Getting Back into the Swing of Things

So how does one go from a lazy minimal active vacation to jumping back into workouts anyways?  I know after a week off, the motivation level kind of dips a bit, and finding that motivation for the first workout is the toughest part.  Its funny I came back from my holidays tired - not rested and low on energy instead of being rejuvenated and pumped.  This had a lot to do with late nights, not sleeping well and early mornings (not to mention chasing after the kids).  

But here I am at the end of my first week back and I did it!  I got back into my routine (and I'm feeling way more rested).  So how did I do that?  Simple, I put no pressure on myself and I took it one day at a time.  I think that is the key.  We shouldn't stress ourselves too much over what we should be doing.  We shouldn't put the pressure of "I have to make up for my laziness"  on ourselves.  That kind of pressure is not motivating at all - it's more of a deterrent really. 

The first thing I did when I got back was do my grocery shop.  I made sure to stock up on fruits and vegetables and stayed away from the junk that I found myself snacking on while I was away.  That way when I prepared my meals and snacks for the week I had no choice but to eat healthy.  Though I have to admit I did treat myself to a cinnamon bun from Cinnabon (got to give into your cravings once in a while). 

As for my workouts, I decided on Monday morning that I would take it easy and ease my way back into my workout schedule.  I picked a low impact workout which was about 25 minutes in length.  I continued this for the for the week, mixing it up with cardio workouts, strength training and walking outside.  And because I wasn't going crazy and pushing myself too hard I found the energy and desire and work out every day.  

So that is it, that is my secret.  I gave myself a break, I gave myself permission to be lazy on my vacation, and I gave myself permission to take it easy for the first week back to real life.  


So now you know how I got back into the swing of things!

Amie

My Lazy Vacation

Vacation Time. 

This is one of my favourite times of the year, as it is for many. As I sit here in the cottage kitchen sipping my morning coffee and typing away I take time to reflect over my week. It's been a really fun filled week, from hiking to paddle boating and sitting on the beach just taking in the sun, it's been all about relaxing and having fun.

I have to admit, I did pack my workout clothes in hopes that maybe I would take some time and work out some days – but sadly they are still packed away in my suitcase. But to be honest I don't feel too bad about that (should I?). Here's my thoughts on it:

I don't take myself too seriously. Life is too short for that. I love working out, I have really enjoyed seeing the results from training – but I refuse to be obsessed about it. Its not a bad thing to take a week off from eating healthy and working out. Sometimes we just need to do that for ourselves, just not care too much. And the funny thing is since I have changed my eating habits I didn't find myself going crazy on the junk food this week – I really didn't want too much. Don't get me wrong, I have roasted some marshmallows, had ice cream and chips but overall it hasn't been too bad, and I'm still eating my fruits and veggies.

There's a woman up here who has gone for a run almost everyday – and good for her. But for me I just want to sit back and have fun, I won't obsess about it. When I'm on vacation that's what it is – a break from the regular routine (that's me anyways). Its not like I haven't done anything. I have gone swimming, shot some hoops with my stepsons, gone paddle boating, played a game of gold, went for a 3 hour hike, played a little badminton and played with the kids at the park.

My point is this, let's have fun and not be too serious or obsessed about what we should be doing to stay healthy. I am on vacation, my body needs a break and a rest from the everyday. I will enjoy my down time while I'm here – doing what I feel like and next week when I'm back home I will get back into the swing of things!

I will enjoy this time off and not regret that I didn't make time to work out!

Amie

The Short Story

So I have a confession to make.  I don't like shorts.  I should clarify because I do wear them.  I mean I really dislike shorts that are any shorter than my knees.  They have to come to the knee or be a little longer. This is a must to be included in my wardrobe. Why you wonder?  This is a hard one to admit but I dislike my short chubby legs.  There I admit it.  I am not perfect. We all have our imperfections or things we wish we could change and this definitely is one of mine. 

Since I am in a confessing mood, I should also state that I have not bought a pair of mid thigh shorts since high school. And that's going back quite a few years. I have refused for years to allow anyone to see any thigh unless I was at the beach in my bathing suit. Even then I felt a little uncomfortable, I either sucked it up or covered it up. 

This week I did the unthinkable, I decided I was done with this.  Done with caring how thin my legs should be.  I took the plunge - went shopping and bought not one, not two - but three pairs of short shorts.  Now when I say short shorts I don`t mean the kind that`s so short that a little cheek hangs out in the back, but the conservative mid thigh kind.  Let me tell  you how freeing it is to just not care that I don`t have the perfect legs.  It felt good to put them on and you know what?  They actually looked pretty good, which was a really good surprise.

I was hung up for way too long on such a little thing.  Something that others probably really didn't notice.  We tend to be our own worst critic, and what we see in the mirror is certainly not what others see.  For too long I hated a part of myself that I didn't feel or think was good enough.  These feelings weigh us down and at times can even hold us back. I know that was the case for me.   Let`s free ourselves of the negative thoughts and feelings about ourselves, we certainly don't deserve to treat ourselves this way.

Since I bought those shorts I have worn them out in public and felt completely comfortable with myself.  I didn't think about what my legs looked like or what others may be thinking, I was just me having fun.   This was such a great and freeing experience.  It has built my confidence in ways I didn't think it could.  So much so that I was at the beach recently and felt completely comfortable and good about myself.

 I recommend everyone to take the plunge and face something that may be holding them back - a fear, a mindset, a negative thought, whatever.  But free yourself, trust me you will be happy that you did.  I know that I certainly have.  And I am so happy that I just took the short plunge. 

Lets all embrace our imperfectness and enjoy our uniqueness found in those imperfections. It will only make us stronger.

Until the next time stay fab!

Amie

What's this all About?

Welcome to my first blog.  This is something that has been stirring in my heart to do for a long time.  So I finally gathered up enough courage to start writing my first post.  And let me tell you - this is a little scary.  I'm not one to put myself out there and be vulnerable for the world to see.  But I am willing to take the risk if I can see my vision come to life. 

So what is this blog all about anyways?  What is Fit to be Fab!?  It's actually an idea I came up with when I was in college.  I had to create a program plan in one of my courses.  So I came up with Fit and Fab.The idea was to create a program designed to promote a holistic approach to healthy living including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. With a little research and creativity I changed the name slightly to Fit to be Fab!? The reason for the slight name change is simply because  I believe that we are all fabulous just as we are.  And that we all have days when we feel awesome and we have days when we question who we are, whether we are good enough, skinny enough, smart enough, etc.  The list goes on and on.  This is a journey.  This is our journey.  We will have our ups and downs, our accomplishments, our failures.  But these things don't define us, they are just part of our journey.  And so that is why I decided to start writing this blog.  To share my journey.  To share my passions.  And I hope that through my sharing, being honest and vulnerable I can encourage or challenge some of you to appreciate and love the journey as well.

There are many things I am passionate about and will share on this blog - but to start off I am going to keep it simple and start with my passion for healthy living.  So in the weeks to come I will be posting my adventures, challenges and triumphs in my journey to a healthier lifestyle.  I will try my best to post weekly (either Sunday or Monday - not sure which day will work best yet).  I want to share what I have learned in my journey to a better healthier lifestyle and what I will continue to learn.  Other passions and interests of mine which will show up here eventually include baking, fashion and beauty.  

So please feel free to join me on my journey and make it your journey too to discover that we are all fit to be fab! (without the "?").

Amie