Well hello there, November! I feel like you must have been speeding to get here because you are upon us way quicker than I expected.
Guys, we only have two months left of 2017! This time of year always flies by. After Halloween, there’s Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and then comes December with Christmas, and New Year’s right behind it. No doubt, this is the busiest time of the year.
Of course with that comes added stress and cold and flu season on top of that. Unfortunately with this last wave of cooler weather, I started feeling a cold coming on.
Hello and welcome back! First, I want to say I hope wherever you are that you and your family are safe. Hurricane Irma was a very real and very scary thing that happened here in Florida this week and I know so many others are struggling with other natural disasters recently. My heart goes out to you if you have been affected.
I don’t know about you, but this girl is ready for the weekend. Crazy is an understatement for how this week went. Despite all the madness, I’m so incredibly thankful to say that my friends and family are all safe and their homes are all okay. This storm was not as bad as we expected it to be where I live. I can’t stress enough how big of a relief that is. So many are still without power, lost their homes, or even their lives. Needless to say, this was a stressful week for so many of us. Continue reading “How to De-Stress Affordably”
Like so many people, one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2017 was to be healthier/lose weight. I am so happy to say that we are halfway through August and I have stuck to that resolution.
I still a newbie to this lifestyle and have a lot to learn, but I’m so excited about the journey. Today I wanted to share some of my Fitness Favorites with you!
One of the biggest things I have learned is that to be fit and healthy, it can’t just be a New Year’s Resolution – it’s a lifestyle change.
I have worked in a sit-down office environment for four years now and have fallen victim to the temptation of office goodies – donuts, cookies, and candy. One thing I found really helpful in resisting that temptation is seeing how many calories were in those donuts, cookies, and candies. My Fitness Pal is one of the best fitness apps out there and it’s totally free!
If you have never used My Fitness Pal before and you are trying to watch your weight, I highly recommend it. The most important thing with this app is that you have to be honest with yourself and log everything you eat and drink. You can even log your exercise, which I find really encouraging. The longer I used this app, the easier it was for me to make conscious healthier decisions when those sweet goodies popped up at work.
I knew that for me to be healthy, I was going to need help. When I told Isaac I wanted to be healthier, he was super supportive and helped hold me accountable. One of the best things I can tell you about changing your lifestyle to be healthier would be to make it as easy for yourself as possible. Get rid of all the chips and cookies and junk food in the house. It is sad to say goodbye, but you’ll feel so much better in the long run.
In between working full time and going to school, the last thing I want to think about is what we are having for dinner. Every Sunday, we plan out all of our meals for the week and go grocery shopping. I am constantly on Pinterest finding healthy and easy recipes. This makes life so much easier. Now all we have to do is look at our menu for the week I keep posted on the fridge to see what we are having. (Instead of driving through Chick-fil-A.)
Activewear can be so expensive. I love a good deal, especially on active leggings. Some of my favorite places to shop for activewear on a budget are TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Old Navy, and Target. You can always find great name brand clothes like Nike and Underarmour at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Target always has the cutest and super trendy clothes with a reasonable price tag. Old Navy pretty much always has a sale happening and you can get a lot of great quality workout gear and walk out with your dignity.
Since I am such a newbie to working out and the gym is still rather intimidating for me, I love at-home workouts. I love watching workout videos on YouTube. It’s free and you don’t have to worry about being judged when you are out of breath after the first set. (Not that this has ever happened to me.) XHIT Daily is my favorite fitness YouTube channel. Most of their workouts are around ten minutes long and are easy to follow and so much fun.
What are some of your favorite ways to stay active? What helps keep you on track? Let me know in the comments!
