Hi guys!! I wasn’t planning on posting about this, and had no intention of writing a post on fitness this month, but I just couldn’t hold it in! I’ve seen so many fellow blogger babes posting about Monday Motivations, and Healthy Habits, and I just felt a little tug on my heart to share what I’ve been up to with you all – I love love love you all so much and want to inspire you as much as I can! As you know, my blog is called Coffee with Jordan Lee, because I want you to feel like we are just catching up over coffee! And that’s what I hope this post feels like. So, without further ado, pour yourself a cup of and let’s catch up about our fitness goals for February!
So, I haven’t posted much about my 2018 resolutions, but as you know from Winter Favorites, one of my big ones is skincare. My other big one is exercise! I have always had a ROLLER COASTER relationship with working out. I get really into it, and then stop. I am always so high up, constantly working out, or so down low, I never leave the couch. I couldn’t keep up with it anymore. This year I decided to say no more. My big inspiration when it comes to fitness is my person who inspires me in everything, and that is Demi Lovato. She taught me that you don’t work out to look good, you work out because your body deserves to be healthy. I just want my body to be in the best condition it can be, and plus, there are tons of psychological and mental benefits to being physically healthy.
Now, I’ve never done a “fitness roundup” post before, and I just called it that because I knew I was going to be all over the place. There is nothing specific fitness-wise I would be talking about. So, basically my goal is to get in the habit of working out. I wanted to make sure I didn’t go super high up on the roller coaster, so I committed to a smaller amount than what I would normally do. But my idea was to start small and get in the habit and then after a while (it takes 21 days to form a habit) I would be used to it, and feeling great, and could up the amount from there! So, as of now – my routine is to do the gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday and then I do an abs/arms/legs workout (from Dr. Sara O’Connell) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! This has been working out great for me! I feel motivated as heck to do the gym MWF because I know I won’t have time T/Th (I have class all day long on Tuesdays and Thursdays)! I love the little workout I do each day as well, because the number of reps you do for each move alternate and change each day, so I’m never bored. Starting today (Monday), I have decided I’ll be doing each rep set twice, because I think it’s good to challenge yourself. I’ve been doing these moves for two weeks now, and am ready for it to make me sore again, haha : – ) The gym is also great, because it’s so easy to mix things up! I’m constantly searching the internet for fun new workouts for the treadmill (like this one!), or climbing different “buildings” on the stair master. It never gets boring, which is really important to me when it comes to exercise.
Additionally, I have been trying extra hard to watch what I’m eating. I know the Whole30 is wildly popular right now, but unfortunately, I am just not in a place in my life right now where I feel that I would be able to complete it. However, I know that working out by itself doesn’t make change, it has to go hand-in-hand with eating healthier and so that is where I am seeing the biggest change. I have CUT OUT Diet Coke, which if you know me, was really really hard. I am not doing any diet soda anymore… I just knew I had to stop. It’s been hard, but I’ve definitely noticed changes! I am more energized, and I feel SO GOOD when I drink anything else knowing I’m not guzzling down a million different chemicals that I can’t even pronounce. I still need a fix of carbonation though, so I’ve found some great alternatives. I fell in love with Sipp Sparkling Organics, but they are a little bit expensive for my college budget, so I have also invested in trying to find a flavor of La Croix that I actually love. And I did!! I love love love the Key Lime flavor! It’s such a yummy treat, and as the can says, with ZERO calories, ZERO sweetener, and ZERO sodium, it’s completely innocent!
Food wise, I have fallen in love with experimenting!! Every time I go to the store, I just take my time browsing and checking out all the options there are! I have always been that girl that just spends money after money on fast food, like Chick Fil A, Panda Express, Subway, you name it. However, I’m cutting back. Not only is it helping my wallet, but it’s helping me feel better and healthier each day. One of my favorite discoveries has been Ready Pac salads. They are so easy to just grab n go, as they come with all the ingredients and a fork in the package. Not to mention, they are delicious and actually fill me up (something I was worried about!) If not, I have started buying a few healthy snacks (no added “natural flavor” or high fructose corn syrup) to munch on during the day, instead of eating 3 or more huge meals during the day! I still eat my normal breakfast (Egg sandwich MWF, and bagel on T/Th, and of course COFFEE!), so I’m not cutting out everything, but I have definitely noticed a difference and I am loving it!
Some other things I’m into right now that are somewhat related to health & fitness:
–Yoga! Yoga, yoga, yoga! And Hot yoga! Everything yoga related. It’s so good for your mind AND body! In fact, I think my next goal is to complete the 30 Days of Yoga on Youtube!
–Drinking water! I know that previously I was never drinking enough water but now I am, and it feels GREAT! I know my body needs it and I’ve noticed a difference in the lack of headaches I get now. (Thank God!) If you find it difficult to drink a lot of a water a day, try making it easier by using a fun bottle, like a Yeti (I have a rose gold shimmery one) or this bottle that my sister swears by! (Drinking through a straw is easier for some!)
–Essential Oils! I love love love the smell of tea tree oil. It’s great for fighting acne and for all around helping bring out radiant and healthy skin!
–Apple Watch! This thing is a life saver. It’s extremely motivating to help you get “your steps in” and helps encourage a healthier lifestyle all together. You can track your workouts, set goals for yourself, and so much more!
–Keep Track! I have a cute calendar that hangs in my closet, and I have a little key for keeping track of my workouts. I put a heart in the corner if I went to the gym, and a little smiley face if I did the abs/legs/arms workout. So my MWF always have both 😉 It’s super encouraging to see, and acts a little bit like the gold stars we used to be given as kids. But hey, a reward is a reward, and I love drawing a little note in the corner and feeling accomplished for everything I did that day.
Well, for now, I think that’s about it. Let me know if you enjoyed me babbling on and on about exercise and eating and what’s going on in my life ~fitness wise. If you guys have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out, and if you have any feedback/thoughts on anything I said, you agree/you don’t agree/what have you – please please please comment below! I love hearing from you all so much 🙂 Hope you have an amazing fitness-filled February♡