I’ve been notoriously unhealthy and even more notoriously demotivated around fitness all my life. When I was 18 I pretty much though Frappuchinos were a basic food group and I the most exercise I had done ever done was a requirement for gym class.  Now that I’m a bit older, I realize that without health, you don’t have much!  I’m older, wiser and more health conscious, but I’m busier than ever.

Making positive changes in your life and implementing healthy habits doesn’t have to be a headache, but it will take some headspace.  Change doesn’t happen overnight, but here are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up on to make health a focus and make sure healthy habits stick!

1.  Start small & systemize your healthy habits

Many health gurus out there intimidate us normals- we see them going to the gym at ungodly hours and drinking nasty looking protein shakes- not something we could ever see ourselves doing.  If you want to become healthier, start small by either giving something up (like late night snacks that make you feel bloated) or adding something to you life. For me, I started making green smoothies in the morning and taking a multivitamin every day with lunch.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start small and choose something to give up (like smoking, eating until you feel bloated or soda) and adding something to your routine (like taking vitamins, going to bed earlier or going for evening walks).

2.  Find a form of fitness or activity that truly resonates with you

One of my favorite authors, Gretchen Rubin, wrote in her book, the Happiness Project, that part of being happy is to accept that certain things that we are told we should enjoy (like classical music, poetry or shopping) actually don’t make us happy and to accept that.  Often, we are told in the fitness world that we should hop on the lastest craze- aerobics, running, yoga, kickboxing since “everyone else loves it!” but if it doesn’t resonate with you personally- that’s okay.

Right now, I love running but the thought of doing yoga doesn’t excite me right now and that’s okay- not every activity is right for you, and it may not be right at this moment.  Just because a fitness trend has fanatics doesn’t mean it’s something you can get fanatical about- experiment until you find the right activity for you- even if it’s just going for hikes, walking the dog or swimming laps.  Find something that gets you giddy and you’ll be able to overcome the lulls in enthusiasm and stick with it.

3.  Discover what truly motivates you to change and create new habits

A year ago, nothing seemed to motivate me more than the thought of getting new shoes and earning my first half marathon medal.  At the time, I hated running and had so many bad experiences with it, but the idea that I would be rewarded with a unique piece of shiny bling and I’d be able to shoe shop to prepare for it truly stirred my soul.  Often, when times were tough or I felt discouraged, I’d look at a picture of the medal and knew I had to keep going (plus the half marathon ticket was non-refundable!) because I was just too excited by the prize to quit!

You may discover that you’re tired of feeling sick and tired, or perhaps someone in your life was touched by disease and getting fit would help you fund research or avoid a similar fate.  Of course, you can be motivated by a myriad of factors- the chance to have fun, look and feel better and do good for others, but you have to get clear on your goals and they have to be heart wrenching.   Simply “wanting to not be fat” or the other demeaning things we use to bully ourselves into getting fit is counterintuitive.  If you’re working out to lose weight, make sure you focus on the positive and all the things you’ll gain from a fitter-self, not just the weight you’ll lose!

4.  Enlist three kinds of help:  a mentor, a peer & supports

If you’re going to make any life change that will provide any kind of challenge (even if it’s just to give up soda) you’re going to need three kinds of people in your life to help make it a reality. First, a mentor- even if it’s just a blogger on the internet who has done what you wish to do, they can provide the necessary guidance and layout to make sure you set yourself up for success. Secondly, you’ll need a peer-  is someone you know, either a friend, coworker or family member doing what you want to do?  The important part of finding a “peer” is that you have someone to confide in who is at your level- someone who isn’t an “expert” but also isn’t totally indifferent to your personal challenge.  Whether you’re training for a marathon or simply trying to have salads for lunch- seek out someone who you can relate to as you transition to a healthier habit or overall lifestyle.

Finally, the support system in your life is crucial to any goal you set out for yourself.  The supports in your life include anyone that could either sabotage or bolster your success- your family and good friends.  These are the people that have the most influence in your daily life and have the greatest impact in making your healthy habits a sure thing.  Be sure that when you set a goal, they are aware of their role in your success, even in the smallest of behaviors.

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When I laced up running shoes for the first time a year ago, I had no idea how it would transform my life.  At the time, I couldn’t run a mile and in my 25 years had never run more than a mile but signed up for my first race as a way to motivate myself (and justify an impulse buy of cute running clothes).  Now, I have several half marathons under my belt, mud runs and countless miles.

I’ll be running in the Women’s Running Series this year- will I see you in Nashville?  If you’re looking for that first race to light or reignite your spark and commit to making health a habit in your life, this could be the race for you!

Get $10 off your Women’s Running Series Nashville Half Marathon registration with FITNSHAN(expires 9/28/2013)

Disclaimer: The Women’s Running Series is compensating me for this trip as a member of Fitfluential, but all opinions (and my reforming couch potato advice) is entirely my own.  

Have you ever thought of doing an at-home yoga program to save money and time?  I am a huge fan of online subscription services for fitness- if you’re strapped for time and want to experiment with different styles, it’s a great way to explore the diverse forms of yoga without breaking the bank.

MyYogaOnline.com offers a way to stay fit on your own schedule or while you’re on the road.  Not only do they offer a great array of online yoga courses, they also have a Healthy Living Community where you can connect with other members and have an array of healthy recipes, personal development and beauty articles to bolster your lifestyle goals.

The Product: MyYogaOnline

The Cost:  Unlimited access costs $9.95 per month or $89.95 per year.

The Perks:  Yoga video courses, accessed anywhere.  Online healthy living community & tons of helpful articles for health, beauty, healthy recipes and personal development.

Is My Yoga Online Worth It?  Having a yoga practice takes just- daily practice. Often, with busy lives, travel and hectic schedules it’s difficult to schedule in a reliable routine.  If you find that “life gets in the way” of the yoga practice you crave, it might be wise to invest in an online service like My Yoga Online!

 
 
Also- My Yoga Online just launched their Get Lean, Get Healthy Challenge which is geared to help you holistically approach your health goals for 2013 in easy to follow phases:

Stage 1 – Begins with observing eating patterns by keeping a food  journal for 7 days.

Stage 2 – Brings focus to mindful eating

Stage 3  - Examines the stress connection

Stage 4  - Provides the lowdown on carbohydrates

Stage 5  - Gives food for thought reviewing essentials for maintaining a healthy weight

Stage 6  - Advises on healthy snacking

Stage 7 – Shows you how to know your body, love your body

Stage 8  - Provides useful information on the swapping solution, what to swap out, and in for better health and a happier body

Enjoy A Free Two Week Trial To My Yoga Online!

So, do you use an at home yoga routine?

What’s your favorite frugal fitness tip?

One of my most popular posts has been How To Eat Healthy For Cheap that I posted back in 2011.  At the time, my idea of “healthy” was totally different, but I made it work on an extremely limited budget of time and money as a grad student.  (When I’m talking limited- see my post on how I live on a tight budget) I had about $800 a month to spend and due to my living situation wasn’t conducive to having a ton of fresh produce around.  I’m still on a very tight budget, but I’ve found ways to make fresh foods a priority without breaking the bank or making my time in the kitchen turn into a chore.

You Don’t Have To Shop At Whole Foods For Health Foods

Contrary to the successful job of marketers who want you to feel that “true health food” comes from expensive organic markets, it’s not true.  While Whole Foods does have a wild assortment of hard to find healthy ingredients, there are many exotic and delicious health foods that are cropping up at more affordable stores.  I have been stoked to find the ingredients I crave like chlorella, chia seeds, quinoa and cashew butter for a fraction of the price at chains like Fresh & Easy or Trader Joe’s.

Additionally, I can find locally sourced honey, cheese and bread at my farmer’s market for reasonable prices- anything else that isn’t perishable, I can comparison shop for online within minutes.  When many of us try and get on track to eat healthy or begin juicing- our mind immediately goes to Whole Foods or other pricey “health” stores, (great job marketing department!), but unless an item is super rare, chances are you can find it cheaper elsewhere!

By Far, The Easiest, Cheapest & Healthiest Food I Cook Is Juice!

That’s right…simply juice. I make a morning smoothie or juice in under 5 minutes with basic ingredients I have in the fridge already.  If you’re attempting to cut costs and cut calories, throw whatever leafy greens you have in a blender with some supplement powder (try Vega One or Collagen Sport) and liquid of choice (I usually use soy milk or apple juice) plus a bit of fruit- whatever you have on hand, and you’re done.

I have found that the easiest way to ensure you get your 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day plus the frugal benefit of ensuring nothing in your crisper goes to waste, throw it in a blender!  Since I’ve put together morning smoothies, I’ve had more energy, 0 sick days and dropped my BMI.  By far, green smoothies are the easiest and cheapest way to eat healthy.

Learn the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

Don’t jump on the “EVERYTHING ORGANIC!” bandwagon unless you have money to burn and don’t care to learn.  Some foods are just naturally pest resistant and don’t need to be organic, while others are especially hard to clean properly

Check out the Environmental Working Group’s lists to decide how to get the most bang for your buck on organic purchases, or the handy dirty dozen organic shopping iPhone app!

Snag Perishables On Markdown Then Freeze It

I currently love to shop at Fresh & Easy (which is a chain that’s primarily on the west coast) and they have the best clearance aisle- chock full of fresh produce that’s about to reach the sell by date.  Save money on fresh fruits and veggies by snagging things on sale- then take the time upfront to prep.  Buy fresh on sale, then clean, cut, bag and freeze.  I always snag my bread on clearance then freeze it- warming it up in the toaster later, same goes with meat and soup bases.

Add Veggies & Fruit To Everything You Already Eat

Seriously, everything you eat should have fruits or veggies added to it (especially if you are a vixen who can snag ‘em on sale!).  If you want to make healthy eating a habit, do not attempt to overhaul your diet with tons of new recipes and extreme changes.  Instead, use up what’s in your fridge while making small changes to what you currently eat.

For instance, I started adding diced peppers, mushrooms, kale and tomato slices to my morning eggs- but now I have more veggies than eggs in my pan!  I also amp up a salad with leafy greens I snag on sale, with a random assortment of fruits, veggies, nuts and a variety of light vinegar/oils that keep salads exciting and super healthy.  I also add extra berries, citrus or cucumber to water to create new flavors without the calories.  It feels doubly good to eat healthy and efficiently empty my fridge without wasting a morsel!

Create A Meal Plan To Capitalize On Sales, Then Batch & Save

I still struggle with meal planning, but do my best to create a set of staples I can pull together based on what’s on hand & choc full of veggies.   When you’re out, keep an eye out for healthy but versatile staples that can be used in a variety of dishes-  when beans, grains, or veggies are on sale, double or triple your favorite soup or stew recipe and freeze the leftovers for a quick and healthy meal–perfect when you’re in a time pinch!

Grains, beans, roasted or grilled veggies, salad dressings, sauces, soups, stews can be prepared ahead of time and enjoyed in the coming weeks or months.  One thing to keep in mind though- don’t assume you can eat all the produce you snag on sale in time before it perishes (especially since it’s usually on the way out when it’s on sale), or even that you’ll find eating a croc pot full of veggie chili by yourself to be enjoyable.  Batch, prepare, and freeze whatever you can’t eat- don’t overwhelm yourself with large quantities that could go to waste!

One of my favorite frugal hacks of all time is to save money on entertainment by canceling your cable and movie theater habit and opting instead for more affordable online streaming media.   Adding to this logic, people like myself who want to save money on fitness might want to set up their own at-home gym, but DVDs get expensive and you’re never sure what you’ll use.   Many times, I’ve attempted to do yoga or cardio at home only to discover I hate the routine or it’s formatted poorly, only to be stuck with a $20 DVD I’ll never use again.

I was so excited to discover that Gaiam, who already makes my favorite yoga gear,  is now offering an online media streaming service, GaiamTV,  which operates similarly to Netflix (not affiliated) for the fitness junkies and health nuts out there!  For $9.95 you can get your yoga, pilates and Jillian Michaels Body Revolution streaming on your computer!

I activated my subscription and poked around to discover that there’s also more than just fitness videos- but you also get access to some great Sirius Radio shows,  documentaries on health/wellness, philosophy and personal development.

The documentary selection (my faves) was great- some of my favorite documentaries on health and personal development were featured-  10 Questions For The Dalai Lama and Happy are awesome.  I was also excited to see that the Gaia Yoga instructional dvds were also featured to watch streaming-  since each retails for around $20 a pop, if you love working out at home you will save some serious cash and have the variety you crave!  The sheer amount of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution videos was astounding-  seriously, if you’re a Jillian Michaels fan (lift until you barf, eh?) you’ll love this and you can take it with you on trips if you have wi-fi!

If you’re curious about GaiaTV, take advantage of their 10 day free trial to see if you like it!

Disclosure: FitFluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own.

I just wrapped up 5 weeks of Kaia F.I.T. – a form of cross training for women only.  Let me say, this is the first time I’ve *ever* done a fitness program, much less consistently.  I’ve never even been to a real gym before (other than to use a bathroom, drop off flyers or cross through to reach a Starbucks.)  In the past, I would do a few weeks of yoga once a week, get busy and forget about it.  Kaia F.I.T. has been an overhaul of my daily routine and my fridge- with sessions three days a week and a Saturday morning run.

Kaia F.I.T. has tested me physically and mentally but challenged what I thought was possible. At times, it was discouraging to see how bad I performed and how out of shape I truly am (I was in denial for years) but I still feel thankful for the opportunity to have this reality check and chance to cross-train to make my first half marathon in January manageable.  Here’s a few things I’ve learned….

Nobody Knows Your Heart. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others.

One of my Kaia F.I.T. coaches is a great woman named Cynthia. This woman is skinny as a rail and strong as an ox, with grown children and young grand children.  Don’t let looks deceive you, she may look small, but she is mighty!  Just 2 months ago, she underwent surgery for kidney cancer and within 3-4 weeks she was back at the gym coaching classes and taking care of her family.  This woman had just had major surgery and she was still able to kick my butt at just about every exercise… I was floored but totally inspired.  She defied what I thought was possible for myself even if at the moment it sucked realizing how far I had yet to go.

At many of the classes she teaches with Kaia F.I.T., she yells out encouragement to keep us pushing, but one of my favorites is “nobody knows your heart.”  In my Kaia class, there are women of varying abilities, ages and health issues.  There were times that I would try and keep up with a seasoned fitness veteran only to feel deflated that I wasn’t able to cut the mustard even after 4 weeks of trying.

While “nobody knows your heart,” is poignant advice to the soul and will of many of us trying to get in shape, the advice also pertains to our physical hearts.  This powerful muscle in our bodies is probably one of the most ignored parts of our bodies unless it’s giving us problems.  Truth is though, our heart takes time to grow and get stronger in order to help us perform better.  While many of us are focusing on the muscles we can see, our heart & lungs are doing much of the internal work to help us grow stronger-  especially if you’re starting from scratch like I am,  you have to work with the heart and muscles that are often undertrained and tired.  Don’t be discouraged if your heart isn’t as strong.

What you see on the outside is no real indicator of what you have to work with on the inside-  work with what you’ve got and don’t compare your insides to someone else’s outsides.  In fitness, your heart is symbolic of both your will and the physical strength you need to get in shape.  Each of us has a unique experience, a unique body and a unique history which all impacts how hard and how long we’ll have to work to reach our goals of physical fitness.

We Underestimate Our Responsibilities & Overestimate The “Talent” Of Others.

Surely, a piece of cake only has 100 calories and surely, I could easily burn off that 100 calories with a quick jog around the block.  Surely, if I “wanted” to be in shape, I could easily kick these extra pounds in the hiney.  Surely, I could run as fast as I did when I was a kid, I’m just slightly out of practice.  I can’t tell you how many times I downplayed the true cost of what I ate and my inactivity.  Conversely, for years I underestimated the time it would take to get in shape and hit my goals.  My brained skimmed over the hours I would have to put in and how far behind I truly was.

I also seemed to tell myself only people that were in “good shaped” were young athletes that graced the covers of magazines or I saw jogging along the rode with their trendy athletic gear on and a perfect tan.  You can imagine the swift reality check I had when a pair of 80 year old women blew past me on my first 10k and I scrambled to keep up. Time after time, my ass got beat by women twice my size, twice my age and women pushing a stroller with a young baby sleeping inside.  Just this week, while at Kaia F.I.T. class, a woman in her late 60′s held a plank for nearly 4 minutes, when my 26-year-old self pooped out at a minute and a half.

Yep, I got beat, again by a gray haired lady who most would say, should be weak and frail where I should be young and vital- but she, and many others who defied what “ability” would suggest have beat me in performance, strength and endurance.   You may not be able to compete with the magazine covers, but don’t think that someone who “should” be weaker or slower than you, kicks your butt without trying.  You have to get out there and do your personal best.

Put In The Time Now, You’ll Thank Yourself Later.

As stated, sometimes it was really depressing to get real with myself that progress wasn’t as fast as I’d hope or that I wasn’t in as good of shape as I’d assumed.  There were days when I just had to sit it out and watch the clock, hoping it get better, or that I would.  I learned some valuable lessons-  while it’s sad to realize you’re worse than you thought, it’s better to have this reality check NOW instead of when I lace up my shoes for my first half marathon, thinking I have it handled when I truly don’t or when I am ready to get married and I’m tackling wedding prep and years of bad eating habits simultaneously.

Being around my coach, Cynthia, and seeing her resiliency also taught me that health shouldn’t be taken for granted.  We won’t be young and healthy forever- when illness does happen, having healthy habits already in place are the best prevention to keep a bad situation from turning worse.   Some days, it’s really hard and I know I have far to go to even get to her level- but I am equally inspired that some day, that could be me… even when overcoming a terrible disease, you don’t have to take it lying down.   Don’t assume you’ll be able to handle whatever life throws your way down the road, do the work now, while you can.

When you first started working out, how long did it take to see results?

What were the first physical or emotional changes you noticed?