Who has a hard time getting to the gym?  Raise your hand.  *raises hand*

As much as you may see me going to the gym, or talking about having just finished working out on Instastories, the truth is, it’s not always easy to get there.  I definitely love how I feel afterwards (spoiler: so does everyone) but I’m not always motivated to get a workout out in, and sometimes I slack and sometimes I take a break and sometimes I just want to eat treats and all the drink wine.

The bottom line: working out & eating healthy is hard.  

If it wasn’t, everyone would do it.

I recently caught this video of Jennifer Lopez (love her) chatting about self-motivation & life in general, and it just rang so true.  Being active and eating all the right things all the time is not easy.  Some people may say they love it, but the truth is everyone has their moments with a sweet/salty indulgence and everyone (seriously) at times lacks the push to workout.

I am, by no means, the most physically fit person, but I do work at it, and it is slowly starting to change the way I look.

I say slowly because I really want to reiterate there is no quick fix.  There is no easy way to lose weight, and there is no easy way to gain muscle.  It’s putting in cold, hard work, day in and day out, and just being as diligent as you can be, and also cutting yourself some slack too.

There are days when I am not going to hit the gym, and sometimes those days turn into a week or two.  And sometimes I’m eating all the treats I can find and totally feeling guilty about it, but I still do it, because sometimes I just need a break.  Listen to your body, try to feed it with nutrients and be as active as you can, on a regular basis, but enjoy your life at the same time.

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All that said, the best piece of advice I can give you, when it comes to working out, is find something you enjoy.

Find something that gets you there.

This is what I tell all my friends, who are not sure what to do, but want to do something.  Try a variety of things, from classes, to sports, to lifting, to yoga, to dance… see what you actually don’t mind too much, and what you can get kind of get excited over.  I’ve done so many things over the years, from strictly cardio, to Body Pump, Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Hot Yoga, volleyball, Crossfit, Barre, long distance running, cardio/weight circuit training,  lifting heavy weights and more.  When you tire of something, or it’s not getting you there, switch it up.  There are so many options out there.  Trying totally counts!

I am by no means the most athletic person, but there are so many great resources out there now, from YouTube to Instagram, where you can learn how and what to do in the gym, and when in doubt, a class where you can follow is a great option.  Finding something that doesn’t completely turn you off is so key in starting and maintaining a fitness journey.

Don’t give up.

It takes time to see results, and it takes time for things to happen.  Be kind to yourself, and remember that muscle tone and definition takes years to build–this is not a sprint, it is a marathon, so as cheesy as it sounds, accept and enjoy the process.  I certainly have days where I am down on myself that I’m not as toned as I’d like to be–but then again, I sure enjoy the balance where I can workout and enjoy dessert (ahem, wine).

 

I hope this posts gives you a tiny boost, if anything, that you can do something to feel good about yourself.  It’s not always easy, it isn’t for anyone, so always remember that you’re not alone.  I hope you girls have a great weekend, I’ll be on Instastories this weekend sharing what I’m up to + we are having our second annual crab boil, so come back for photos of that on Monday.  TGIF!

 

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Photography by Lisa Provençal.