Spring Fever

 I keep seeing a pin on pinterest that says, “I’ll do anything to look skinny except eat healthy and workout.” Oh, how we all identify with that statement!

It is that time of year; spring break is right around the corner and summer will be here before we know it. The same thought is on everyone’s minds: “Getting fit and ‘bikini ready’.” Time to get in shape; time to eat healthy; time to loose that extra winter layer.

There is roughly a month before spring break, and guess what? It takes 21 days to form a habit! So here are some tips to jumpstart you to a life of healthy living:

o   Set goals: You can set your goal of, “I want to [be] _________ by _____________ as your long term goal. But set smaller, attainable daily and weekly goals. Make sure your goals are realistic for your body type; a tall, athletically built woman will achieve different results than a petit woman.

o   Challenge yourself, but don’t force yourself: Don’t start full force on the first day; getting burned out too quickly because your body can’t handle what you think you should be able to do is a sure way of quitting before you achieve your goals. You have to build up stamina throughout your body and before you know it, you’ll have mastered that 5+ mile run. 

o   Train with people who have similar mindsets. What I mean by this is that you should train with people who have a positive perspective about health and fitness. Negativity is the killer of most things that are really good for us.

o   Accountability: I currently have two girls, Laine and Mary Cullen, who help me stay accountable, and we have a common goal: running the Music City half marathon at the end of April.  Their encouragement is what keeps me going.

o   Don’t do it for anyone else but YOU.

Let your mindset be an overall interest in treating your body in the best way possible and developing good habits while your body is still capable of rigorous workouts. Be creative with your workout sessions: do circuit one day, then hike the next; do yoga then zumba and go for a run outside instead of on the treadmill. Your body will thank you for consistently flushing out unwanted toxins, and while you’re at it, drinking lots of water! Feel free to post comments about your creative fitness ideas. Happy living!