Discovering Your Why

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This post stems from my Resolution Update post a little bit, and I actually only started typing this out for myself, with no intention to share it, but rather just to sort out my own thoughts. But then I thought I'd try something a little different share it with you all!

I read an article recently about discovering your "why" when it comes to losing weight/getting fit. That if you can determine why you're doing it, it helps you stay on track. People often give vague answers like "to be healthier" which yes, is incredibly important, but if you have specific goals or motivators in mind, it will help you stay committed. 

And while this post may seem a little off topic, it does relate to personal style, because there are things I feel like I can't wear or a lot of shapes and silhouettes I stick to because they cover up the parts of me I'm a little insecure about. A lot of these sound silly, I realize this, and obviously our overall health is the most important reason for any of us to exercise & eat right, but just for fun, here are a few of my other (more superficial) why's that help keep me motivated:

1. To wear bright/fun yoga pants. (Like these!) I stick to black and it's because I'm self conscious. My hot yoga classes are filled with girls wearing super fun printed yoga pants and I want to be one of them.

2. To thoroughly enjoy being at the beach. To say yes to any invite to go swimming/tubing/beaching this summer without worrying who might be there to see me in my swim suit.

3. To wear shorts in the summer without feeling like my thighs are exploding out of the bottom. I want to feel comfortable wearing a pair of denim cut offs on a hot summer day. 

4. To wear white/light colored denim - something I currently love but is one of my biggest fitting room cringe-inducers.

5. To fit back into the large number of beautiful items I have hanging in my closet that don't quite fit anymore. My wardrobe will literally double if I can shed this extra weight, without even having to buy anything new! 

So there you have it. This post is certainly not meant to be a downer post about my insecurities, but more just for fun and to give some insight as to what is keeping me on track with my goals! I think most girls, regardless of size, shape, weight or fitness level, have things they're insecure about or frivolous little goals like these in the back of their minds. 

So this is what I'm going to think about on those days I feel like giving up! Feel free to share what motivates you in the comments! I'd love to hear!

Resolution Update

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We're into the second week of February, and it seems like this is the time when all of those resolutions we made start drifting away - we lose our motivation, we get frustrated, we get distracted by life, and the things that felt so important at the beginning of the year feel less so now. So I thought it was the perfect time to do a resolution update of sorts, and while I hope it motivates you to keep up with whatever resolutions you made, I'm doing it mostly as a reminder to myself to keep going, as I'm feeling a little defeated this morning.

I mentioned a few of my resolutions in my 2013 re-cap post but hadn't really organized my thoughts at that point. Essentially, my resolutions revolve around taking a look at all of those little things that bother me and fixing what I can, and accepting what I cannot. Maybe it's life after 30, but I had noticed over the last couple years various things that I hadn't had to deal with before - bad skin, breaking hair, and more than a few extra pounds.

So what have I accomplished in the last 6 weeks? I've upped my hot yoga and discovered barre class, and between the two have been going 3-4 times per week. I love barre and I can thank Grace for the inspiration to finally try it. It definitely emphasizes that I am not the most graceful person in the world - a ballerina, I am not  - but the burn I feel in my legs and butt afterwards is worth any awkwardness. Have I seen any results yet? To be honest, not really - BUT, I am almost 32 years old, and things just don't happen as quickly as they used to. I keep reminding myself that these things take time, and if I keep at it, my body and the scale will reflect my efforts in time.

I've been bringing my lunch to work for the most part, and any days that I do not, I have been getting turkey wraps or spinach salads from a local deli rather than the heavy cafeteria or food court food I was consuming before. I've been trying to make good decisions every day. They're not always perfect, but they're better. 

A few of you have giggled over my eyebrow resolution, but after treating myself to an eyebrow wax before the holidays, the girl told me I had a great natural arch but had ruined it with plucking! I decided then to commit to at least 5 appointments. I just had my 3rd, and I must say I'm pretty happy with the results.

Skin! Oh, skin. It's been giving me trouble this past year, with little red bumps all over my cheeks. I thought maybe this was some form of adult acne, but I went to my doctor and we confirmed that I have rosacea so I'm currently on an antibiotic treatment to get it under control. It can take up to two months to work and so far I've only noticed minor improvements, but this is something I am committed to getting under control.

Hair wasn't on my original list of resolutions, but after noticing yet another chunk of hair had broken off on one side of my head, I decided it was time to tackle that as well. I'm naturally fair haired but have been getting mega blonde highlights for years, and it, along with flat irons, curling irons, etc, have taken their tole. I also noticed most of the breakage was happening on the side that I sleep on every night. So, I opted for a subtle ombre last time I got my hair done to let some of my natural color grow in and to give it a break from the bleach. I got some better shampoo & conditioner, and recently picked up a satin pillowcase which is supposed to help a lot with breakage through the night. I'm still deciding on a treatment of some sort, but plan to pick one up soon. 

So there you have it! 6 weeks in and still going strong on all accounts. Am I (extremely) frustrated that the scale hasn't budged and I still have red bumps on my cheeks? Heck yes. But I'm going to keep going. Small steps every day.

What resolutions did you make? Which have you stuck to? Which have fallen to the wayside? And more importantly, what are you gonna do about it?