Breaking Bad Habits

One the most asked questions on this blog is "how do I stay healthy?" & the answer is " I don't". There's simply no better way for me to answer this question than with this quote; " If the goal is that important to you, you'll achieve it". 

There are lots of distractions in our daily lives. Believe me I, more than anyone knows. Yet, I don't let that define me. I don't allow those distractions steer me away from what's important. & what's important is my health, my life. Then again.. It's quite easy for me to say this right now since I have finally found MY routine. I figured out the routine that ties into my schedule perfectly but it wasn't always this way. 

Please note that I am only sharing my experience with you and what works for me might not work for you.

A few weeks ago I found myself in a really sad place. At the time it felt right, it felt completely normal. I was eating out..

quick pause. When I say eating out I mean, breakfast/lunch and dinner was outside.. in restaurants. I'm not saying I don't eat out now but I tend to do it only on the weekends. Hopefully this changes to once or twice a month. 

... binge watching Netflix series and lounging on the couch all day long. Many of you might not have been able to see it from my photos but I'm sure you could tell from my writing. Everything became slower, zombie like. Almost like I had given up on life. This may sound a bit dramatic but it's exactly how I see it now. I was waking up (late), taking the kids to school, coming back home, lounging and watching tv, picking the kids from school, ordering food, going to sleep... and nothing in between. This was my sad routine for a few months.

Mind you, I've always been an active person. I've always loved working out/doing yoga, eating healthy, rock climbing, hiking... I loved anything that involved me moving. I don't remember when I fell into this deep whole or why but I know I am thankful for my wake up call.

The reality check hit me when I started browsing through my photo albums. I noticed my body taking a different shape. I started comparing images taken only 9 months ago to now and it was disturbing. It truly was. I admit that my eating, sleeping, drinking, beauty routine and lifestyle habits were out of control. & admitting the problem is (always) step one.

I had to do extreme things to break out of this terrible habit.

- I first deleted all of the people I followed on snapchat (since this was the place I spent most time on).

-I pushed myself to go to the gym 5 days in a row. I literally cried the first few days because I didn't want to go and my body got sore really fast. After 5 days my body yearned for the energy and it became much easier to get out of bed and head to the gym. I now go every single day just like my old routine one year ago.

- I would unplug the TV as soon as I woke up to avoid sinking into my couch and watching it all day. 

-I like visualizing my goals and dreams. Hence, when at the gym doing cardio I never turn on the tv attached to the machine. I like seeing the reflection of myself on the screen and day dreaming about my goal. Yes, I know it's cheesy but it gets me through one hour of elliptical. Also, bluetooth headphones are a must! (for me). I'm currently on the hunt for new ones since my daughter accidental broke mine. Wires scream out chaos and when you're at the gym you want to be as comfortable (& not fidgeting) as possible. 

- Of course eating and drinking is one of the most important parts of getting fit. DRINKING; Intake lots of bottled water and avoid beer or cheap wine. Beer and cheap wine makes me feel heavy, bloated and plain o'l gross. EATING; It's a little challenging to avoid rice coming from a Dominican family and marrying into an Asian family where rice is basically thee meal. Instead I started making cauliflower rice which my family prefers anyways. I also started drinking lots of lemon tea throughout the day and every morning before eating anything else. 

This past weekend my family and I dined at Porter House Bar & Grill and indulged in incredible cuts of meat and sides. I awarded myself this upscale dinner for being consistent with my gym routine. Awarding yourself for personal accompaniments makes it more fun to achieve. The process of any transformation isn't easy but once your goal is reached you will see it was all worth it.

You cant buy being comfortable in your own skin. It's something that is earned. Right now I am beyond comfortable with myself and who I am. I catch myself wearing very little makeup because I want to show off my beautiful healthy skin. My energy level has gone from 0 to 1,000 just by being more active. I'm in a good mood all the time (literally) and I somehow avoid gossip/negativity because I'm so focused on the good and the bad just doesn't matter. I'm proud of myself. That wasn't the case a few months ago. It feels incredible to break out of bad habits. It almost feels like breaking out of prison and being free for the first time. Yet, no one can do it for you. You have to break out of that cell yourself.

Invest in comfortable workout pieces including a sports bra (specially if you have big boobs). At the top of this post I listed a few of my favorite pieces for you to shop from. I really hope you guys take away something special from this article. There's nothing better than giving your 100% to the world and to yourself.

You might also find this article helpful ( Are You Eating Right?)

Have a great day!