How Exercising Every Day Changed My Life

I have never been super active, besides dancing. I have always loved dance. My brothers were runners, etc. but not me. I enjoyed the flexibility and creativity. When I had my son over three years ago, I gained 55 lbs. I overate and wanted to make sure he was taken care of above all else.

After the pregnancy, I lost a lot of weight, but not enough to feel good about myself. I was too tired and too lazy to care about my well being. I didn’t think I needed to lose weight until I’d look in the mirror. Once my son started to get older, I wanted to drop the pounds even more, but instead, I found out that I was stressed and would keep eating. And I would eat whole candy bars… in one sitting.

It was sad and embarrassing. I could do that every day. Pre-pregnancy I wouldn’t ever gain a pound, and it wouldn’t matter. Once you go through pregnancy everything changes. I still to this day try to lose weight. It has been so hard and if I don’t see immediate results, is it even worth it? Even when I would see the tiniest results, I would get excited. I started to realize that the weight wasn’t the problem, though.


The thing is…  exercise is more about self-care than dropping pounds or getting toned. It’s true. Those are good perks, but it shouldn’t be the sole reason to do it. I started to feel really good about myself, take a ton of selfies, and feel sexier. I began to feel like I could take on the world! But beyond that, there are so many other factors.

Here are a few reasons why I genuinely enjoy exercising now.

  • Breathing techniques: I can breathe whenever I get stressed because I have the right breathing techniques whenever I am working out. Breathing helps release those emotions and stress that we all need to get rid of from time to time.
  • Flexibility: let’s say that when you don’t work out, you get tired more quickly. It seems as though you can take the stairs instead of the elevator and not feel exhausted so fast. You can sense that your legs can handle a lot more.
  • Stress relief: This is the number one element that most people work out for and it truly works, something about finishing a workout makes you feel so good. You realize that you are powerful and can let go of the issues at hand. You forget about the problems and recognize that you are feeling much better.
  • Routine: my family and I are all about routines. We love being on schedules. I work out at the same time, and it helps the time pass by. It allows me to get tasks done and plan around it.
  • Diet: you realize when you work out you don’t eat as much because you’re getting more toned or smaller, whatever it might be. You put down that doughnut instead of trying to say “just this one.” Why? Because you know you worked hard for your health and fitness goals.

I work out right at home, putting together my own fitness goals and tasks. I switch up exercises daily and keep myself going. It doesn’t matter what you do or how you do it; just do it. Get going and burn those calories.

exercise

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How to take care of yourself even in the darkest times.

Take care of yourself 

The first thing is first.. you must take care of yourself! In order to have good days you have to fill your head with positive thoughts. I have been having a heck of time with anxiety and OCD. I guess thats what the doctor calls it! I get incredibly overwhelmed for the smallest things EVER.  I needed help and I made sure to get that help.

There’s going to be good days and there’s going to be bad today and this is all part of life. I realize this slower than I imagined. I feel like I can control everything and I feel like I don’t want change ever!  So much has changed in the past six months that I have hit rock bottom many many times. After much and thoughts I have a few things that have worked for me.

  1. Sticking to a schedule: This seems foolish to most people because they are like “I have a schedule.” A schedule is making sure that everything is pretty repetitive for the most part. Let’s look into my life. First I wake up an hour earlier than than the rest of the house (630). I take a shower and get my head ready and drink lots of water. Then I drop Antonio off at daycare I come home unload the dishwasher throw some laundry in make breakfast and the rest of the day is work until 430. I make sure that I eat my lunch at the same time everyday. I also meditate and do everything at the same time everyday. It is critical for me to have this schedule and stick so it.
  2. De clutter your phone  Sometimes we get side-tracked. Do you find time passing you by because you are constantly finding things on your phone? How many apps do you have on your phone? How many do you use? What is your biggest time consuming app!?
    Monitor the next time you use apps all on your phone you will see that you spend way too much time on your phone.
    Join me on this journey as I de clutter my phone! If I don’t use it or if I spend too much time on it it’s going.. I’m deleting all social media from my phone too. I work but things have got to go away and be settled. Social media will be fine without me after all my posts are scheduled anyway sooooo what’s the point?
    It’s more than social media though it’s everything everything is on your phone like you can have your whole personally for the tip of your fingers it’s kind of scary at the same time if you think about it. When something is wrong we google instantly – let’s stop that!! I have done that far too much in the past and I am DONE. It causes more panic attacks than anything.
    But more importantly it takes away time from your family and from your life. When you get bored you’re like oh let me go check Facebook let me go check that let me go play this game real quick no we need to stop that!!! Find something else where that energy can go!  I’ve deleted three apps already and I’m probably going to delete more. I deleted with Snapchat,  why another social media app? Why do we need Insta stories, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest? We wait for people to respond and like our stuff and its beyond frustrating!!
    We shouldn’t have to have a freak attack or panic attack when we can’t find our phones either! How many times have freaked out when our phone is about to die? Our society is built on electronics and I LOVE my iPhone don’t give me wrong,  but at the same time I’m in control I have to do what I have to do! You would be surprised to know how better you feel when you don’t have to sit on your phone.  Let’s go back to the days when we just text and call with our cell phones!
  3. Exercise:  This is a work in progress for me. You have to do this!! It’s not to lose weight or to get fit but rather to release the hormone dopemine which helps you release stress and anxiety. I can’t tell you enough how great I feel after I do this!!
  4. Meditate OR deep breathing: This is something that I preach about like religion. I do this at the same time everyday with an app called “headspace” It is incredible! I do deep breathing through out the day and meditate mid day and then meditate before I go bed. Through out the day I also put on my lavender oil so it helps calm me!

What are some ways your de stress and take care of yourself!? 

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