It took me eight months to realize that I kept putting off getting my hair cut after constantly spending time picking at my split ends. It took me a whole semester to realize that I was putting off going to the gym or going for that run I kept promising my sneakers. It took longer than it should have to realize that I had the smallest spot of blue nail polish from the summer still left on my big toe. Gross, I know. It took me four years to realize that no matter how many times I repacked the tennis racket each year before college started up again, it always collected dust in the corner of my closet. I then thought, “Holy moly, I need to start taking a little better care of myself.” A whole semester had basically gone by and the beginning-of-semester-goals of staying healthy and taking care of my body flew right out the window…after only the first week. Total fail.
Although my own plan hadn’t quite worked out, I still loyally read the Lose the Freshman 15: Healthy, Happy weight Loss with SELF & Her Campus blogs and couldn’t help but think, “Wow these girls are truly amazing!” All three bloggers did such an incredible job getting into health gear and sticking to a happy, healthy lifestyle! And then I knew something in my lifestyle had to change. Better late than never, I’d say.
The entire semester I had been juggling different internships, class, non-profit work, a thesis, and extracurricular activities on campus. Before my boyfriend left for boot camp I also made sure that I would spend every other moment available with him. Then two weeks ago I realized that maybe if I had avoided the McDonald fries and apple pies (tried to convince myself that apples meant healthy), exercised a little bit each week, and got the right amount of sleep each night, then maybe I wouldn’t be freaking out about how I have been completely ignoring a healthy lifestyle this entire time, without even realizing it.
We all know that eating excessive amounts of unhealthy food isn’t the best way to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Getting into “shape” is about working towards a body build that is healthy and appropriate for your body and YOU. Everyone is different; every curve, hip, butt, arm, leg, and whatnot are unique. Love your body, love yourself—but loving yourself also means taking care of your health and being dedicated to wanting to feel good inside and out.
So, with that being said, I made a pact with myself that I would take it one day at a time to get myself ready for the new changes that are about to happen. I’m graduating in only a few weeks (already got my commencement tickets and I think something magical happened as soon as I got a hold of them) and I’m about to enter a stage of my life that I still refer to as a quarter-life crisis but that I am completely and utterly excited for!
Two weeks ago I decided to eat more vegetables, more fruit, meals and snacks full of protein (celery and peanut butter are now my go-to snack in between meals) and I’ve been drinking a TON of water. I carry around a water bottle wherever I go and if I get bored of the taste I add a little bit of Crystal Light to the mix! For meals I’ve mixed it up a bit, but my favorite meal thus far has been when I mixed vegetables with ground turkey to create my version of a stir fry. And instead of wasting food, I warmed it up the next day and enjoyed the same delicious meal for my lunch. Making your own food at home certainly saves you a lot of money!
I had also been wanting to try out Bikram Yoga for the longest time, and had done it a couple of times, but never on a regular basis. 105 degrees feels extra hot when you’re actually physically doing something instead of basking in the sun by the Red Sea. However, after talking to several people who have been consistently doing it for years, I decided to give it a shot. I can tell you I already feel a difference in my body—and I’m only my second week in. I don’t go everyday because my schedule still won’t allow it but I’ve been able to go every other day. It actually gets easier as you go on. You have to stay hydrated throughout the course of the day—you can’t just chug a liter of water before you get to the class because you’ll feel nauseous throughout. Ultimately you don’t want much food or liquid in your system while in the class. Each Bikram Yoga class is 90 minutes and every class—no matter where you go—includes the same 26 yoga postures and breathing exercises. Regular practice can lead to healthy weight loss, but more importantly, you feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and even a bit more peaceful! You have 90 minutes where it’s just you, your body, and the mirror and over time you’ll push yourself to hold that posture for an extra 10 seconds no matter the intensity of the stretching pain.
So I want to take this time to say, thank you so much to all the Lose the Freshman 15 bloggers. You guys were the inspiration and the little nudge I needed to get out there and finally start. Instead of watching online TV shows on a Saturday, I’ll take 90 minutes out of my day to go to Bikram Yoga. And instead of chowing down on pizza or guzzling down soda, I’m a bit more conscientious of what I eat, while at the same time trying out new, tasty, and healthy concoctions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and of course you can’t forget the dessert!