Top Knots & Down Dogs

I am a creature of habit.  I habitually (and almost religiously) study in coffee shops.  The background noises blur together and it's perfect for me.

Personally, I believe it is considerably more motivating to set smaller, attainable goals to avoid discouragement when it comes to getting fit.  This might seem odd to some, but it really has worked for me so far.

As an example, if you wanted to lose 50 lbs in 6 months, instead of thinking "I have to lose 50 lbs by January", break it down into smaller goals. Losing 50 lbs in 6 months is equivalent to a little over 8 lbs a month or a little over 2 lbs a week. If it were me trying to lose 50 lbs in 6 months, I would set a goal of 2 lbs every week.  It's not as overwhelming, extremely attainable, and when you succeed it's only going to motivate you more.

This being said, my second semester of college I decided to really dedicate myself to getting fit. I set small goals - literally just the amount of times I would go to the gym every week and the types of food I would cut out of my diet. That is the first step, isn't it? I felt and looked considerably better.  Then, summer hit and I've started to slip.  I think I'm heavier than I was before last semester, lost pretty much all of my muscle mass, and (between two jobs and summer school) have lost a lot of motivation to go to the gym and eat well.

However, since I had a taste of that addictive, internal energy and outwards glow you get from being active and treating your body well, I want nothing more than to improve myself and eventually transcend the results I had achieved before. I'm not looking to lose weight, I'm looking to gain muscle and get lean. In order to track my progress, though, I will post my weight at the end of each week, along with a picture of my progress.

I'm going to start by setting small goals. Baby steps, if you will. This blog will be my means of holding myself accountable and tracking my progress and the steps I am taking to transform into a healthier, more active me.