a twenty-something's guide to {getting healthy}

When you hang out with college students all day everyday, it's easy to mistake yourself for one. When they want to eat an entire pizza at midnight - you think, "I'm hungry too! Give me a slice or maybe 3." When they say they don't work out but naturally have zero percent body fat, it's easy to think, "Oh great! I must not need to exercise either."But let me tell you - the difference between an 18-year-old metabolism and a 26-year-old metabolism is surprisingly vast!

As my birthday arrived this January, it hit me that my body wasn't getting any younger. And as I saw the number on the scale creeping up, I decided that it was time to get serious about taking better care of myself. To be quite honest, getting healthy has taken a lot of my time and energy this year (who knew?!) - I blame it for my lack of consistent blog posting. But anyway, here are a few things that helped me shed 15 pounds in the last five months.

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1. Track, track, and track some more. I downloaded the Lose It app and used it to record my food and exercise. I used to use My Fitness Pal (also a good option) but I could never stick to it. Lose It allows you to input your current weight, goal weight, the amount you want to lose per week, etc. It then gives you a target calorie amount to strive for everyday. The best part? They give you badges for different achievements (yep, just like the Girl Scouts) and it's a teensy bit embarassing how much I look forward to getting a new one.

2. Join a gym close by. Now, I'm so undisciplined that I had to join one within walking distance. Even driving a mile or two was just too much reason NOT to go - especially in the crazy Boston winter. So I joined a gym that I could walk to in five minutes (3 to 4 times a week) -- the benefits of city-living. Even though it costs a little more, it's been worth it!

3. Cute workout clothes. Because is there any better motivation than neon colored racerbacks and aqua Nike's? That's what I thought. 

4. Be patient with your progress. "It takes four weeks for you to see your body changing; it takes eight weeks for your friends and family; it takes twelve weeks for everyone else. Keep going." I was so afraid of quitting at first -- but this little (and semi-annoying) inspirational sentence kept me focused.  

5. Find a workout buddy. I love my fellow exercise junkie, Alex. Allie and I are not the most adventurous workout duo independently but together, we've tried Carrie Underwood's leg workout (pinterest, people), kettlebell training sessions, and we have plans to try out a HIIT class and spinning soon. Our Thursday morning sessions lead to the most pathetic Friday morning text messages about who is having a more difficult time moving. And bottom line - it's just really fun to spend time with a friend - especially when that friend insists on stopping at Starbucks afterwards:)  

6. Plan to cheat. When you're only eating a certain number of calories a day, it's imperative to give yourself flexibility to eat the things you enjoy. Although I now enjoy a good salad (um, sometimes), I like to save up my calories for the occassional burger and fry combo or my weekly Sour Patch Kids induldgence on Friday nights. If I know I'm going out to eat, I also like to plan my meal ahead of time so that I can savor every bite of my meal out.

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With these steps in mind, constant encouragement from my husband, and a new-found resolve, I've been able to surpass my origninal goal. For the rest of the summer, I'll focus on building muscle and lowering my body fat percentage. It's good to have goals :) 

November 2013, May 2014 -- can you see a change?!

*Disclaimer: Oddly enough, I'm still finding it hard to be secure with my body. At times, I feel like my weight loss has made even more aware of the things I dislike about myself! But ultimately, it's made me realize that maintaining a healthy body image is something I'll have to fight for no matter what size or weight I am. Here's a scripture that puts appearances into perspective,
 "The king is enthralled by your beauty, honor him for he is your lord" (Psalm 45:11).
I think this verse captures a small piece of how God feels about his daughters - today and everyday. This word enthralled is pretty spectacular, isn't it? He's captivated by you -- he's charmed, enchanted even! Take a moment to consider that - the Creator of the universe is enchanted by YOU and your beauty. Yes, you! And that, my friends, is a Taylor Swift song if I've ever heard one;)*

xoxo

A+J