A Whole New Fitness Journey! Next year I turn 40! I’m in ready to make it the best decade of my life. And to kick it off, I’m starting a new fitness journey that looks totally different from my original weight loss journey at 32. Like many women, I’ve noticed changes in my body over the past couple of years that I wasn’t entirely prepared for…thanks to perimenopausal weight gain and the lasting impact of past injuries. But these aren’t obstacles that hold me back instead I see them as new challenges to overcome. I’m excited to share this new chapter of my life with you, and I’ll be documenting the whole journey on YouTube, beginning with a 21-day fitness program that I’m modifying to fit my current place in life. If you’re tackling your own fitness and weight loss goals in midlife, or if past injuries have made getting back in shape feel overwhelming, this post is for you. I’m sharing what’s driving me and how I’m adapting my approach to fit my aging body’s constantly changing needs. Perimenopausal Changes One of the catalysts for this new fitness journey was the realization that my body is changing as I […]
Walking is one of the simplest, yet most effective forms of exercise you can do, no matter your age or fitness level. Not only is it free, but it’s also very gentle on your joints, flexible to fit into any schedule, and can be done pretty much anywhere! If you’re looking to kickstart your fitness journey with a simple and enjoyable activity, or if you’re just aiming to get more active in your daily life, a walking challenge could be just the thing for you! My walking journey began when I adopted my first dog, Gigi. At first, our twice-daily walks were just a way to give her the exercise she needed, but the walks quickly became my favorite part of the day (and hers too!). Walking Gigi every day inspired me to push past my comfort zone, and before I knew it I had the endurance and confidence to begin running. What started as simple walks with my rescue pup led me to train for and successfully complete a half-marathon. This post contains affiliate links #ads. See Disclosure for details. I receive a commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Why Walking? Before we dive into the […]
Do you ever feel nervous or anxious about exercising in public? If that sounds like you, believe me, you’re not alone. For the longest time, I felt exactly the same way. Every time I thought about working out in public, all I could focus on was how uncomfortable I felt. I would notice every little movement of my body, and it held me back from enjoying my workouts or trying new things. I was afraid of what other people might think about how I looked and judge me. But guess what? I managed to overcome those fears, and today, I’m here to share how you can do the same and start feeling great about exercising anywhere! Step One: Dress to Impress Yourself! One of the simplest ways to boost your confidence is by wearing activewear that you love. This doesn’t mean you have to break the bank! Just picking the right outfit—like a pair of high-waisted leggings, a supportive sports bra, and a top in your favorite color—can make a huge difference. When you look good, you feel good, right? And here’s a little secret: everyone feels better when they think they look good. Choose colors that pop for you, […]
If you’re a regular reader of mine, or you follow me on Instagram, you know that the fitness lifestyle is still relatively new to me. I’ve only been exercising consistently for two years. Prior to that, I was 110 pounds heavier and had zero athletic background to speak of. So, how did I get from a sedentary lifestyle to one where I crave exercise? Honestly, it took a lot of hard work. But through the process of building the habits below, I taught myself to crave fitness to the point that now it’s a part of my everyday life. It’s important to remember that there is nothing special about me. Absolutely anyone can build these habits and create a fitness lifestyle for themselves. This post contains affiliate links #ads. See disclosure for details. I receive a commission from Amazon links at no cost to you. Exercise When You Don’t Feel Like It. I didn’t say any of these tips would be easy! So I’m starting with the hardest but most effective way to train your body to crave exercise. And that is to work out even when you don’t feel like it. Every single time you exercise when you would […]
This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. Gym anxiety is a real thing. And it prevents so many people from starting their health and fitness journey. I get it, I let gym anxiety (and just anxiety in general) stop me from reaching my goals many times. I have a very long history of anxiety at the gym. All stemming from the time when my parents thought it would be a good idea to force a sixteen-year-old to get a gym membership and a personal trainer. We won’t even get into that at the moment but I’m sure you can guess where the anxiety comes from. I stilled joined many gyms over the years. Always going a few times before quitting altogether. Because at the end of the day, I always let my insecurities get the better of me. Eventually, I learned how to move past my gym insecurities. Now, I find the gym to be a place where I can relax and simply workout. But it took a change in mindset and that’s what I’m going to share with you. Overcoming Gym Insecurities Do you struggle with endless worries at the gym? Worrying about […]
This post contains Affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. It’s Important For Runners To Strength Train So to be honest, I ran for a long time before I added strength training to my fitness routine. And if I had known how important it was to strength train, I would have started much earlier. Especially when I was training for big races like my half-marathon. But I didn’t and lesson learned! Strength training is not just for people who are looking to tone muscles or bulk-up. It can play a big role in your running and your run performance. And if you truly want to be athletic, you need to do more than just run. Strength training has me focusing on other areas such as balance, flexibility, and strength. All of which makes me a much better runner. So, do you find yourself getting the same running injuries over and over? Or have you been running for a while but not getting any faster? It’s time to start strength training. Help Tight Muscles Due to the nature of running, it is really easy to overuse very specific muscles. This overuse is what leads to cramping, often in […]
Are you thinking about stepping into the world of fitness, or perhaps reigniting that spark from your fitter days? Maybe you’ve rallied a group of friends, ready to dive into healthier habits together! Whatever your motivation, embarking on a 30-day workout challenge with friends is a fantastic—and totally manageable—way to ease into a more active lifestyle. When I very first dipped my toes into fitness, it was with a 30-day yoga challenge with two of my friends. At the start, I was very out of shape and had about 100 pounds I wanted to shed. That first challenge wasn’t just about stretching and poses; it was a total eye-opener. Day by day, I discovered that I could stick to a plan, push my limits, and actually see results. By the end of those 30 days, I wasn’t just more flexible— I had totally fallen in love with that awesome sense of accomplishment and the good stuff it was doing for my body. After yoga, we tackled squat challenges, push-up challenges, and even total body workouts. Eventually, we stepped up to more structured home fitness programs. Why 30-Day Challenges? So, why start with 30-day challenges? Thirty days is the perfect amount […]
This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. Working out after any length of time can be really challenging. That first workout after a break, whether it be because of illness or injury, takes a certain level of planning. Personally, I just got over a really bad case of the flu. It was so bad that I ended up taking 5 days off from working out. Which for me is a huge amount of time. But it was totally necessary. If you’re not careful a cold, flu, injury, or even just life getting in the way can mean falling off the fitness wagon entirely. And most people will agree that the longer you go between workouts, the harder it is to get started again. The more days there are without exercise the more likely it is that motivation will start to fall by the wayside. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to be proactive. Read my tips to get back to your ass-kicking, workout slaying self! Remember Why You Started It can be so easy to fall into a lazy routine with no activity. A body at rest wants to stay […]
This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosure for details. Opinions are my own. How many times have you tried joining a gym or sticking to a diet or healthy eating? If you’re like many people around the world, the answer is probably countless times. For over 20 years I was the same way! For the longest time, I couldn’t make anything work. I struggled with being accountable to myself. And turns out, that was where I was wrong. I didn’t need to be accountable to myself, I had to be accountable to another person. And that’s where an accountability partner comes in. One of the biggest mistakes a person can make on their health and fitness journey is to not have an accountability partner. There is this popular fitness quote that I always see floating around that goes: Set goals. Stay quiet about them. Smash the sh*t out of them. Clap for yourself. Repeat. And the quote always drives me crazy because it’s the worst advice ever! Stay quiet about your goals!? How in the world is someone supposed to get the support that they need if they don’t talk about their goals? How an Accountability Partner Works While an […]
When it comes to shedding pounds, the amount of misinformation floating around can be overwhelming. It’s exhausting trying to filter out the noise and pinpoint what really works. Luckily, I’ve gone through a lot of this myself and am here to help clear up some major misconceptions about weight loss. Let’s dive into some of these common weight loss myths so that you can focus on what truly matters on your weight loss journey and get real weight loss results. The Myth of the Secret Formula It sometimes feels like everyone—from that fitness guru on social media to your neighbor down the street—claims to hold the elusive “secret” to quick weight loss. They might tout a special diet, a new exercise routine, or even a particular supplement as the magic solution to all your weight problems. But here’s the truth: there isn’t a mystical secret or hidden shortcut to losing weight. The fundamental principle behind weight loss is pretty straightforward—it’s calorie balance. It’s all about the calories you take in versus the calories you burn. If you consume fewer calories than your body burns each day, you’ll lose weight. On the other hand, if you eat more than what your […]