Making Time for Fitness

Today's post is for Day 2 of the March Healthy Living/Fitness Blogger Blogging Challenge. The topic is 'Making Time for Fitness'

This post could go one of a few ways; super short, super long, or hopefully somewhere in between. 

My answer to making time for fitness is Just Do It! 

I mean seriously, fitness (or any activity really) is a necessity for a healthy mind and body and it should be a priority. 

At least that's how I see it.

Yeah, I know it's much easier for me to squeeze in time for fitness since I don't have kids but even without children I still have a pretty busy life. After working all day and taking a full time grad school course load the time I have left is limited. Especially now as a single person with no one to help with the chores, i.e. grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry. You know, the really fun stuff ;)

Anywho. We are all busy. I think that's just the way we operate these days. But it is possible to make time for fitness. Here's a few ways I manage to get in my activity:

Walk More! Everywhere I can walk I do. I work a desk job. Things have been a bit hectic lately and some days I end up eating at my desk (BIG no no in my book) so I wear my fitbit (pedometer) and set some alarms to notify me to get up and walk. I try to take a few short walks throughout the day. I also try to walk around my neighborhood on the weekends and if I'm downtown (where I live) I never drive my car. 

Schedule Workouts Every weekend I spend a little bit of time planning out the next week, including scheduling time for the gym or runs or whatnot. Some weeks I can get in 4 days, some only 2 days. On weeks where I can't make it to the gym/track but only 2 times I try to supplement by walking more throughout the week. 

Stick to the Plan! Just like there are times I take sick days from work, there are times I need rest days from the gym. However, if I am healthy then there is absolutely no reason I can't get in 30-60 minutes of exercise. I make my fitness time my priority, just like work or school. I treat it as something I have to do. Yeah, I still make plans to do stuff on weeknights but I hit the gym first. Even if that means going out to dinner in workout clothes or getting to trivia night a little late.

That's great, but how do you make yourself want to keep fitness a priority you might ask?

Well, two ways. One, the big one, is because I know I need to stay active to stay healthy. That's the whole point right; a long, healthy, happy life and being active is a big part of achieving that goal. 

But the other way is this: Keep it fun! 

I love everything I do. I love boot camp classes (and now my personal training sessions) - they bring me so much joy. Running and cycling, especially with E, are so much fun. I get the nice rush of endorphins but I also get to spend time doing things I love which brings me such happiness. I love yoga. I love barre. I love everything I do. Or maybe a better way to look at it is this- I don't do anything that I don't love. That makes committing fitness on the regular so much easier.

Oh and another thing I just thought of: Surround Yourself with People Who Also Make Fitness Their Priorty

I am so lucky to be able to work at a university and have (free) access to an amazing fitness center. It's awesome. But you know what's even cooler? Going there after work and being surrounded by my peers. So many people I work with make time in their own busy lives to be active and it is great. One of my coworkers even keeps a bike in his office and hits the trails during lunch. It's great to be surrounded by people that, even through chaos and stress at work, still make time for fitness. 

They are great role models for me. As are you, my friends and family, when I see you making good choices, keeping active, making your health your priority. You make this easier for me. And I hope that I can do the same for you.

Love and hugs,

Dacia 

xoxoxo

What Makes Me Happy

This is my first post of the March Healthy Living/Fitness Blogger Blogging Challenge. This challenge comes from Janice, the FitnessCheerleader. I am going to try to follow along the best I can although I doubt my posts will be published on the same days as hers. I will try to stick to the three posts a week she has outlined. She shares the list of topics here in case you are interested in joining in. Today’s (well, yesterday’s actually) topic is ‘what brings happiness to your life?’ This is my response:

I am generally a pretty happy person.

Or at least from my viewpoint, I think I am.

I try to maintain a positive attitude and see the brightside of every situation, which of course is easier said than done- I am not perfect at this but I try.

Somewhere along this path I realized that I was the one holding the key to my happiness. I had spent far too long expecting (consciously and subconsciously) others to create my happiness. I also spent far too long equating possession of things with happiness. I know this last part was not instilled in me from my parents. It was a bad trait I picked up from a previous relationship. Luckily I broke that cycle and was able to manage to become someone more concerned with memories and experiences than materialistic goods.

For me, there are so so so many things which make me happy. So many that I doubt I would be able to list them all. But I can say there are the big ones; friends, family, someone to love, a place to call home and a sense of purpose (through work), a sense of responsibility (as a vegan) and a sense of pride for pursuing my dreams (both through grad school and through this journey). Those are all very big parts of my life which, almost always, bring me happiness daily.

But then there are also the smaller pieces which also bring me great happiness and joy. A hug from my Mom, hearing my Dad say he is proud of me, a good cup of tea, being able to do 25 crunches during my personal training session (woo hoo! Do you remember just a couple weeks ago I couldn’t even do one?), falling asleep in E’s arms, laughing with friends, watching hockey (or baseball), a co-worker asking me about my weekend, really good dark chocolate, vegan restaurants, being able to stay awake to watch Jimmy Fallon, a good night’s sleep, bubble baths, reading a book, riding my bike, being out on the water, listening to music (specifically alt rock), and many, many, others.

Cupcakes make me very happy!

These little things and big things all play a part in this amazing life I have carved out for myself. And I am beyond fortunate that the people in my life, my surroundings, my hobbies, my lifestyle, and my career all bring me so much happiness.

And they do so because I choose to allow them to.

I mean, I could just as easily choose to be miserable because my family lives over a thousand miles away (as do my closest friends) or because I live in a teeny tiny apartment or because I am still very limited activity-wise since the surgery or whatever. But I don’t.

Well, not all the time at least.

I mean yeah, I do get sad over some of the circumstances of my life. Especially when I miss out on big events (best friend’s son being born, weddings, holidays, etc.) which usually end up leaving me a bit sad and sometimes filled with longing. But that is usually just a temporary feeling because ultimately I know how happy I am here, in this life, and I wouldn’t change it.

Basically what I am trying to say is this.

There are a million and one things that bring me happiness.

But that is because I have made a million and one decisions to allow them to.

It’s a choice.

And I choose happiness!

So I guess if I needed to answer the question ‘what brings happiness to your life’ directly I would have to say ME!

Love and hugs and lots of happiness-

Dacia

xoxoxox