March Motivation!

Every day is a chance for a new beginning, but there’s just something about the beginning of the month, isn’t there? March, to me (K) signifies the true coming of Spring. Before you know it, I’ll realize that I haven’t had the need to wear my winter jacket in a week, the salt on my boots will fade, and my gloves will feel rather lonely at the bottom of my purse. I’ll find myself shedding layers, losing the thick knit scarf, and Oh! What is this?! A winter pudge? It’s time to get back in shape ladies. Remember that promise you made to yourself about going back to the gym and eating better? Yeah..that one. Hold yourself to it!

There’s a buzz in the air, windows are being filled with bright colors and prints, dresses, skirts, and those super cute skinny jeans; perfect for cuffing on the bottom and rocking that fitted top at Zara you’ve had your eye on. We all know the feeling of not being confident enough to wear something we love because of recent weight gain, or simply not being in the shape you once were. Last year was the first year that I personally was confident enough to wear shorts outside of my bedroom. Spring was rolling around, and I committed to a better lifestyle. No diets. I wanted to get rid of the heavy feeling I had after eating, become more active and lose my muffin top and slim my thighs. I am just under 5 feet tall, so I have a small torso where all my weight tends to gather. Spin classes, weight training, and good ol’ fashioned running helped me to lose 18 pounds. However, the biggest change I made was in my eating habits. No soda. No juice. Much less sugar and dairy products and more vegetables. There are so many healthy alternatives, and while I still indulge in my love of chocolate (which I’ll never give up), a cheeseburger here and there and ice cream. It’s all about balance and being aware of what you’re putting into your body. I still live my life, I just don’t mindlessly eat whatever is placed in front of me – I am conscious of what’s in my food

Spring into action, and get moving! My take on weight loss and overall health is pretty simple. Move more, eat greens, consume less sugar and salt, and don’t completely deprive yourself of the foods you love. Living a healthy life is it’s own reward. Feeling good inside will always reflect on the outside. You not only feel lighter, but your immune system becomes stronger, you make better decisions, and your stress level is down! Who doesn’t want that? But you do have to work for it, and it isn’t easy; especially in the beginning. If you don’t actually want to change your life and your body, nothing will work. The first step is deciding that you won’t settle for less than what you feel you deserve from your body. Your state of mind must be in shape before your body can get into shape. Take it from the people we watch the most; celebrities! They are people just like you and I, they gain weight and lose weight just like us; but one of the biggest differences between most celebrities and common folk (like me., haha) is that they have a relentless desire to maintain their figures – not only for the obvious reasons such as movie roles, photo shoots, and appearances; but because they feel and perform best when their health is in check and their bodies are at their highest potential.

What motivates you to get off your office chair and get into the gym? What foods do you find help to lift your mood and maintain a healthy lifestyle? Please share!

Kathleen