A great blog for you guys by our new guest blogger, Sharyl Thwaites.
A very honest look at what it takes to overcome our bad habits and get the results we are looking for. YOU CAN DO IT!
“It takes 21 days to kick a habit”
Powerful idea. I wondered if the same was true of adopting a habit…
Read this blog if you’re looking for inspiration on:
- Overcoming life’s lows with physical and mental wellbeing
- Turning health and fitness into a lifestyle
- Using results to stay motivated
I first realised how out of shape I was when I returned to the UK after my stint of travels. I’d spent some months in LA surviving on fast food and alcohol and could no longer fit into my jeans. People made comments about how ‘different’ I looked – and I knew they didn’t mean ‘healthy’ different.
No money
Not only was I struggling to fit into my jeans but I also didn’t have two coins to rub together. Getting a car to transport me to the first job I accepted just wasn’t affordable, so I decided to get a pushbike. It was the only way I’d get around for a while before I could re-surface financially.
The first week of cycling was punishing both mentally and physically – my whole body ached. I dreaded that journey every day for weeks.
But as time went on, I noticed my muscles were changing – the ride in was getting easier and my clothes weren’t so snug.
A simple pleasure
Eventually I did get a car, but I decided I’d still bike to work come rain or shine. It became my simple pleasure. My colleagues thought I was crazy on those cold, sodden days, but it made me happy and was a great way to start my day. I was feeling healthy in body and mind.
Along with my cycle to work, I experimented with home HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts. The results were amazing.
Those results inspired me to revisit my diet. I don’t deny myself the opportunity to indulge now and again but it’s nice that it feels like a treat when I do, rather than it feeling part and parcel of my daily life.
It’s a natural high!
Not only did eating healthily and exercise change my body shape for the better, it changed my whole life in a really positive way.
- My sleep pattern has become regular
- I don’t feel lethargic
- My moods are mostly positive and happy
I vary my workouts from week to week, so I never find myself getting bored with the same routine. This includes some spin, HIIT classes, and some resistance work.
Yoga is also great for stretching and relieving tension in my muscles and mind.
For me, working out and eating a healthy diet has become a part of my everyday life and without it I just don’t feel like me. With fitness and clean eating, I feel happier than I’ve ever felt.
Sharyl’s results after HIIT work outs and healthy eating.
No shame
We all get those days when we don’t want to work out and we want to eat bad foods.
I’ve realised that is absolutely okay! It’s great to take a day off and enjoy the relaxation and naughty foods. But I’ve also realised that too many days like that make me feel tired, unmotivated and unhappy.
Mind over matter
Sometimes my mind gets the better of me and I eat those 10 biscuits, but the majority of the time I have learned to gain control of the cravings and urges. Instead of eating those 10 biscuits, I have a bowl of fruit and yogurt and if that isn’t appealing… well, I wasn’t really that hungry, was I?
I choose this lifestyle to not only feel good about myself, but also because I believe keeping my body healthy is the key to a long, healthy and happy life.
Sharyl