3 simple rules to kick off your fitness journey

Happy #MotivationalMonday ladies! I’m so excited for our topic today, since this is definitely a big passion of mine! Fitness looks a little different on everyone, but I’ve never met anyone who said they didn’t want to be fit.. Right?! So lets talk about it for a minute. As a child I saw my dad ride his bike to work, and my mom attend fitness classes at the gym which planted a seed in my developing brain. Then, when I was twelve years old that seed really sprouted as I was inspired by a friend named Heidi who was deemed ‘slower’ by the general public because she had a mental disability. One day as Heidi and I got off the bus from school Heidi’s older brother came out of the house and said, “Ok Heidi, go change and let’s go for a run.”  Now this is in the desert of Southern Utah, so it was over a 100 degrees outside! Wow, I thought, that’s pretty hardcore. “I’ll join,” I said. Heidi literally ran me to the ground! I was tired, but so impressed and determined to get stronger.

Ever since that first time I went on a run with Heidi, I have definitely made it a point to stay fit and be in shape, I feel better physically, emotionally and spiritually and often find I’m most inspired when I’m in motion. This was the beginning of my personal fitness journey. In high school I ran cross country thanks to Heidi and in college I took a weight training class and loved it! Since then I’ve incorprated spinning (stationary bike classes), pilates, yoga and occasionally enjoy a day of skiing, hiking or lake sports.

Enter pregnancy. Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely continued to walk, and do weights occasionally throughout my pregnancy, but with each succeeding pregnancy I felt weaker, sicker and slower! But I’ll tell you what, I’ve never felt stronger, and more fit than I do now post three pregnancies and I’d love to share my secrets! There are two fitness programs that helped me after pregnancy and 3 rules to make all the difference in your personal fitness journey. Then stay tuned for a future article full of tips and tricks on how to eat for your peak physique and ideal body fat percentage.

The gym I attended with my first two pregnancies did not allow babies in the daycare until they were six months old, so I wanted something that I could do at home until I hit that point in time. After my first pregnancy I did p90x! Was it challenging? You bet! Was it worth it? Completely! Tony Horton runs the show and is encouraging, kind and easy to listen to. He has since upped his game with newer programs and I’ve only heard great things about them. After my second pregnancy I worked with a personal trainer and upped my lifting game. After my third pregnancy I used Kaila Itsines 12 week Bikini Body Guide, I have to say this was my favorite program of all. She simply rocks! The great thing is there is a whole community of women who use her programs and do get-togethers. People I follow on Instagram who use her program are positive, motivating individuals who empower each other in an inspiring way! Kaila’s workouts are 28 minutes long, are challenging and fun!  She now has an app that you can use that people are raving about! I highly recommend her program. And no- I am not getting paid to say that! Remember, when women support women, great things happen (:

Another benefit of working-out at home is that your kiddos see you in action! Just the other day we were at the pool and my three-year-old spread out a towel, laid on top of it then proceeded to do push ups proclaiming proudly, “Mom, look how strong I am!” I was tickled to pieces and praised his efforts. Talk about motivation! If you can’t do it for yourself just yet, start doing it for your kiddos! Your personal motivation will be sure to follow.

Here are three rules to remember especially if you are just starting out:

1. Don’t compare yourself to anyone other than yourself!
2. When it comes to exercise anything is better than nothing! -don’t be afraid to try new things
3. And finally focus on what you ARE doing, rather than berating yourself for what you aren’t doing!

There you have it! Watch for my upcoming article on how to eat to reach your ideal physique with a meal plan giveaway from one of my fitness foodie faves, @cleansimpleeats! What are some things you do to stay fit? What is your motivation? Have a fabulous week and don’t forget to get out there and sweat!

Carpe Diem,

Krissy