Getting FIT is a Daily Habit!

Working out and eating right, it is a lifestyle change!? I remember a few years back I was listening to a personal trainer talk to his client at the gym while working on my regular routine. It must have been the clients first session because I could tell by what he had planned out for her and what he was saying they were having one of those “break the ice” moments. As I continued to eaves drop there was definitely a sales vocabulary being used and when I was about to tune out the conversation, I heard him say, “working out and eating right is not a diet or temporary, it is a lifestyle change”. My first reaction was to roll my eyes but then I gave it a second thought, applied what he said to my situation, and realized, well crap, he’s right. Most people look at working out and dieting as a temporary solution for a lifelong problem. So, in today’s blog April and I decided to discuss our “Lifestyle changes” and the different problems they solve for us. Because we really do workout for different reasons.

His Why:

For me, my aspirations for being at the gym 6 days a week really are not primarily to look good. I may as a result of it, look a little better than I would if I did not visit the gym. However, my primary focus is exactly that….FOCUS. As a person that deals with un-diagnosed ADD and has the worst short-term memory of anyone I know, getting to the gym helps me the most in this aspect. “Dr. John Ratey, author of “Spark – The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” says that exercise improves your brain in the short term by raising your focus for two to three hours afterwards.  If you have a presentation or speaking engagement try to work out beforehand; you’ll be at your peak when you have to perform. In the long term, it can even help starve off brain aging and Alzheimer’s. This works on the cellular level through neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to improve itself with blood flow and levels of brain-derived protein.” – 6 ways exercise makes you smarter. Click here for a great article read on this topic.

The second reason for going to the gym is so I can eat crap sometimes! Let’s be honest with ourselves. Cheeseburgers are delicious and I know personally, I am going to take one down from time to time! In order to be able to do this and maintain a decent level of health, I simply try and make sure my body is burning as many or more calories per day than I am taking in. If it’s a double, I may have to work out extra hard the next day 😉

Her Why:

For me, it’s mostly about mental health and strength. I used to be so afraid of everything…if you told me back then that I was going out for a 4am run I would think no way and that would be an unrealistic goal to me. Now I do it almost every other day. The results? My mental clarity is stronger and my confidence in myself has risen a ton!! That saying the “runners high” is no joke. I am a happier human being and not worried about the little things anymore. I not only look and feel better than ever before but I love the fact in knowing I am strong enough to conquer anything. Not just physically but strong enough mentally too. Everything is figureoutable!

What began as me wanting to lose extra pounds after my last pregnancy has turned into a health journey that has forever changed my life. I just had to find out what I loved to do best as far as exercise goes. Once I did I set a goal. A 10K last month and now a half marathon. If I am not going for anything in particular then I just stop because nothing is depending on it. I also set it up where I would exercise at the same time each day so it became a habit. I get up early and get it done and then I have the rest of my day to enjoy the energy from it. I also like a challenge so I will put myself in it full force just to meet that goal! I feel proud of myself when I do and not only that my physical and mental state has elevated itself as a by product. It’s basically a win win to move your body everyday for at least 30 min. I cannot believe I didn’t realize this sooner!

For an example…Here is my daily workout routine:

• Monday: Upper Body Fix (beach body on Demand APP)
• Tuesday: Lower Body Extreme
• Wednesday: Jog 4 miles
• Thursday: HIIT Training (30min)
• Friday: Jog 4 miles
• Saturday: Yoga and Stretching
• Sunday: Long Run 6 miles

I hope this encourages you to live a healthy lifestyle too!! Your way and your why!! Thanks for reading!! If you want to get to know us better please feel free to click here for our latest Facebook live videos! Coming at you every Saturday night!