. Attainable- Make your goals attainable by starting with short-term goals.If you currently don't work out at all, make your goal to work out 2 days per week.  That is more attainable than jumping into working out Monday-Friday, 5 days a week! Slowly work your way up to those 5 days a week.  Do you want to run a 5k? You don't start by running 3 miles on Day 1.  You make a smaller, more attainable goal to get you there. Short term goals will also reward short term celebrations too. Yay! Do you want to eat healthier?  Start by cutting down the bad food/drinks with healthier options.  If you drink 6 sodas a day, make a goal to be down to only 1 soda a day by next month.

R. Realistic-Many times there is a sense of urgency. "I want to lose 60 lbs by the 4th of July!"  and it's already April.  As I mentioned in my original post, you want to aim for losing 1-2 lbs per week (or 5-10% of your body weight).  Steady weight loss will stick long-term.  If you find a product or a workout routine that claims you can lose more than this, you will most likely gain most of it back. There is no quick fix, and there are no shortcuts to living a healthier lifestyle.  Don't do something that could potentially harm your body (messing up metabolism by cutting calories or over-exercising is just, NO!)  If you want to  become a "runner", you don't sign up for the 1/2 marathon that's next month.  You start with a 5K, and maybe have a longer-term goal to complete a 1/2 marathon by next year.

T. Timely- There are two time-oriented points I want to share.  Now that we know we need to choose realistic, attainable goals...pick an end date.  I know I said this is a lifestyle change, but it is important when first starting out to choose an end date to stay motivated.  Do you have a beach trip coming up?  Is there a physical that you need to pass in order to have a certain insurance plan? This will help you divvy up your short term goals too. 

Time also means doing what is necessary to food prep and set aside time for exercise.  I literally put an appointment on my iPhone for when I plan to workout.  Wake up an hour earlier, or set aside the first 30 minutes after you put the kids to sleep to do your workout.  One of the many excuses people say is "I don't have time!"  You have to make time.  Do you have time to aimlessly scroll through Facebook for an hour? Guilty as charged. "Tough Love Lex" always comes out when someone says they don't have time. Do you have 1 minute to do a 30 second plank and 10 push-ups before you jump in the shower before work?  Yes you do!

Setting goals is so important when you embark on a journey of health & fitness. Your goals will change as you start "winning the small victories".  There is quote I absolutely love, "It doesn't get easier, you just get stronger."

It's so true.  Did you set out a goal to run for two minutes without a break?  Once you accomplish that, you challenge yourself to add 30 seconds or a minute as a new goal. By the time you know it, you will be able to run your first 5K!

When I first had my daughter via c-section,  I could not hold a plank longer than 30 seconds. That's when I decided to challenge myself. Short-term goal: I wanted to hold a plank for just 5 seconds longer than I did last week.  I continued to add 5 seconds every week.  Before I knew it, I could hold a plank for two whole minutes.  You'll be amazed at how pumped you will feel when you accomplish one of your short-term goals.  All these short-term goals contribute and add up to a BIG change.

Currently, I have a goal of drinking 1 gallon of water per day.  I'll be the first to tell you that I have my own bad habits, and one is forgetting to drink enough water.  I don't know why, but it's daunting to see a whole gallon of water. I already feel overwhelmed thinking about it! Haha. I decided to start drinking out of a smartwater bottle that holds a quart, and my goal is to fill it up 3 times and drink it all be the end of the day.

My fitness goal is to be able to do ONE pull-up by myself.  I am determined!  How will I get there?  Persistence and patience.  I invested in these bands to practice with.  Every gym sesh I had last week, regardless of what my workout was; I practiced a few assisted pull-ups with my new band. I can't tell you how excited I was when I did one more rep yesterday than last Sunday.  Small victories, woo!

What type of goals do you have?  Make sure you share your goals with at least one person in your support system, it's a great way to stay accountable.  Who knows, you may even inspire that person to set their own goal!

Thanks so much for reading, I hope this can help you on your journey to being a healthier, more fit YOU!

The question that matters: Why?

Hope all my fellow mama's had a wonderful Mother's Day full of love and laughter! I'm so blessed to have a great relationship with my mom, and feel so lucky to have her so involved in our daughter's life.  She is a beautiful and wonderful lady!

My mommy and her favorite grand daughter ;)

I had a great birthday/Mother's Day weekend filled with happy memories and great company. I also did what every mom secretly wants: a day of rest! Hehe, but really.  I have been sick all week, so I finally laid on my couch for hours and watched movies/relaxed.  It was perfect.

Last year of my twenties, cheers!

As I was watching a movie and cuddling with the munchkin, I realized she is the answer to the question in my subject line:  Why?

When you make the decision to change something in your life, you must ask yourself: Why?  Sometimes the answer is obvious, sometimes you simply can not pinpoint only one reason.  Why do I choose to be healthy and fit? It's all for my daughter, Miss Sofia Rose.

I have other reasons, of course, but she is the most important one. I want to be healthy for all of my days, so I can be around longer for as many of her days.  I want to have enough energy to run around after her as a toddler or play outside at the park with her for hours on end.  I want to be a healthy example of having confidence with the body God gave her, and to never let anyone make her feel insecure about something she should be proud of.  I want her to nourish her body with healthy food, and to stay active for so many reasons.  To have energy, to be able to focus better, to feel happier from the endorphins released as a direct result from being active, to have an outlet to let go of any negativity that will come into her life, etc.

This is my Why. Have some self reflection or quiet time and figure out what yours is.  Write it on a post-it note and stick it on your bathroom mirror.  When things get challenging and you want to give up, remember your Why. It will give you the strength and motivation to challenge yourself.  To make the healthier choice when tempted.  To wake up for an early workout instead of hitting snooze for 30 minutes.  It will make you stop and think, at the very least, I promise you that!

I plan to write a post about the key factors(in my own, personal opinion) that are important for successfully losing weight, and most importantly, keeping it off.  Having a "Why" is definitely one of those key factors.

Until then, I will leave you with a motivational quote *of course*

Happy Monday!

Lex