Get Fit. Stay Motivated.

confession time:  i have been so lazy this winter when it came to working out.  and i really have no excuse.

last summer and fall, i finally hit a breakthrough in my love/hate relationship with running.  i started kicking up my mileage and really pushing myself and actually ran a 10k…my longest distance ever!  and then it got cold.  and snowy.  and it stayed cold and snowy and i decided to stay inside in sweaters, wrapped up in blankets.  even though i have a gym membership that isn't cheap.

what sort of perpetuated this is that i (fortunately) really didn't gain any weight, so there wasn't this feeling of "oh my gosh i need to go to the gym."

but this weekend, something really clicked.  i had been hitting the gym to bike about once a week, but for the first time in my life, i missed running!  as someone who was a three-sport athlete all through high school and who was forced to run a lot (and as someone who was definitely not a very quick runner), i grew to hate it.  so this newfound emotion…this missing running…it was just weird.  but i kinda loved it.

so anyway, i went to the gym on monday and ran 3.25 miles with this treadmill interval workout, which was awesome and really encouraging.  and so on tuesday, i went back and ran another two.  and then i went to a pilates class that afternoon.  and then on thursday, i decided to go again and bike for 30min and work on my arms.

just to round everything out and feel like i'm seeing day-to-day results, i picked out two challenges and am on day four of both of them.  I've also added a push-up challenge to these schedules as well.

and friends, let me tell you.  i'm sore.  walking like a 90-year-old woman sore.  and it feels so good!

i'm determined to stay motivated and hit some goals…and here are some ways i'm doing it:

5 ways to stay motivated (from someone who's definitely not an expert):

1.  write down some inspirational quotes and place them in places you'll see them regularly!  (you can find a ton on pinterest.  one of my current faves?  "it hurts now, but one day…it will be your warm up.")

2.  join a community!  it's awesome if you can find some workout buddies in your area for accountability, but if not, look for a virtual one!  have you heard of tone it up?  the online community is free to join, kat & karena are super encouraging and you can follow them on instagram and twitter for motivation, encouragement, and workout tips!

3.  set clear goals.  for me, it's working out 3x a week, finishing my 30-day challenges, and sticking with a plan for at least the next month, because it takes that long to create a habit!

4.  designate rewards for hitting those goals.  (it's even better if these rewards are fitness-related!)  have your eye on a new pair of sneaks or like me, a sports bra from victoria's secret?  maybe you've been wanting to treat yourself to a facial or massage.  these types of things make great rewards for reaching a goal like sticking to your plan for a set amount of time or dropping a certain amount of weight.  note:  don't make your reward something like eating a huge bowl of ice cream.  i have no problem with indulging once in a while, but rewarding yourself with food that isn't helping you reach your goals is counter-productive! 

5.  drink lots of water.  this might seem like a weird one to help you stay motivated, but when i'm well-hydrated, my entire system just feels cleaner and makes me want to treat my body better!  yesterday, i drank a crazy ton of water, and yes, i was in the bathroom a million times, but overall, i felt so so so much better and it was motivating!     

do you like to work out?  what do you do to stay fit?  any tips on staying motivated?

Girl Talk // Five Things for the New Year

hey girls!

welcome to the first girl talk of 2014.  crazy to think that this new year is underway (we're over a week in…what on earth?!?).  i'm not really one for new years resolutions; i never end up keeping them and honestly, usually forget about them by february.

but i am a fan of setting goals for yourself, and this year, i'd like to work on who i am as a person.  after all, this is the year that i turn 25 (which seems really unbelievable to me.  didn't i just finish high school?  where did college go?  and i'm done with grad school too?  aren't i supposed to be settled into a career by now? haha…anyone else feeling this way?)

anyway, i digress…goals, yes...

here are five that i have…

1.  be teachable.
i work in a job that i'm pretty new at, and on a team that gets a lot of critical feedback.  we plan events and weekly services, and that means we hear opinions from everyone, sometimes unsolicited.  i've never been especially great at taking criticism.  i have a hard time not being offended or hurt by someone's critical comments, and so i'd like to work on changing my attitude towards criticism from defensive to teachable.  it's hard to remember when being critiqued that not everyone is out to get you, and most of the time, the critic is just trying to be helpful.  so i'm going to try to remember to be gracious in the face of feedback that i don't agree with or like and look at in instead as a teachable moment.

2.  be gentle.
a few nights ago, i was out to dinner with a few friends and one of the girls brought up a conversation that she and her mother had had recently.  her mother had made the comment that our generation can often be obnoxious and sarcastic, often to the point where it comes across as rude.  i'm ashamed to say that i can see her point, and fear that i, too, can take the road of sarcasm all too frequently.  so, one of my goals is to have a gentle spirit.  i'd like to work on becoming the type of person that brings tranquility to those she is around.  1 peter 3:4 says "rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in god's sight."  if god values a gentle and quiet spirit as being of great worth, then i see it as something to definitely strive toward!

3.  be reliable.
meetings, deadlines, a demanding schedule.  do you ever have those moments when it all swirls around you and you feel like all the balls you're juggling are starting to slip from your grasp?  i think it's really easy to let things slide in those hectic moments, and i know i've fallen into a haphazard pattern of not always being on time or not always meeting deadlines (particularly the ones i set for myself).  so i'm going to work on getting back to being reliable, holding myself accountable, giving myself plenty of time to get places, and being early for things!

4.  be alone. 
i don't know about you, but my life gets really, really busy sometimes.  to be honest, i like it that way! but a busy schedule (and being a total extrovert) often means that i don't take time to just be alone, be quiet, and rejuvenate.  i have a list of books i'd love to read and a list of projects i'd love to work on, and so i'd love to take steps towards scheduling time for me (and sticking to those "me dates"!) so i can start checking things off those lists.

5.  be intentional.

i am lucky enough to have friends all over the place.  having gone to college in massachusetts, i was able to meet people from all areas of the country, some of which are now living in all areas of the world!  what i'm not always great about is being intentional about keeping in touch and being a friend from a distance.  i can't tell you how many times i've realized a birthday passed by and i never sent that card that i intended to.  or how many times i've said "we need to do this more often!" after a coffee date with a friend and then not talked to them for two months.  facebook and social media allow us to feel connected without actually being so, and it makes me sad when i think about the friends i once lived with and how i rarely even see or talk to them now.  i'm hoping this year to be more intentional about keeping friendships alive and strong and showing my friends, both near and far, that i really do care about them and our friendship!

since i started this feature in july, i've always aimed for it to be a space to share my heart, and with any luck, create conversation.  one of my absolute favorite things is having people comment on these posts and getting to dialogue about whatever the topic may be.  So, i want to know….what are your goals for yourself this year?

GIRL TALK | 5 THINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR

hey girls!

welcome to the first girl talk of 2014.  crazy to think that this new year is underway (we're over a week in…what on earth?!?).  i'm not really one for new years resolutions; i never end up keeping them and honestly, usually forget about them by february.

but i am a fan of setting goals for yourself, and this year, i'd like to work on who i am as a person.  after all, this is the year that i turn 25 (which seems really unbelievable to me.  didn't i just finish high school?  where did college go?  and i'm done with grad school too?  aren't i supposed to be settled into a career by now? haha…anyone else feeling this way?)

anyway, i digress…goals, yes...

here are five that i have…

1.  be teachable.
i work in a job that i'm pretty new at, and on a team that gets a lot of critical feedback.  we plan events and weekly services, and that means we hear opinions from everyone, sometimes unsolicited.  i've never been especially great at taking criticism.  i have a hard time not being offended or hurt by someone's critical comments, and so i'd like to work on changing my attitude towards criticism from defensive to teachable.  it's hard to remember when being critiqued that not everyone is out to get you, and most of the time, the critic is just trying to be helpful.  so i'm going to try to remember to be gracious in the face of feedback that i don't agree with or like and look at in instead as a teachable moment.

2.  be gentle.
a few nights ago, i was out to dinner with a few friends and one of the girls brought up a conversation that she and her mother had had recently.  her mother had made the comment that our generation can often be obnoxious and sarcastic, often to the point where it comes across as rude.  i'm ashamed to say that i can see her point, and fear that i, too, can take the road of sarcasm all too frequently.  so, one of my goals is to have a gentle spirit.  i'd like to work on becoming the type of person that brings tranquility to those she is around.  1 peter 3:4 says "rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in god's sight."  if god values a gentle and quiet spirit as being of great worth, then i see it as something to definitely strive toward!

3.  be reliable.
meetings, deadlines, a demanding schedule.  do you ever have those moments when it all swirls around you and you feel like all the balls you're juggling are starting to slip from your grasp?  i think it's really easy to let things slide in those hectic moments, and i know i've fallen into a haphazard pattern of not always being on time or not always meeting deadlines (particularly the ones i set for myself).  so i'm going to work on getting back to being reliable, holding myself accountable, giving myself plenty of time to get places, and being early for things!

4.  be alone. 
i don't know about you, but my life gets really, really busy sometimes.  to be honest, i like it that way! but a busy schedule (and being a total extrovert) often means that i don't take time to just be alone, be quiet, and rejuvenate.  i have a list of books i'd love to read and a list of projects i'd love to work on, and so i'd love to take steps towards scheduling time for me (and sticking to those "me dates"!) so i can start checking things off those lists.

5.  be intentional.

i am lucky enough to have friends all over the place.  having gone to college in massachusetts, i was able to meet people from all areas of the country, some of which are now living in all areas of the world!  what i'm not always great about is being intentional about keeping in touch and being a friend from a distance.  i can't tell you how many times i've realized a birthday passed by and i never sent that card that i intended to.  or how many times i've said "we need to do this more often!" after a coffee date with a friend and then not talked to them for two months.  facebook and social media allow us to feel connected without actually being so, and it makes me sad when i think about the friends i once lived with and how i rarely even see or talk to them now.  i'm hoping this year to be more intentional about keeping friendships alive and strong and showing my friends, both near and far, that i really do care about them and our friendship!

since i started this feature in july, i've always aimed for it to be a space to share my heart, and with any luck, create conversation.  one of my absolute favorite things is having people comment on these posts and getting to dialogue about whatever the topic may be.  So, i want to know….what are your goals for yourself this year?

February

Back in January, I decided to do a year-long project in which I challenged myself to set monthly goals rather than one big resolution that I knew I wasn't going to keep.  

For the first month, my goal was simply to set smaller, more attainable goals.  And you know what?  I think it worked.  I've gotten into the habit of being realistic with goal setting and helping myself succeed because of it.

For February, my resolution, or goal, is to love more.  Love people, love places, love situations.  I don't know about you, but for me, it's especially easy to get pessimistic and whiney during winter.  It's cold, I mostly want to be curled up under a blanket, and I get lazy.  It's definitely easy for the weather to make me a little more irritable or grumpy, and I have to work a little bit harder to be cheerful all the time.  And I've noticed this about others too, and frankly, when I hear others complain and be negative, it just makes me tired.  And reminds me that I need to check my attitude as well.

So for this month, I'm making a goal to be a more loving person.  To find good in every person and every situation.  To be a more gentle and genuine person, and to not get so caught up in my crazy schedule that I don't have time for others.

FEBRUARY

Back in January, I decided to do a year-long project in which I challenged myself to set monthly goals rather than one big resolution that I knew I wasn't going to keep.  

For the first month, my goal was simply to set smaller, more attainable goals.  And you know what?  I think it worked.  I've gotten into the habit of being realistic with goal setting and helping myself succeed because of it.

For February, my resolution, or goal, is to love more.  Love people, love places, love situations.  I don't know about you, but for me, it's especially easy to get pessimistic and whiney during winter.  It's cold, I mostly want to be curled up under a blanket, and I get lazy.  It's definitely easy for the weather to make me a little more irritable or grumpy, and I have to work a little bit harder to be cheerful all the time.  And I've noticed this about others too, and frankly, when I hear others complain and be negative, it just makes me tired.  And reminds me that I need to check my attitude as well.

So for this month, I'm making a goal to be a more loving person.  To find good in every person and every situation.  To be a more gentle and genuine person, and to not get so caught up in my crazy schedule that I don't have time for others.

Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I hope the past few days have been great for you.  Welcome to 2013! 

So obviously, it's time for New Years resolutions.  I've made resolutions in the past, and frankly, have been terribly about keeping them.  I've done the "lose weight" and "save more money" and "manage my time better" resolutions, and maybe it's something about trying to set a goal for an entire year that's just, well, intimidating.  But I'm always a little overwhelmed by it all. 

As I was thinking about 2013, I got the feeling that this is going to be a big year.  I'll be starting my student teaching in just two weeks and then will be busy with that all summer.  After that, I'll (hopefully) find a job for the summer and then a teaching position for the fall.  Things are changing, and I'm excited!  Big changes like a new job make me inspired to change other things too.

So my goal for this year, for January, is to set smaller goals.  To start off the year with small milestones makes big resolutions feel a little bit more manageable, dontcha think?  

I'll be spending some time this month creating a list of goals for each month of the year, and starting to put them in to practice little by little, but focusing on each goal during different months throughout the year.  

RESOLUTIONS

Happy New Year!

I hope the past few days have been great for you.  Welcome to 2013! 

So obviously, it's time for New Years resolutions.  I've made resolutions in the past, and frankly, have been terribly about keeping them.  I've done the "lose weight" and "save more money" and "manage my time better" resolutions, and maybe it's something about trying to set a goal for an entire year that's just, well, intimidating.  But I'm always a little overwhelmed by it all. 

As I was thinking about 2013, I got the feeling that this is going to be a big year.  I'll be starting my student teaching in just two weeks and then will be busy with that all summer.  After that, I'll (hopefully) find a job for the summer and then a teaching position for the fall.  Things are changing, and I'm excited!  Big changes like a new job make me inspired to change other things too.

So my goal for this year, for January, is to set smaller goals.  To start off the year with small milestones makes big resolutions feel a little bit more manageable, dontcha think?  

I'll be spending some time this month creating a list of goals for each month of the year, and starting to put them in to practice little by little, but focusing on each goal during different months throughout the year.