powerful together

Hello, world.

It's been a while (again). I was on a bit of a roll with my posts back in June and then summer travels and the fall semester turned me into a slacker. Now 4 months later I'm finally getting back to posting.

In addition to falling off the wagon with blog posts, the summer and fall have not been good for exercise. I'm going to work to change both of those things and soon.

Friday I was talking with Stacey, and she inspired me to get back to the gym. We're going to be encouraging each other to stay physically active and eat healthily. It's always easier to do these things with a partner in crime, so we're going to keep each other accountable. As my dear friend Laura once said, "We're powerful when we're together." She may have said that in reference to a different friend group, but it's true nonetheless. As with many things in life, exercise and diet are easier when we don't try to do it all on our own.

I've been doing yoga twice a week, and while that's great for flexibility and strength, it isn't enough on its own to keep me in shape. A better diet and some cardio are in order.

So steps I've taken so far...

1. Joined a gym. Yes, I've always had free access to the university's rec center, but the thought of competing for exercise equipment with 20,000 undergrads is not a motivating one. Plus, if I'm paying for the gym membership, I'll be much more likely to use it.

2. I started tracking calories again using the My Fitness Pal app. I've done this on and off over the years and have found that when I use it consistently, it makes a big difference in my eating habits, particularly when it comes to snacking.

3. Bought a new sports bra and yoga pants. You know, because I needed a reward for accomplishing steps 1 & 2... Actually, I had been needing to purchase both for a while now since my existing ones are getting worn and raggedy. Also, I find that I'm more motivated to exercise if I like what I'm wearing. Shallow? Perhaps. But if it helps me get my butt to the gym, I'll do it.

4. Went to the gym for a first workout. Nothing too intense. I went through the orientation for the fitness equipment and then walked 3 miles on the treadmill.

I think that health and fitness aren't always about big steps; rather, they're about many, many little steps that, when taken all together, make a long term impact.

Wish us luck!