Please keep in mind these are my thoughts and opinions. I choose to write about these topics and share my advice and opinions with you all because they mean something to me. It is a collection of my thoughts and experiences with the subject. Please comment below if you have any questions.
Living a balanced and healthy life can take Time to truly achieve. It can seem so daunting, and difficult to manage. Yet, in the end it is all about making those small changes every day and making them a part of your normal routine. Make these habits a part of your lifestyle. because it is our routine and habits we create that will ultimately help us succeed. I am still working to find a balance with some things, but for the most part I feel very happy and satisfied with my current routine. For me it was not only about creating healthy and sustainable habits, but about cutting out the bad ones that were having a negative impact on my health and mental well-being. Not only did I change my routine by eating healthier, nourishing foods and exercising regularly, I also stopped doing the things that were bringing me down. Partying at least 3 days a week and over drinking was a big part of my life for years, and cutting it out was one of the Best Decisions of my life. I still go out occasionally and have a drink or two, But it is Nothing compared to the old me. I am still learning so much about health, fitness and taking care of my body everyday. But I have established a routine that works for me, a balance that works for my body and each day I work hard to keep improving.
<< I found a Quote today on one of my followers pages and it fit in very appropriately with my theme "You'll Never Change Your Life Until You Change Something You Do Daily. The Secret of Your Success Is Found In Your Daily Routine" -John C. Maxwell This is so very true, You must make a change to see and feel a change. You must make taking care of your body a part of your daily routine. >>
You can make simple changes at first, small adjustments to what you're used to. It could be a dietary change, like switching any heavily processed foods for fresh and natural products. For example, switching processed white sugar for raw brown sugar, stevia or another alternative natural sweetener. Replacing white pasta and breads for whole grain alternatives, such as brown rice, sprouted wheat, whole wheat or spelt. Drinking water or tea, instead of sugary soft drinks and soda. BUT with all of these things, You MUST read the Ingredients and labels. There are many 'Healthy" Alternatives out on the shelves these days, a gluten-free option, sugar-free, low-carb or low-fat, and while some of these are Great, there are also many that contain extra preservatives or additives just to give them flavor. Do a little research and Be aware of what you are buying. My goal when grocery shopping is to buy as many fresh and plain products as possible, fruits, vegetables, plain yogurt, brown rice, whole grain pasta, cage-free eggs (organic when possible) plain tomato sauce, etc. Then I add the flavoring at home, so I know exactly what I am putting on my food and into my body.
Another important change is to start incorporating some kind of physical exercise into your daily routine. It can be as simple as walking to the grocery store or university, instead of driving or taking the bus. Riding your bike to work. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Go on a bike ride. Walk around and explore your city or surrounding towns. Each of these small things will add up and they Will make a difference. When you are feeling ready to do something a little more challenging there are soo many options! Join a gym, sign up for a fitness class, join a local sports team, join a support group on Instagram or Facebook that will help you keep accountable with exercising and eating, hire a Personal Trainer to get you started, purchase a Workout guide such as the Bikini Body Guide or Tone It Up plan. There are soo many options. You must make a little effort and take the time do some research or ask some friends or family for advice and get started! There will always be people to Help you, but Ultimately it is Your Life and You Must put in some Effort!
For me, I cut out unhealthy foods and started at the gym almost immediately, after returning home from Spain. I knew that personally I needed a bit more of a challenge physically and was very motivated at the time, so I started going at least 4-5 days a week. At the beginning I was doing mostly cardio for about an hour at a time, followed by a few resistance exercises and ab exercise. Now, a year later, I do a mixture of resistance training, High Intensity Interval training, Weight Lifting, stretching (beginners Yoga) and cardio. On an average week, I work out 6 days a week, for anywhere from 1-2 hours including warm-up, my routine and stretching, and take one rest day. (scroll to the bottom of this post for my updated workout schedule & check out my about me for a longer explanation of how I changed). Currently, I eat home cooked meals 90% of the time and rarely drink. I have had a very open schedule recently, and have had a lot of time to cook, work out when I want to and interact with people on social media outlets. My work schedule will change very soon, and then I will do my best to keep up my routine. My normal habits will not change, but the order in which I do them might and the amount of time I dedicate to each might have to be adjusted. But that is okay, because I know I have created a lifestyle that is sustainable foe me and I will absolutely keep it up.
We are all capable of changing our habits and routines. Find what works for You and give it your best every single day!
Living a balanced and healthy life can take Time to truly achieve. It can seem so daunting, and difficult to manage. Yet, in the end it is all about making those small changes every day and making them a part of your normal routine. Make these habits a part of your lifestyle. because it is our routine and habits we create that will ultimately help us succeed. I am still working to find a balance with some things, but for the most part I feel very happy and satisfied with my current routine. For me it was not only about creating healthy and sustainable habits, but about cutting out the bad ones that were having a negative impact on my health and mental well-being. Not only did I change my routine by eating healthier, nourishing foods and exercising regularly, I also stopped doing the things that were bringing me down. Partying at least 3 days a week and over drinking was a big part of my life for years, and cutting it out was one of the Best Decisions of my life. I still go out occasionally and have a drink or two, But it is Nothing compared to the old me. I am still learning so much about health, fitness and taking care of my body everyday. But I have established a routine that works for me, a balance that works for my body and each day I work hard to keep improving.
<< I found a Quote today on one of my followers pages and it fit in very appropriately with my theme "You'll Never Change Your Life Until You Change Something You Do Daily. The Secret of Your Success Is Found In Your Daily Routine" -John C. Maxwell This is so very true, You must make a change to see and feel a change. You must make taking care of your body a part of your daily routine. >>
You can make simple changes at first, small adjustments to what you're used to. It could be a dietary change, like switching any heavily processed foods for fresh and natural products. For example, switching processed white sugar for raw brown sugar, stevia or another alternative natural sweetener. Replacing white pasta and breads for whole grain alternatives, such as brown rice, sprouted wheat, whole wheat or spelt. Drinking water or tea, instead of sugary soft drinks and soda. BUT with all of these things, You MUST read the Ingredients and labels. There are many 'Healthy" Alternatives out on the shelves these days, a gluten-free option, sugar-free, low-carb or low-fat, and while some of these are Great, there are also many that contain extra preservatives or additives just to give them flavor. Do a little research and Be aware of what you are buying. My goal when grocery shopping is to buy as many fresh and plain products as possible, fruits, vegetables, plain yogurt, brown rice, whole grain pasta, cage-free eggs (organic when possible) plain tomato sauce, etc. Then I add the flavoring at home, so I know exactly what I am putting on my food and into my body.
Another important change is to start incorporating some kind of physical exercise into your daily routine. It can be as simple as walking to the grocery store or university, instead of driving or taking the bus. Riding your bike to work. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Go on a bike ride. Walk around and explore your city or surrounding towns. Each of these small things will add up and they Will make a difference. When you are feeling ready to do something a little more challenging there are soo many options! Join a gym, sign up for a fitness class, join a local sports team, join a support group on Instagram or Facebook that will help you keep accountable with exercising and eating, hire a Personal Trainer to get you started, purchase a Workout guide such as the Bikini Body Guide or Tone It Up plan. There are soo many options. You must make a little effort and take the time do some research or ask some friends or family for advice and get started! There will always be people to Help you, but Ultimately it is Your Life and You Must put in some Effort!
For me, I cut out unhealthy foods and started at the gym almost immediately, after returning home from Spain. I knew that personally I needed a bit more of a challenge physically and was very motivated at the time, so I started going at least 4-5 days a week. At the beginning I was doing mostly cardio for about an hour at a time, followed by a few resistance exercises and ab exercise. Now, a year later, I do a mixture of resistance training, High Intensity Interval training, Weight Lifting, stretching (beginners Yoga) and cardio. On an average week, I work out 6 days a week, for anywhere from 1-2 hours including warm-up, my routine and stretching, and take one rest day. (scroll to the bottom of this post for my updated workout schedule & check out my about me for a longer explanation of how I changed). Currently, I eat home cooked meals 90% of the time and rarely drink. I have had a very open schedule recently, and have had a lot of time to cook, work out when I want to and interact with people on social media outlets. My work schedule will change very soon, and then I will do my best to keep up my routine. My normal habits will not change, but the order in which I do them might and the amount of time I dedicate to each might have to be adjusted. But that is okay, because I know I have created a lifestyle that is sustainable foe me and I will absolutely keep it up.
We are all capable of changing our habits and routines. Find what works for You and give it your best every single day!
10 Day Workout Plan
Keep in mind that while I do like to plan ahead, ultimately what I end up doing depends how I am feeling that day and how much energy and time I have. For those that don't know, the BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide, it is a workout program developed by Australian Personal Trainer Kayla Itsine's. I use the workouts form the the 2nd guide(2.0) 3 days a week, do the recommended cardio and then do Additional Lifting. I have worked my way up to doing this amount and intensity of Exercise, and even 6 months ago would not have been able to do this. So I encourage each one of you to do what works best for YOUR Body.
Here was last weekends sessions, and what I plan to do the next couple of days to give you an idea of my routine. Also, please scroll down to my previous Blog Post "Physical Activity" for More Information about my experience with different types of exercise and my routine. And Check out my Fitness Tips.
Friday 21st: BBG2 Full Body Workout + 20 minutes of Sprinting Intervals on the Treadmill (including warm-up and cool-down)
Saturday 22nd: BBG2 ABS + Lifting for Arms and Back.
Sunday 23rd: 10 minutes of High Intensity Intervals with Jump Rope (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off) + Heavy Lifting for Legs= Free Weighted Squats, Smith Machine Squats, Lunges, Deadlifts, etc.
Monday 24th: 50 Minutes of Steady State Walking on the Treadmill with Incline Intervals (Kept at fast-paced walking speed using a pyramid style training of incline levels; 6.5, 10, 15, 10, 6.5, repeat) + Stretching
Tuesday 25th: Home workout without Weights, Squats, Plank, Push-Ups. + Stretching and some Yoga.
Wednesday 26th: Leg Day. BBG2.0 Legs + Lifting, Free Weights and Machines.
Thursday 27th: BBG2 Abs + extra weighted Ab exercises, regular and side planks. Possible Sprinting Intervals.
Friday 28th: Arm Day. BBG2.0 Arms + Free Weighted Lifting and Machines for Arms and Back.
Saturday 29th: Cardio of some kind, Walking or Sprinting Intervals.
Sunday 30th: Possible Rest Day or Full Body Workout.
Monday 31st: BBG2.0 Legs + extra LIfting.
Here was last weekends sessions, and what I plan to do the next couple of days to give you an idea of my routine. Also, please scroll down to my previous Blog Post "Physical Activity" for More Information about my experience with different types of exercise and my routine. And Check out my Fitness Tips.
Friday 21st: BBG2 Full Body Workout + 20 minutes of Sprinting Intervals on the Treadmill (including warm-up and cool-down)
Saturday 22nd: BBG2 ABS + Lifting for Arms and Back.
Sunday 23rd: 10 minutes of High Intensity Intervals with Jump Rope (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off) + Heavy Lifting for Legs= Free Weighted Squats, Smith Machine Squats, Lunges, Deadlifts, etc.
Monday 24th: 50 Minutes of Steady State Walking on the Treadmill with Incline Intervals (Kept at fast-paced walking speed using a pyramid style training of incline levels; 6.5, 10, 15, 10, 6.5, repeat) + Stretching
Tuesday 25th: Home workout without Weights, Squats, Plank, Push-Ups. + Stretching and some Yoga.
Wednesday 26th: Leg Day. BBG2.0 Legs + Lifting, Free Weights and Machines.
Thursday 27th: BBG2 Abs + extra weighted Ab exercises, regular and side planks. Possible Sprinting Intervals.
Friday 28th: Arm Day. BBG2.0 Arms + Free Weighted Lifting and Machines for Arms and Back.
Saturday 29th: Cardio of some kind, Walking or Sprinting Intervals.
Sunday 30th: Possible Rest Day or Full Body Workout.
Monday 31st: BBG2.0 Legs + extra LIfting.