New Year, Same Me

I am about to get uncomfortably honest with you. Sunday night I ate so much I got sick. Though I’ve never considered myself to have an eating disorder, I’ve also never had a healthy relationship with food. And the holidays, with all the yummy treats and hot cocoa, never help. 

It was an unpleasant wakeup call, the straw that broke the camel’s back. So even though I had vowed to give myself some grace this year, I realize part of that grace is being kind to my body. And being good to the body means taking care of it with healthy eating and exercise – which I actually did commit to in my New Year’s intentions. 

Before I go any further let me be clear, I am not a nutritionist. I am a trained barre instructor but that’s it as far as my expertise in this field goes so please do not take the following as doctrine. I am sharing my plan as a way to hold myself accountable for my health as well as to hopefully inspire those dealing with similar situations to take control. 

Moving on …

I don’t believe in no-no foods. The minute you put limitations on me, I get itchy. So no food is off limits. Portion control and balancing healthy, whole foods with occasional treats is how I know I will keep going. And water! Plenty of water and tea!

As for exercise, I had to put my studio membership on hold when I realized that I wouldn’t be able to get back to in-person classes anytime soon. I hated to do it, but the online options, despite the awesome instructors and classes, were not fitting with my schedule or the space I had available to work out (AKA, Arielle’s nursery). I had pretty much given up on physical activity with the exception of running after our crazy little girl. 

Then, as I was nursing my bruised ego on Sunday evening, I stumbled upon Yoga with Adriene. And she had just started a 30 day yoga program! Classes run anywhere from 16 minutes to 47 minutes. So I printed out her calendar for the program and created playlists on YouTube for each day in January. I set a goal to work out for at least an hour a day, so I supplement the time with YouTube HIIT, barre and cardio classes by Tone It Up. 

As any fitness pro knows, you should always start with your cardio or strength bearing exercise and end with a stretch, so I begin with the Tone It Up classes and then I treat the yoga sessions as extended stretch and meditation time. Not that I don’t find myself working up a sweat with a good chaturanga!

But I’ve learned that creating a meal plan and some fancy workout playlists aren’t enough to keep going. You have to set an intention when you start a new program.

So why am I doing this?

For my health. 

An obvious reason that I know I don’t have to explain here. 

For my anxiety. 

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), “five minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.” They’ve also found that a healthy diet that is low in sugar can also be beneficial. And sugar is my kryptonite. 

For my ADHD.

The ADHD Institute did a study on the effects of physical exercise in children and adolescents from 6 to 18 years old with ADHD and found that “short-term aerobic exercise was effective in alleviating impairments in attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, anxiety, executive function and social disorders.”

For my self-esteem.

Everytime Arielle sees me after I come back from a few hours at work or when she wakes up in the morning, she gives me the biggest smile and squeals with delight. I want to feel that same way about myself every time I look in the mirror and right now, I don’t. 

And for my family, especially Arielle.

I want to be that mom that can run around the playground and only get semi-winded (I’m being realistic here, okay?). I love that I can get into the playpen with her, and fit into the kids chairs so I can get down to her level. I want to be able to keep doing that. I want to teach her to dance, and do yoga, and do my best to play sports with her if that turns out to be her thing. But I’m only going to be able to do that if I take control of my health.

So Monday morning I started with a clean slate. I began with the first day of Adriene’s 30-day yoga retreat. I ate three healthy, balanced meals, and treated myself with some Swiss Miss cocoa for dessert at dinner. And I woke up this morning feeling sore, but better than I have in months. 

You won’t be hearing about how much weight I’ve lost or how many inches I’m down, but I will be sharing my journey in a more holistic approach over the year to help me stay on track, stay accountable and stay excited. Monthly posts will focus on how I’m feeling, small accomplishments that I’m proud of, and how I’m adapting my program as I get stronger.

I hope you’ll follow along with me here and on Instagram and if you have any words of wisdom or encouragement, please share them below! 

Ultimately I don’t believe in the “New Year, New Me” attitude. It’s “New Year, Same Me,” I’m just working on being a “healthier me.”

P.S. If you love my two workout tops, you need to check out Belleforce Activewear and use my code, FASHIONKATE for 15% off your first order! You can find the bow tank here (though it is currently sold out so make sure to check back) and the elevate tank here. They also have amazing leggings and the chicest sweatshirts you’ll ever see!