The Secret to Staying Skinny!

well, if you are reading this due to the title, i apologize.
why? it's because there is no secret to staying skinny! everyone one knows the keys to maintaining weight and losing weight. that, i am a firm believer of. many might disagree, but in my experience, most people are pretty smart and have at least a little common sense.
everyone knows to eat healthy, exercise regularly, don't eat late at night, get enough sleep, and manage stress levels. the current problem with our society is that we are lazy. no one wants to take the time to figure out how many calories they are consuming or make their own dinner instead of going through a drive thru. no one wants to have to wake up an hour earlier just to go to the gym. it's such a hassle. believe me, I know. And everyone knows that it is so much more fun to stay up late watching netflix and munching on whatever we can get our hands on than going to bed at a decent hour. not to mention the morning gut bomb after a night like that is the best! (please tell me you can taste the sarcasm in my voice...) NO! those things aren't the best! those mentalities don't make us happy! temporarily happy, maybe, but not for the long run. so, if some of you are feeling lazy, or don't quite know where to start, i will give you a list of some of the things that I try to do every day to help me maintain my weight.

- i am almost always asleep before 11pm. generally, its before then. last night i was asleep before 10pm. it was glorious.

- i drink A LOT of water. yes this can be a bit of a hassle when i have to use the restroom in the middle of class, but i do it. i try to drink a large glass right when I wake up and right before bed. another helpful tip is to drink a large glass of water right before a meal - you will eat less.

- i do my best to not eat after 7-8pm. i'm not perfect at it, but i do make a conscious effort.

- i generally exercise 5 days a week. even if I am just on an elliptical for 20 min --- i am moving and sweating.

i have discovered that for me personally, getting enough sleep and drinking enough water have the biggest influence on my body and with my weight management. it has taken me a lot of trial and error to come to this finding --- but it was worth it!
we need to tune into our bodies more, and work hard to figure out what works best for us, personally. health and fitness is not a "one-size-fits-all" sort of program. it is personalized for everyone individually. so, listen to your body, and start working hard to figure out what is best for you.
and remember --- there is no secret! it's up to you!

xo,
lil kate ♥ 

Celebrating Small Victories

hey all!
happy February! i hope you are all having a fabulous week - or at least trying to! i know i am.

so today, i just want to write a short little post that will hopefully motivate at least one of you.

yesterday, i had a small victory in my life. and when i say small, i mean it. yesterday i ran my longest consecutive distance in over 5 months. 1 mile. yep, that's it! just one mile. the best part? i ran it in 8 min 48 sec. yes, it was SLOW but i ran the entire time and it felt amazing.
now, let me give you a little background to this story. i have been having IT band problems (at least that's what i think it is) since my freshman year in college. the side of my knee cramps up and running is like trying to pull on a very stiff rubber band. it is very uncomfortable and often times if i try to run on it in the morning, it is stiff the rest of the day. it used to be more of a seasonal problem, meaning it would bother me in the colder months and not so much in the warmer months. however, this past year it never really went away. it has continuously bothered me since last winter. some days i can run longer than others, but generally a mile or less is my limit. i am sure that you are all wondering, "if it has bothered you for that long, why haven't you seen a physical therapist about it?" let me tell you why. it only bothers me when i run. so, i don't run, at least not more that 200-400m at once. if i don't run, it doesn't hurt. terrible i know. but, i have just chosen other ways to get my cardio in and my HR up. elliptical, biking, burpees, rowing, etc. so, running an entire mile pain free was a victory for me.

sometimes in the fitness world, it seems as if only the large victories matter. large victories like losing 20lbs, running a marathon, or completing an ironman. that can be hard to keep up with! i know i can't do it! heck, its a good day if i get to the gym AND eat healthy!
i'm not perfect, not by far. but, i started this blog with the intention to better myself, and maybe inspire someone along the way. with that being said, i want to be real with my readers. i don't always eat healthy, and there are weeks were i only get to the gym once or twice. but do i try? absolutely. i don't want you to feel as if you need to be a perfect eater, or a perfect exerciser to be noticed and to improve yourself. just get up and move! go for a walk, play a game of tennis, do some jumping jacks while you are waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave, for heavens sake! maybe choose grilled chicken instead of crispy chicken when you go out to eat, and ask for your dressing on the side. it is small things like those, that bring on the bigger victories.

what i am trying to get at with this post is simple. be proud of yourself for the small victories. be proud of those 1 mile runs! love who you are, and continuously strive to better yourself and those around you. sometimes we fall, but those of us with true strength are the ones who pick ourselves up and move forward, stronger people.

xoxo,
lil kate ♥