Consistency.

We all know that " Consistency is key." Yet, staying consistent is something I have a hard time with. It doesn't matter if you want to keep a clutter-free house, or run a marathon, or finishing a project at work. You have to be consistent in your effort to get the mission accomplished. 

How do I stay consistent? 
Have a schedule.  
I set time aside to work out. If I don't, it won't get done. I wish I could say, "I LOVE working out." But that's not entirely true.  I like working out because of how I feel after.  Some days, I get up and do it. Some days are harder. This week, I look forward to the working out because I started a new program Insanity Max 30.   

Anyway, if I set aside time, it gets done.  It is an important appointment with myself.  I also do that with my least favorite chore at home -- cleaning the bathroom. I set a day and time, and commit to it.  

Consistent action means my bathrooms will get cleaned, my husband and kid will get fed and have clean laundry, and I will stay fit and healthy. 



You need to know WHY you are doing it. Have an objective and a plan so you know where to channel your actions/effort/time/energy. This plan needs to speak to your heart. It must be something you want. Lower blood pressure? Get into your skinny jeans? Go up a flight of stairs without panting? Do REAL pushups? Play with your kid?  The more emotionally invested you are in your plan, the more you will remain committed. That means you are more likely to achieve success. 

When I started in December 2015, my plan was to be get over the first 21 days. Then I made bolder plans. I planned to be less conscious in a bathing suit for Summer 2016. I am not talking about a teensy teeny tiny bikini. That's not me. I just want to wear a regular modest tankini and bottom out in open where there are real people. Not just me at home, in front of my husband and kid.  Guess what? I wore my regular tankini over July 4 beach vacation and I was comfy in it. My other plan -- To be comfortable and not camera-shy when people take a picture of the entire me. I always see my teeny head poking out of a big body.  I want to be able to look at a full-length picture of myself and think, "It's ok. I looked ok."  I want to be able to look back at pictures of me (with my son, my future daughter-in-law and their kids) and say, "Look at Grandma!! Leggings were SO IN!!!" If I were camera-shy, I will probably balk at someone taking a picture of my thunder-thighs or encased sausage legs. 

Accountability. 
Staying engaged in challenge groups and various accountability groups I have set up on Facebook helps because I need to be able to tell people, "It can be done!"  (Honestly, it totally can be done. Fitness and nutrition isn't rocket science or neurosurgery.)  It helps me stick with the plan.  My dad is a firm believer in actions. So these accountability groups and challenge groups provide me an outlet to show people what I can do and have done. I am proud of my actions. I am proud that I am up in the mornings to get the job done.  (If you would like to join my challenge groups, feel free to comment below or email me at runchristinarun@gmail.com) 

How do you stay consistent? Is there something that makes it hard for you to stay consistent? What can you implement today to help you stay consistent?

Sparkle

Bam! In the blink of an eye, the Lil' Dude is 3 year old.
And bloooob, blooob, blooob ..... the baby weight is still happy, hanging out with us.

Oh that darn thing!
I nursed him till he was almost 2. The weight came off relatively quickly (AT FIRST) until the "busy time of the year" for me at work hits. While I hustled at paperwork and reports, I also shoveled Rolos into my mouth like a champ! Oh those sweet little gold bite-sized pieces of smooth, chocolatey, sweet delight. My friend's mom said, "A moment on your lips, forever on your hips."  Oh how true!!!

Fast-forward to December 2015. Busy time hit. I didn't gain weight. I lost inches. I am good. Ooh. Whatever I am doing is working. :)

I may not be obese, but I do struggle with weight, self-image ... all that things that affect women. You know --- the pooch, the saggy Bingo arms, how your clothes don't lay flat on your body, or how they ride up, or how the clothes just don't look right. That's just the aesthetic aspect.

Mentally, I was tired. I was sluggish. I was blah. I didn't sparkle like I used to. How does one sparkle when you have to tend to a toddler, to the home, to your full-time work, to other obligations? Losing sparkle was just how "the way it is." Isn't it?? All these adulting is rubbing my sparkle off.
Forget sparkling. I am surviving.

If you have been a follower of this blog, you know that I love being active. I am not actually a sedentary person. I love working up a good sweat. I love feeding my body with goodies (and some junk). Imagine how un-sparkly I was when I wasn't exercising like I ought to be and when I was just shoveling junk into my body.

Now, it is almost 4 months into my fitness routine. It has been working out pretty well so far. It is something I can do and don't mind doing.
Do I love it? No. Not all the time. However, I do look forward to it more than not.
I am not at the point where I can just let it go like Elsa. It is still a conscious effort for me. I plan my meals. I schedule my workouts. But I feel good when everything is in order. There is purpose. When I was running far and long, I have a goal every day -- 3 miles, fartlek, 10 miles, negative splits. Now, I am back to having daily goals. And I thrive when I have goals.

I am taking care of myself.
I am happier.
And you know what?
I sparkle.