This week was hectic for me. Lots of family commitments and loads of work. It’s the first time I had broken my workout schedule in a long time and boy did I feel the difference. My happy go-get ’em attitude was ho-hum and can you say MOODY?  I will admit I was very “complainy” this week and not fun to be around – my family will attest to that!  Sorry guys!  I realized that it is just that time of year again where life gets busier than ever (if that is possible).  It made me aware of how immensely my workouts help my mental well being and SANITY!   This reminder has given me a new, general goal to be a better ME so that I can be a better, Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister and Friend.  I hope this helps you on your quest to be a better YOU also.

WE DESERVE TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE – A strong healthy body is great for your confidence, physical and mental health.  Staying active not only helps our outward appearance but our mental health and can do wonders to prevent common debilitating ailments that come with old age.  Strong healthy muscles protect our bones and joints!

Conditioning helps you to see your progress.

KEEP A JOURNAL –  Whether you are trying to lose weight, tone up or just master and conquer a new type of workout, keeping a journal is ideal.  It allows you to keep track of where you WERE, where you are NOW and where you want to be in the FUTURE – your future better YOU.  A workout journal gives you something to base your progress on so that you are less likely to compare yourself to others.  We are each beautifully and wonderfully made.  We are unique individuals so why compare yourself to someone else?  It isn’t healthy or realistic and it certainly won’t help your confidence.  There is always going to be someone “you think” is stronger, taller, thinner, prettier.  You have to remove that entirely from your head. You are not trying to be a better ” so and so”  you are trying to be a better YOU!  So cut that out would ya!  You are AWESOME!

Keep a workout journal to track your progress.

Write down your good and bad days so that when you are faced with a bad day or in a funk, you can look back at one of those days and say, “NO WAY NOT TODAY”.  Write down your goals and your accomplishments.  Maybe when you first started you were only able to do 1 push-up and now you are doing 20.  It helps to see how far you have come and allows you to set bigger and better goals for yourself.  How awesome is it when you can go and CHECK OFF that goal!  Mission accomplished.

TAKE PICTURES – A picture says a thousand words right?!  The scale doesn’t.  Take pictures and get rid of the scale.  We all know muscle weighs more than fat so just don’t even get on there.  Your photos and your clothes will tell you all you need to know.  Taking pictures can be scary so take them and put them away.  When you want to see your progress, pull them out! If you don’t see any progress then get your journal out, see what you have been doing and what you need to be doing and set new goals and a strategy to reach them.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST – Eat.  Eat better and more frequently.  Stay away from sugar.  Love pasta?  Have you tried Spaghetti Squash?  It’s called spaghetti squash because once cooked and you scrape out the inside, you are left with delicious, beautiful, yummy pasta THAT ISN’T PASTA!  Eat it with meat sauce or use it in a stir-fry instead of noodles or rice.  You won’t know the difference but your body will and it will thank you for it!  Do little things like that by replacing something that is not so good with something that is.  You don’t have to throw out everything in your refrigerator and pantry all at once.  Just start adding and replacing a little at a time and before you know it you will have changed your whole outlook on healthy, clean eating without dieting.

It’s not spaghetti, it’s spaghetti squash!

GLAM UP YOUR WORKOUT WARDROBE –  It always helps when you have a super cute, well performing workout outfit on.  You don’t have to break the bank but you could pick up one new tank or one new pair of activewear capris a month.  The most popular basic pant that we sell day in and day out are the basic shorts, basic capri pants and basic leggings (or show your funky side with these tie dye favorites).  It’s not a mystery it’s about fit, function and the way they make your booty look!  What’s even better is they all work nicely into your everyday wardrobe with boots and a chunky sweater, a long tunic tank or an oversized slouchy t-shirt.  Trust me nobody will know you were wearing workout pants!