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I have looong since accepted that I’ll never be one of those gym-addicted, abs of steel, waking-up-excited for the gym kinda gals, but I’ve made a ton of progress in the last couple of years and I’m definitely feeling a lot happier with myself. And that’s what matters, right?
The changes I’ve made have been small, but I’ve stuck with them and the difference overall has been well, not life-changing but lifestyle-changing. I feel a lot more comfortable in my skin, let’s put it that way. I feel inspired to be better, and knowing how happier I am now compared to the person I was even just a year ago motivates me so much.
I’m one of those annoyingly impatient people who gives up on things if I don’t see results overnight, so being able to stick to any sort of lifestyle change is impressive for me!
Anyway, you all certainly seemed to have noticed a difference, and I promised a post on some of the changes I made to achieve this…
Planning Well, Eating Better
When it comes to anything related to health and fitness, I find it’s easiest to break it down and see where I’m going wrong. I thought I ate pretty well, but I wasn’t feeling great… sluggish and lazy (well, more lazy than usual heh) in the afternoons, and that uneasy guilty feeling when I had an evening treat.
I decided to make a note of what I was eating to figure out where I was going wrong, which was quite an eye-opener! I definitely wasn’t eating nearly as much veg as I thought I was (something I’ve worked hard on changing) and some of my meals were not even remotely nutritious, with zero protein too!
It kind of blew my mind because I’d always thought I was such a good eater.
I don’t really believe in counting calories, I think it works as a rough guide but I prefer to think of food in terms of nutrition. Thinking about the goodness that was going in to my body really helped me to make a few dietary changes. It was a wake-up call for sure!
A lot of where I was going wrong was because of my thinking, so I really worked to change my mindset. It’s so easy to give up on your goals because wow, you ate some birthday cake or had a cocktail, but remembering that it’s all about balance helped me to keep on keepin’ on.
Moving More Every Day
I used to think that I’d have to do a few hours at the gym every day to see a change, but I’ve come to realise that moving more in any shape or form is a start!
I have a Fitbit Alta HR and I wear it daily to keep me motivated – it’s really helped me to leave my comfy, cosy cloud bed on those early mornings for a bit of exercise!
My Alta HR tracks my heart rate so I can see how many minutes I’ve been active per day, the distance I’ve walked, along with how many days I’ve exercised per week. I can even enter how much water I’ve been drinking. Tracking my heart rate has been more insightful than any change I’ve made – I love the way you can see your true activity level with the active minutes, which became something I set targets for, rather than only concentrating on the time I spent in the gym!
It also tracks my sleep if I wear it overnight, something I’m forever glued to because I find it so fascinating.
I check the Fitbit App daily to keep an eye on how I’m doing, and I’m so motivated by what I see. The old me would have given up on my goals if I’d had a tough day at the gym or felt too tired to hit 10k steps, but the new me thinks about the bigger picture. Maybe I didn’t do so well today, but I’ve smashed this week on the whole, and there’s, always tomorrow!
I’m spurred on by numbers as progress, so my Fitbit has been my BFF throughout my healthier lifestyle mission. I like that it’s for everyone too, I know I’ll never be an athlete, but I want to live well, and the targets I’ve set reflect that.
What’s more, having my Fitbit made it fun – I finally enjoyed exercise because I knew I was getting better, and it no longer seemed like a chore. I could see the progress I was making right there on my wrist!
Mental Health Days
I’ve always made an effort to look after my body, but sometimes my mental health took a backseat… something that actually upsets me to think about now.
Taking time out because I’m struggling has done wonders, and I hope that everyone understands how important this is. Whenever I need one, I have a ‘mental health day’ – I create a little sanctuary, pile up some blankets with some good reading material and lose myself in another world for a few hours.
Realising how important exercising is for my mental health has been life-changing. Whenever I get in to a stage of overthinking or feeling anxious, I put on my gym gear and sweat it out… it sometimes takes a bit of working up to it, but I remind myself that I never regret a workout!
Going Easier On Myself
This kind of ties in with the above because I was always my own worst enemy; I felt like my exercise efforts were pointless unless I worked myself to the bone, and my healthy eating habits were ruined if I had a sweet treat for lunch… I just kept giving up!
I hated the way I was always picking myself apart for not doing my best, when I should have been concentrating on moving forward.
What kept me on track was knowing that I was making small changes that would come together in the long run – maybe I did have a bad day food-wise, but I’ve been feeling great with my progress otherwise so no need to feel guilty for it! I’ll just move forward and think of how far I’ve come.
Here’s to feeling good!
The main thing for me is that I’m working towards something; a better version of myself. I want to be a healthier, happier person in the long-run, not someone who is concerned about counting calories and feeling guilty about food, or stepping on the scales daily… and every day I’m making progress.
Will you be taking on any of these tips?
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Fitbit through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Fitbit Alta HR, all opinions are my own
