I've been ridiculously MIA on the blog front this past year and to be honest, I really needed the me time. I came across a quote on Pinterest (where else, right?) that really resonated with me - "you can't pour from an empty cup." I realized in that moment that I was feeling like an empty cup and that I just didn't feel like I had anything to contribute to the very crowded blogosphere. I decided to dive into my three favorite things: family, fitness, and creativity. I've been taking so many classes on Skillshare to learn new things, getting my plant lady on, sweating up a storm, and making more time for the things that make my soul happy!
Chris and I have been pretty active and health conscious for years but I realized that my motivation wasn't quite in the right place. I was pushing, pushing, pushing for results instead of really appreciating and treasuring the fact that I'm healthy and strong enough to do the things that I was doing. I started running again and training for my second half marathon but instead of running as fast as I could for as long as I could on the treadmill because that was the ridiculous expectation I'd set with my training schedule, I laced up and treated it like meditation time. I'd put on my favorite playlist and go up and down the tree lined Hyde Park streets and spend some quality time with myself. Learning to take each run as they come and allow myself to run without PRing every time has been so freeing. I ran the Hot Chocolate 15k in December and the Gasparilla Distance Classic Half Marathon in February and I'm seriously considering the NYC Marathon somewhere down the line. It is so rewarding (and tear inducing) to see that finish line in the distance after months of hard work and dedication.
Flexibility and body awareness have always been major goals of mine so I've been dedicating a lot of my workout time to yoga. I've dabbled and practiced here and there to keep my muscles loose from running and strength training but I'd never used yoga workouts as strength training before. I downloaded the CodyApp and started doing the Fit & Flexible plan with Ashley Galvin. She is amazing! (If you're interested in trying a CodyApp plan click this link for 50% off of your first class!) The physical and mental changes I've seen have been incredible and I am completely addicted. I don't know how to explain it but yoga feels like home. Chris has also been incorporating a lot of yoga into his workout schedule and we've even started taking Acro Yoga classes together! We. Are. Hooked.
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| We actually nailed this pose! |
As fun as it is to treat yo'self, I felt like that mentality had crept into my life a little too regularly. We got serious about staying lean, clean, and green and completed two of the Tone It Up challenges. I feel so much better when I pay attention to what I eat. My skin and hair are better, my workouts are better, and my mood is better. I pretty much stick to the Tone It Up nutrition plan which can seem restrictive at first but once you develop the habit, you really aren't even tempted to stray from it. We do a pretty good job of sticking to the guidelines but haven't been as good about meal planning and cooking for ourselves lately. Life gets busy sometimes but we do our best to stick to our goals when we go out. We're super lucky that our neighborhood has so many healthy options!
I've been really good about keeping my health and fitness at the top of my priority list. When life gets hectic it's so easy to take workouts off of the to-do list to make time for errands or whatever's going on but I do everything humanly possible to squeeze them in now. I feel so much more like myself when I can break a sweat every day!
I'm beyond excited that the Tone It Up girls will be hosting a fitness festival tour this fall with special guest Jillian Michaels! Jillian's workouts are what got me super into fitness and she's the reason I have a solid foundation to build off of. I really love the Tone It Up workouts and the community of women they've brought together. We all cheer each other on and encourage each other to do our best and really go for our goals even when they're intimidating.
If you've been feeling like an empty cup lately, please make the time to do whatever it is that makes your soul smile. Life is short and you deserve to live it to the fullest!
