It's All About Me...(Not Really)

Being fit isn't just about the physical, but rather it involves being healthy emotionally and mentally too. Now I am no doctor or therapist but I do know that when I am run down, unmotivated and mentally exhausted I am no good to anyone else. So as an average woman with no fancy education or medical/therapeutic insights how do I stay sane in an insane world?

Simple. I make time for me.

That's it. I know it's not a fit all answer to solve every problem. I realize life has it's ups and downs and there will be times we are exhausted and emotionally drained – but we can find joy in the simple things in the midst of our roller coaster lives. If we find ourselves in the midst of problems or situations that need expert advise then yes we take the opportunities before us. I am not advocating giving this up at all. I am simply saying that we need to make a little time for ourselves in our hectic schedules to enjoy life.

Finding ways to enjoy life can be as simple as finding a hobby, investing in our relationships, exercising, taking a vacation, learning something new or finding some quiet time.

I am no Martha Stewart, I am not crafty, artsy or athletic but I do find ways to take time to unwind, relax and enjoy the moments. Some of my favourite things include: reading, baking, exercising, going on hikes, watching a movie, taking a vacation and trying or learning new things. Of course I can't be doing all of these things at the same time, some of them are based on the season we are in. However some I take time to enjoy on a daily or weekly basis like reading, baking and exercising.

What do you do to remain sane? What are your hobbies? Do you enjoy taking the dog for a walk, going for a run, taking a long hot bubble bath?

Make the time for you. Make the time to find peace and relaxation. Make the time to unwind after a busy day or week - you need it. You can't be any good to anyone else around if you aren't taking care of yourself as well. Women in particular are very giving and nurturing in nature so we are always doing for others, wanting the best for them so let's not look at ourselves in any less of a way as we look at others and desire the best. Let's take that time for ourselves as well and take care of ourselves just as we take care of our children, our partners and loved ones, our homes and jobs.

We are worth it.

Sweets & Treats

It's no secret that I have a sweet tooth.  I LOVE almost everything that falls into the dessert category.  It's one of my hang ups that I have to watch myself for.  I have gotten a lot better over the last year and I avoid bringing that kind of stuff into my home but every now and again a girl's got to give herself a break.  I am very happy with the progress that I have made and I've even noticed that some of the treats I used to really enjoy I don't care for anymore.

So how does one meet a craving without blowing all the effort?  For me it's simple - I keep things in the home that meet the craving but also have nutritional value to them.  I try my best to eat lot's of fruit (and veggies).  Sometimes the natural sugar in fruit is all I need.

However in those weaker moments I like to have on hand some great snacks that taste great, meet the craving and actually have some health and nutritional value.  Now I did say some, I'm not perfect here and I'm not about to deprive myself and lose control down the road. Here are the items you will find in my pantry:

For my sweet tooth I like to have dark chocolate on hand.  I have read many articles on the benefits of having dark chocolate and it tastes great.  I also enjoy the GOGO Quinoa cookies from Costco.  These are yummy and actually contain some good for you nutrients.  Some other favourites  are the Pepperidge Farms Baked Sweet Crisps (which by the way you can get for $2 a bag when on sale) and Kashi granola bars that come in a variety of good for you flavours. You can eat 20 Pepperidge Farms crisps for only 90 calories, 3 grams of fat and 5 grams of sugar. And the good for you part is that they are made with a blend of whole grains.  Not too bad, but remember portion control is very important.  It's easy to get carried away and not pay attention but the key is to pay attention as I wrote about in my last post.

I also enjoy freezing grapes in the summer and making my own homemade ice cream with frozen bananas.  (Just freeze a sliced banana then toss in a blender with other fruit, peanut butter or a little chocolate).  I also enjoy doing my own baking so I know what is going into my goodies.  I use of coconut oil, coconut sugar, apple sauce, agave nectar and whole wheat flour in my baked goods and yes - the treats taste great!





For those of you who may crave salt over sugar, some of my favourites are the Pepperidge Farms Baked chips - these taste great with guacamole, Popchips (again you can get for $2 a bag on sale and come in a variety of flavours) and Wild Roots Wild Chips in the kale and chia flavour from Costco.  When craving a little crunch and salt these do the tick.  Again paying attention to the serving size is important.  Even when snacking on healthier alternatives going overboard will still add on the calories.

If you haven't already discovered some of these treats and goodies I hope you give them a try and let me know what you snack on to meet your sweet and salty cravings?  I would love to know!

Until then, stay fab!

Missing my Skinny Jeans

I am facing a struggle right now.  A food struggle.  And it is SO FRUSTRATING!  Sometimes it feels like I make all this effort, make all these changes and nothing is happening.  It feels discouraging and disheartening.  It seems as though I've plateaued. I am stuck and can't seem to drop any more weight. 

Do you know this feeling?  Can you relate to me?  All this effort feels like a waste, making it very tempting to give up.  But let me just say I won't.  My feelings are just that - feelings. I know that it's not just about losing a few pounds, but making myself healthy and strong to fight off diseases that may be from an unhealthy lifestyle.  But it would be really, really nice to fit into my skinny jeans again, know what I'm saying?

My collection of skinny jeans.

This past week I decided that I would write down everything that I was putting in my mouth.  Do you know how tedious that task is?  I am not a fan, but I knew if I did it would reveal something.  And as I predicted - it did.   I am a mindless eater.  Yep, I stick stuff in my mouth without any thought, mostly because I'm bored or I'm afraid I won't get a chance to grab a snack later. Usually I'm not even hungry.  Crazy right?  But how many of us do this?  I'm sure I'm not alone.  And when I do this mindless eating I'm certainly not going for the apples or carrots nope not me, I'm reaching for the cookies, chips, baked goods, you know the stuff that tastes good in the moment but follows with regret shortly after.

So how am I going to deal with this?  How can I overcome my mindless boredom eating? This is the challenge.  But I bet that if I can conquer this I might actually fit into my skinny jeans again.  My weakness if food.  I LOVE FOOD, and I think I am guilty of not paying attention to my serving sizes.  So is there something to learn, Yep you got it.  I have to learn to have a better relationship with food.  That it isn't about eating when I'm bored or feeling down.  But food is the body's fuel.  Not that it can't be enjoyed but I have to see it for what it is.  It is fuel for my body not a emotional fix.  

Maybe I need a hobby - something to keep me occupied, entertained and enjoying life.  I also need to recognize when I am feeling tempted to mindlessly eat and think about what that will do to me.  To be aware when I am eating.  To be more in the moment - if that makes any sense.

So the challenge for me now (and maybe you to) is to PAY ATTENTION!  Pay attention to how I feel when I want to grab a snack, pay attention to what I'm eating and pay attention to how much I am eating. My goal is to change my attitude towards food, and when I fit into my skinny jeans again I will post a picture.

Stay fab!





 

You mean I can eat Healthy and still Save Money?

We all like to save a little money, wouldn't you agree? So that is why today I want to share some of my secrets on how to save money while still eating healthy. I hear it all the time, how it's so expensive to eat healthy – and it can be, but with some time, effort and planning you actually CAN eat healthy and save money at the same time.

I will be honest with you, I usually spend about $110 a week on groceries for a family of four. Sometimes it's a bit more and sometimes a little less but on average that's what it usually is. So what are my secrets? Well let me tell you. These practices work for me but you will have to decide what works best for you. Hopefully you will be able to adopt one or two ideas and keep a little more money in your pocket as well.

1. I shop in a store that price matches. This way I can go to one place and buy what I need at the lowest sale price for that week. Mind you I don't price match if the difference is just a few cents, that's not worth it. However by price matching you can save some decent money on items you need.

2. I usually purchase only what's on sale for most things. That way I have variety in my food week to week and I'm saving money. This is where time and planning comes in for me. I have to watch what I have and how low products are getting. When I have a third left of the product I start checking the flyers for sales. That way I still have a couple weeks to look and compare prices. So far this has worked well for me.

3. I use coupons. It's great to use a coupon on a regular priced item and even better to use it on a sale item. Most times I will check the expiry date and hold onto the coupon until that item goes on sale within that time frame.

4. I buy in bulk when something is on sale for half price or more than half price. For example I really enjoy the Classico sauces so when they go on sale for $1.99 a jar (regular price about $4.29 at Metro) I buy lots to last me for a few weeks. I try to do this with all my non perishables and even frozen items.

5. I also compare regular prices in different stores on certain items like nuts and snacks. I find that on average nuts are cheaper at Costco. So once in a while I will go there and buy a bag. I personally like to buy a different kind of nut or mixed dried fruit each time I go so that I am getting different nutrients and variety. 
   
   
6. Lastly, I fill my freezer. I always have frozen veggies, fish and other items in the freezer as a quick go to when needed. If one week I buy a little less food I know that I have something in the freezer.

That is it! That is how I save money and still eat healthy. I hope this has helped and you can adopt some of my practices so that you too don't have to go broke to eat healthy. This does take some effort and planning but if you are able to give it a try and see how you too can save a bit more in the grocery store.

Let's stay fab!

Give me Some Encouragement Please

Have you ever noticed that all the motivational and inspirational pictures posted on Pinterest are of these amazing looking women with slim thighs, rock hard abs and perfect looking faces?  And have you also noticed that other women are posting these pics with the words inspiration and motivation?

I don't know about you, but for me I don't find those kind of pictures motivating at all.  I actually find them rather discouraging.  I know myself, I know my body type, what I'm capable of, and how much time I have to devote to working out, and I know that I will NEVER have ROCK HARD abs and SUPER SKINNY thighs.  I don't have the body type for it and I certainly don't have the time to spend working out to even achieve something close to what these women look like. 

Don't get me wrong, those women look amazing - and good for them, but they probably do modeling for a living and have the time to spend in the gym.   On top of that these pictures have also been touched up.  But what about the rest of us?  What about the average women who has to work all day, take care of children, cook and clean?  What does healthy look like for us?

I would love to see more pictures of women like me who work out and eat healthy who aren't a size two.  I know that I'm not perfect and I'm not even at my goal yet - but I also know that healthy doesn't always look like a tightly toned skinny figure.  

Not so good at taking selfies

Let's encourage one another to promote something more realistic, more like you and I.  

We all know that what we see is not real - we all tell ourselves it's a touched up photo and even that woman doesn't look like that.  But over time these images still make their way into our heads and hearts and convince us that this is the ideal - this is what needs to be achieved to be beautiful, healthy, strong, etc.  It somehow still has the power to make us feel not good enough. 

I hope that as I share my healthy pic that ts serves as motivation and inspiration to you!  Let's make beauty real by being ourselves and finding the confidence in that. 

Keep staying fab my friends, you are all worth it!

Can I be honest about something?

Struggles. We all face them. My struggle this week (because you know it changes time to time) is not feeling good enough. This battle in my mind takes over my thoughts and my emotions. Rendering me feeling hopeless, my goals unattainable, and not good enough to be successful, noticed and accepted.

I fall into the trap of comparing myself to those around me. I feel like I'm not thin enough, pretty enough, smart or ambitious enough. The lies and distortion halt me in my tracks. They leave me unmotivated and feeling pretty lousy about myself. Times like this are hard. I know that these feelings I have been facing this past week are only that – feelings. THIS DOES NOT DEFINE WHO I AM.

And I also know that next week I will probably be back to my normal self – feeling motivated, focused and confident in my abilities and capabilities. So what triggered this? I allowed myself to look at others and play that comparison game. I'm not perfect and neither is anyone else, and I think we are all guilty of this from time to time. We see someone else who looks better and we immediately put ourselves down. Why is that? Why do we compare? We are the ones who lose when we do this. We always tend to feel lower, less than, not good enough when we compare. Why can't we look at others and simply be happy for them or admire them, without it affecting how we feel about ourselves. And maybe some of you are able to do that. Not actually compare but see the good in oneself along with others around you, and that is awesome! But for me – I'm still working on getting there. I want to. I want to not fall into that trap when I see someone prettier, successful, more outgoing. I want to enjoy who they are as a person, without it affecting how I feel about myself.

Do I think this ideal is obtainable, yes I do. I think its a matter of changing a mindset. The mindset that says – yes I am just as good as that person, not less than - simply because of who I am.

I am strong, I am capable, I am perseverant, I am good enough! I know this because I have seen this in myself, others have seen it in me. I will remind myself that I am these things when I find myself playing that old dirty comparison game.

You know what? I am fit to be fab!!! And so are you! I hope that my honesty challenges you the next time you may find yourself playing that game. Remember who you are, and know that it is good enough!

Easy and Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins

One of my favourite things to bake is muffins.  They are easy to make, healthy, great for breakfast or a snack and the kids love them!

 
I have tried a few different recipes and mashed them all together to make my own version.  So today I will share this simple and great recipe with all of you.  

Easy and Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or white all-purpose flour, or flour of choice)
3/4 cup apple sauce
1/3 cup coconut oil (or whatever oil you like to use for baking)
2 tbsp of flax meal (I grind my flax seeds)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar (I use a combination of white sugar and coconut sugar)*
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 chocolate chips
1/4 nut of choice (optional)
1/4 dried fruit of choice (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tray (or grease loaf pan). 

Mix all ingredients together.  Divide batter into muffin tray or place batter in loaf pan.

Bake for 18 - 22 minutes.  I usually check my muffins at the 16 - 18 minute mark to determine how much longer they may need.

Remove from oven when done and let cool.

Enjoy with a nut butter or jam for added flavour.

*Using only 1/3 cup of sugar does not give the muffins a sweet taste.  If you prefer them to be a bit sweeter use 1/2 cup of sugar.

Have fun and experiment with the recipe and make it your own!  Add different types of dried fruit, play with the measurements and see what you can come up with.  Share with me how you made this recipe in your own unique way.  I would love to hear back from you!

This is my kid friendly and fun version with blue bubblegum icing from Duncan Hines Icing Creations. The children really enjoyed having this as a treat!

Until the next time, STAY FAB!

Announcement Time

Hello to all my fab readers.  I am so glad that you have all joined me on my journey here at Fit to be Fab!? It has been great to hear back from some of my readers who have been on the same journey as me.  It is my goal that I can inspire, challenge and encourage all of you to a better and healthier life.

Today's post will be short and sweet.  In an effort to keep inspiring and encouraging all of you to make healthier life long choices I am expanding Fit to be Fab!? to Pinterest and Twitter.  This is exciting news friends, I get to share with you even more fabulous tips each week!  (As well as my own challenges, victories and other great fun stuff.)

My Pinterest page located at: http://www.pinterest.com/imfittobefab/  will include recipes and workouts that I have personally tried.  I will include a little personal description with each pin to reflect my experience with each workout/recipe.  I will also include some fun fashion and easy hairstyle links (another little passion of mine) plus some great motivation!

Feel free to check it out and have some fun with this!  As well share your experience with me, I would love to hear what you have tried. Share with me your favourite workouts, recipes, hairstyles, and even other blogs, I would love to get the conversation going!

Do you have a Twitter account? Get encouraged and inspired at:  https://twitter.com/imfittobefab
Find out what workouts I tried, how I'm feeling or some encouraging words.  Share with me how your doing, what working, what's not. I would love to have a conversation with you.

Also remember to add me to your Google account and share, share, share!  If you have found this blog encouraging and an enjoyable read, please share with your friends!  I would love to expand my range of influence.

Thank you all for being faithful readers I have enjoyed this journey so far and hope that it continues to grow and expand into great things!

Take care all my fab friends!

What is up with my Skin?

For those who know me, you will know the battle I have faced with my complexion, for years I struggled with acne.

It started in my teen years, I always seemed to have a pimple on my face but it wasn't overwhelming or all over. I was using special cleansers for acne but nothing else. It wasn't until I got into my twenties that things went really bad. So off to the doctor's I went. My doctor put me on Diane 35 and my skin cleared up. I was on the medication for about a year and once I finished my skin was fine for about a couple of years after that. Then out of the blue my skin started to break out – but this time worse than before. It was horrible. I had a lot of big deep pimples and I would get a lot of white heads (gross). It was emotionally very hard to deal with because I was approaching my mid twenties and feeling very insecure about this “teenage” problem. So back to the doctor's office I went. This time I was prescribed Accutane. This was the last resort option by my doctor considering all the risks and side affects of the drug. With a little prayer I started my prescription and faithfully stayed on it for about 6 months with no issues. My skin cleared up and I was so happy with the results.

My skin stayed great until after I got pregnant for the second time. When I was pregnant with my son I started to break out a bit – not too bad – but enough to be annoying. I figured I'm pregnant this is what happens. After having my son my skin got better but when I hit thirty my skin started to break out again. Not bad like in my mid twenties, but I was getting those deep pimples again that take forever to heal. I was so frustrated. I didn't want to go back on Accutane knowing the risks, but I needed to do something.

That is when I decided to do some research. I hopped online and started searching foods that heal the skin. I made a huge list of foods that were rich in vitamin A, C, E, Omega fatty acids and zinc and started incorporating more of them in my diet. This is about the same time that I started to work out on a regular basis and increase my water intake. I also decided to cut back on how often I wore make-up and I stopped taking my multivitamin (which was advised to me by someone else who struggled with acne).

After about a month or so of these changes I noticed something, my skin looked good! Not only had the acne subsided but the scars were starting to fade quite a bit as well. It has been a year so far and my skin looks really good. I go out in public makeup free and don't feel self conscious or insecure

(which is so freeing). I do still get the occasional pimple – it happens to all of us – bit compared to where I have been these changes have been amazing.

me and my fab skin :)

I truly believe that what we put in our bodies will have an effect on our health and well being. I am not saying that if you struggle with acne or anything else to not refer with your doctor, you doctor is there to help you and guide you in what is best with your situation. I think we will all gain from making healthier choices. We will see it in our skin, our energy levels, even in our ability to focus and handle stress and so much more! 

I hope that this post has encouraged you in your journey to become fit to be fab!

It`s all about the Small Changes

Found on Pinterest

How I got my Start (Part 2)

Last week in my post I shared how I got my start into fitness and a bit of the struggles I faced when I was younger.  As promised this week's post is about what I have been doing for the last year or so to become healthier and fitter. 

It has been a journey, one that I thought would be a lot harder than it actually has been.  Over the years I have taken many health, fitness and nutrition courses in my college programs and have learned a lot about being healthy and fit.  I have also continued to educate myself as I've gotten older so that I can make the best choices for myself and my family when it comes to food and healthy living.

About a year ago I decided that it was more important for me to be healthy and strong than try to be as skinny as I was in high school.  I decided that I wanted to be healthier to ward of disease and illness.  I found that working in a grocery store and not being fit was making it hard to lift those full reusable bags. They just seamed to be getting heavier and heavier - but reality was I was getting weaker.  Enough was enough, I was done with that.  I needed to make a change so I could be the person I felt I was on the inside.

I took the knowledge I knew already and started making small changes one at a time.  This is the key - taking it slow and steady.  Too many changes at once is hard to maintain and frustrating.  It's much easier to make smaller simple changes.

I also had another motive, my skin.  Which I will share in next weeks blog.

So what did I do exactly?  First I started eating more vegetables and I would be adventurous and try ones that I had never tried before. I found new vegetables that I really like - who would have thought! I have always loved my fruit so that was not something I needed to work on.  As well I upped my water intake, now I try and carry a water bottle with me everywhere.

Next thing I did was switch to whole wheat or more nutrient dense grains.  I only buy multigrain breads and pastas and I  added quinoa and brown rice to my diet as well.

The next major step was to cut out the sweets so now I only buy those on occasions, more so for the kids than for me.  I usually now bake my own so I know what is going in them.

And the last major step I have taken more recently is cutting out all our processed foods.  I rarely buy processed sausages, lunch meats, hotdogs, hamburgers, cheese slices  and even those packaged pasta side dishes (Side Kicks, rice).  I have noticed that those things that I used to think tasted so good now don't even taste that great to me.  Funny how that happens.


To get my fitness going I found something that I love to do.  That is the key - you need to have fun with fitness.  I do workout videos on You Tube about 3 - 5 days a week.  This gives me variety and fun in my workouts.

And that is it, these are the steps I have taken over the last year.  And like I mentioned before it's all about taking one step at a time, not overwhelming myself. 

I want to hear from you!  What are some healthier lifestyle choices you have made?  What are some of your challenges?  Let's share and work together.  I want to help you with your journey to becoming fit to be fab!

How I got my Start...

Healthier choices don't always come easy for a girl like me, especially since I really like – or should I say – love my sweets. It has been a journey that I have walked for the last year. So what have I done to get healthier you ask?

Well I'm glad you did because I really want to share. But before I get to that let me tell you where I have come from. This goes all the way back to high school. When I was in grade 11 I took a gym class that was geared to specific goals i.e. Getting strong, losing weight, etc. So I decided at that time that I needed to lose 10 lbs. Don't ask my why, because I was pretty thin, except I just didn't see that at the time. So I started working out which I found out I loved. But at the time I didn't really educate myself on how to eat properly I just ate light. However I could not resist those under-baked chocolate chip cookies from the cafeteria – they were so good!

When I went off to college I was in the best shape of my life. I was going to the gym 5 days a week working out for an hour and half to 2 hours a day. I could run for what seamed like forever and I did all the hardest workout classes. Those were my favourite and still are to this day.

But as it goes in college I put on weight, maybe it had to do with the fact that I was eating out pretty much every weekend. Needless to say as the years went by the clothes got a bit tighter and the hips and thighs got a little wider. I started working full time and had to drop my gym membership because of the lack of time. Over the years I had moved cities and was working two jobs. Did I mentioned my two jobs were in two different cities. I was working 7 days a week and I was tired. When I had down time I didn't want to work out but I did get a gym membership to see if I could get back to my old self. I found that being tired and trying to get up at 5:30 in the morning was very difficult. Still at this point I thought I knew how to eat properly – but looking back now with what I know now I see that I knew a little bit but I was still making a lot of poor choices when it came to food.

I was my heaviest after I had my first child weighing about 140lbs and with a 4'11” frame that was a lot of weight. I did lose a bit of weight with my second child but I was still very unhappy with how I looked and felt.

After my second child I met my now husband – and wouldn't you know he was a fitness buff who worked out all the time and ate really clean, no pressure really! But that was the start. That was when I realized that I needed to do something different and more importantly that I could do something different. Would it be easy – probably not – but was it possible – most definitely.

So what changes did I implement? How long did it take? What struggles have I faced? Well I guess you will have to wait till next week to find out.

Until then lets stay fab!

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