:dianapantz:: help! i have fallen off the workout wagon! 6 tips to get back on track.

friday!
did you have a great week?
we got more snow yesterday, but hopefully it will be melting soon!

lets talk about fitness. and accountability. and the truth.
we have all been there. big plans & intentions to get // stay healthy.
and then *boom* life happens.
but, we all want to be healthy. we want to feel good. look good. stay healthy for our families, partners, kids & the future.

today, i have a few tips for getting back on the health // wellness // fitness wagon :

1) dont wait until monday! start now! go for a walk. do 30 jumping jacks. plan your next meal. missing 1 workout or blowing 1 meal will NOT ruin everything! seriously. dont let one little slip-up ruin everything. so you had a huge cupcake for dessert, or a couple of glasses of wine with dinner? neither of those things will ruin everything. move on right now & be better.

2) switch it up. do something different ; hiking, cross fit, zumba, hot yoga. big fan of lifting heavy weights? sign up for a 5k. love pilates? take a yoga class. love zumba? take a kickboxing class. trying new things pushes you out of your comfort zone. you will also be working new muscle groups. if you dont move your body in new ways, your muscles get accustomed to the work, so they dont need to work as hard.

3) wave your white flag. put out a tweet // blog post // mass text // facbook status saying that you have hit a 'bump in the fitness road' & you need a boost. ask folks to give you their fave recipes, mantras or to help keep you accountable. poll people for their favorite gear, workout songs & running routes.

ps : you need a workout // fitness // accountability buddy? hit me up!

4) make a plan ; but not too far ahead. i use to plan my food // groceries // workouts for the month ; but life would happen. id miss a few workouts or run out of time to cook a certain meal & id throw it all out the window. now, i make a weekly schedule with some flexibility.
example : i know that thursdays are typically really busy days for me, so i schedule in a step-class at the gym, a 30 min workout video & a long walk with the dog. my main goal is to get one of those done. if i need extra sleep in the morning, i skip the video, but hit up the class at the gym. giving myself flexibility helps me stay in control, but also allows life to happen.

5) buy smarter & placement is everything. we buy tons of fruits &vegetables, but if they are out of sight, i forget about them. i cant tell you how many things i have thrown away because i forgot they were in the deep, dark crisper. now, my peppers, spinach, eggplant [ect] are the first thing i see when i open the fridge. same with the fruit. any fruit that needs to be cut up [pineapples, mangos], we do it as soon as we get home from the store. the other fruits [avocados, apples, clementines, pears] go in big bowls on the kitchen table.
also, if you tend to be a 'produce-waster' [it goes bad before you can eat it], buy frozen fruit. we also have bags of berries, mangos, asparagus and peas in the freezer.

6) [this one might take some practice] take your clothes off & point out whats good. yes, im serious. as women, i think we get carried away with what is 'bad' about our bodies. stretch marks, thighs that touch, blah blah blah. stand tall, in front of the mirror & point out what you like about your body.
me? i have really, really strong legs. my legs are big [and my thighs touch], but they allow me to pedal thousands of miles on my bike. my shoulders are strong & defined from lifting at body pump. i am able to do yoga in a 103* room & hold balance poses. i am thankful for those things. i think its time we stop complaining about what we dont like & recognize all of the things our bodies allow us to do.