Healthy Resolutions (And How I’m Sticking With Them)

I started writing this as an Instagram post, but the caption kept getting longer and longer. Let’s be honest, if my caption is two paragraphs long, you’re not going to read it. That’s not what Instagram’s for, amirite? But hopefully if you’re here you’re willing to read a few paragraphs because…well…that’s what blogs are. Anyways, to the point…

Like pretty much everyone else on the planet, I’ve made New Years Healthy Resolutions to stay active, get fit, and be healthy. Like most people, I usually have a really hard time sticking with it. My biggest challenge has always been not really knowing what to do, not really having anyone to do it with, not having a routine, and just kind of going into it with a “whatever” attitude. Surprise! You don’t get anywhere with that attitude.

A lot of people say that since I’m skinny I don’t need to fret about my weight, but it’s not even my weight that I’m worried about at the moment. It’s how I feel physically and it’s how I feel about myself when I look in the mirror when I’m wearing low cut jeans (ok…maybe I’m just at the age now where I need to stop wearing low cut jeans – who else has come to this sad realization? I really hate them now 😂) or a bikini. I simply know that I really want to get fit again. I went to college in the mountains, where I literally walked up hill both ways to and from class. That kept me moving, kept me active. I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound. In fact I was struggling to gain weight because I had lost too much from a stomach ulcer. All through my life I could eat whatever I want with no consequences.

Recently I’ve definitely noticed that I’m not as fit as I used to be, and it’s definitely making me feel a lot less confident in my appearance, which is something I know we all go through. Everyone said to me, “Once you turn 25, your body starts to change.” And guys, it was like night and day. I turned 25 in 2017 and in 2017 I noticed a difference in my body. It’s not only turning 25, though. Now I have a 9-5 desk job, which is a LOT less movement than walking around campus all day.

I used to like almost any picture of me. Now I’ve become one of those picky girls that hates 75% of pictures taken of her. I notice the difference in myself. And I know a lot of it is also society’s view as the “perfect body.” I think a lot of us are still struggling with trying to ignore that. I truly believe that everyone is beautiful in their own image and as long as you are healthy you should be happy with yourself and your body.

So how do I fix all of that?

I know I’m not healthy, and I’m not happy with where my body is right now. So, this time around I’m trying extra hard to stay on track. This time, I have people to do it with, and something to help me get a routine going. If you follow my Instagram, you know that I’ve been doing weekly Zumba with my coworkers. I absolutely love it and I can already see a change in my body and stamina. It ended up being more of a challenge than I expected and I am so proud of myself for sticking with it. (Thanks to Jess and Julie for sticking through it with me!)

I’ve decided to take small steps, and now that I have made Zumba a part of my routine, I have decided it’s time to work out more than once a week. As if my phone was reading my mind (who else is convinced this is happening to them?), an ad for an app pops up that seems perfect. The app is called 8fit. Like most apps, there’s a free version and a paid version. Right now I’m only on the free version, but I hope that I stick to it enough to make the paid version worthwhile so I can upgrade.

So what’s this Fitness App all about?

This app does soo much! What I’m currently using it for is my workout routine. The thing I love about it is that you fill out a little “quiz” about yourself. You tell them your height, weight, age, where you are with your body, where you want to be, where you are with your stamina, strength, and more. Then, it takes the information you input and assigns you a “level”. There are several levels broken up under the programs “First Steps,” “Beginners,” “Intermediate,” and “Advanced.” Based on your level and your body/fitness goals, it gives you certain workouts every day, which you can schedule for whenever you want (because it sends you reminders bugging you to work out – which I definitely need).

My workouts have only been about 9 minute workouts, and I can tell they are effective! They are super easy to fit into my busy schedule of sitting around on the couch watching Netflix. It takes you through the workout move by move, second by second. There is even a little video you can watch to help you out, while you pick out one of several of their playlists (which I have found to be awesome), or you may choose to have no music at all. I’m sure you can play your own through Spotify or Pandora if you want at the same time. After each workout, it asks how easy or difficult it was for your and how you liked it (or hated it).

Another workout option it provides is yoga. There are different types of yoga sequences that are available each with an instructive video. The girl that speaks has a very soothing voice, so you can still relax throughout the video. I have been wanting to get back into yoga, and this has been a great way to start right in my own home.

When you upgrade to the “Pro” version, the main thing you get is the meal planning, which can be really handy. I am waiting to make sure I keep up with this app before I pay for the pro version, but I’m really hoping I do because I would love to check out this meal prepping section! From what I can see, you can track your meals and keep your favorite recipes in the “Recipe Book.”

The next step for me is eating healthier, which is probably the hardest part for me. I literally just finished eating an ice cream sandwich while writing this *facepalm*. Also I love fried foods wayyy too much…and queso dip. I’m hoping the meal planning part of this app will help me. If you have any tips for helping with this as well, I’d love to hear them!

So this is how I’m getting into a routine and overcoming my struggles with myself and my image without having to pay a personal trainer, ha! Hopefully some of you guys out there can relate. Let’s talk about it! What ways help you overcome these struggles?

xo // Ems