motivation monday | august 2016
My little OCD soul loves, LOVES, L-O-V-E-S it when the 1st of the month falls on a Monday. Seriously. It's like everything just falls in line.
Just not today.
Things On Today's To-Do List:
- Eat like a healthy champ to get back on track after a month of traveling.
- Work out at least 45 minutes daily, including two new toning challenges (I'm a cardio girl).
- Stay positive in mind and healthy in body or some equally new-agey phrase.
Things Which Actually Got Accomplished:
- None of the above.
- Dammit.
- $#*@^&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today totally got away from me. My day at work was slammed, I got home late, and while I was starting dinner, a new client called with an issue we've been trying to fix for a couple of days. Needless to say, my workout ended up being only 15 minutes. I didn't start my challenges, I ate so-so today, and my mind was (even more) warped than usual.
However, here are a few things to get you motivated for this month (keeping in mind that I am not a healthcare professional, nutritionist, or fitness instructor...these are things which have simply worked for me):
Challenge Yourself
I'm not a big person (5'3) so any little bit of weight shows on me. I work hard to eat healthy and exercise daily, but after the last month of vacationing, I'm having a hard time getting motivated again. So, I found two really great challenges as a supplement to my normal workout (yay, Pinterest!).
Plan Ahead
I made sure to purchase healthy snacks at the grocery store this past weekend. My favorites include raw almonds, organic gala apples, celery, carrots, cherries, and low-fat cottage cheese. I usually eat reduced sodium soup or whatever's leftover for lunch, so I'm able to manage my calorie intake a little better.
Remember, It's Okay To Splurge A Little
I am a big fan of balance and the 80/20 rule with food. Basically, you eat as healthily and cleanly as possible 80% of the time and enjoy yourself the remaining 20%. Does this mean you should eat like crap for a day and a half each week? No. But it does mean that I don't have to feel that bad about eating the absolutely delicious toffee cookie bar thing my mom made.
Lose The Guilt
Miss a workout? You'll live. Eat a bunch of bread at lunch? Your jeans won't shrink overnight. Just remember that one little misstep does not a setback make. However, it's important to be mindful of your actions so you're not falling back into bad habits.
Stay At Home
Eating out is one of the worst things you can do for a healthy lifestyle. Most restaurants use salt, butter, and carbs to make stuff taste better. While I'll admit that I love going out to eat, the Man Friend and I generally try to eat at home for about 80-90% of our meals. It's easier to control the ingredients, which helps to keep you on track with your goals.
Accept (Some) Substitutions
If you skip a workout, go for a walk or do some yoga. When the chocolate craving hits, melt a tablespoon and dip fresh strawberries into it. Throw in some spaghetti squash or zoodles into your pasta for just half the carbs. When you just don't feel like working out, make yourself move for 10-15 minutes and, if you're still not feeling it, take the day off. While you should hold yourself to some standards, don't be so rigid that you're hating life.
Needless to say, I'm really expecting tomorrow to be SO much better.
(also, Mom, I know you read these...will you please email me that toffee bar recipe?)
