Happy Sunday, friends! I hope that you’ve had a great weekend. The snow and cold has really made it feel like February.
We had Junior Parents’ Weekend at Notre Dame yesterday for our guy Leo and it was so great. Leo isn’t much for crowds, so we opted just to do the mass they organized for his class and then took him and our daughter Annie out to dinner. At dinner, Annie asked me if I had used my ankle weights at yoga yet (these are the ones I have)—she has been using hers and thought they were a great addition to her workouts. Embarrassed, I told her that my weights hadn’t made it out of my car yet—I had been driving around with them in the backseat for a month. But my little convo with Annie was just the push I needed to break out those bad boys for class this morning.
I did it! And I feel totally crazy that I didn’t do it sooner. Even though the weights only add an extra two pounds to each of my legs, it made a difference in my resistance and balance. I’m pretty sure I’ll bring them again tomorrow.
This little encounter with my weights made me think how I need momentum to keep taking the next step—tiny little wins that keep me motivated to do what I need to do the next day. I remember a fitness instructor once said that if you’re always waiting for motivation to hit you, you’ll probably be waiting for a long time. I definitely see this with my workouts. I’ve been doing yoga almost every day for the last six or seven years. I can’t plan my day without fitting in some yoga—it’s now a total habit for me. I keep hoping that one day I will find this same kind of instinct when it comes to how I eat, that I will have enough wins in the feel better-look better category that a new lifestyle habit will be created, too. One of these days I will crack the code, I just need to stick with something long enough to make that happen.
Tomorrow, I’m doing a five-day Melt Your Middle challenge with the company Faster Way to Fat Loss. I’ve actually done their full six-week program before and was completely overwhelmed by all of the recipes, workouts, and logging macros (I’m still not sure I could tell you what a macro is.) But a 5-day challenge that only costs $20, that I think I can make myself do! I’m always skeptical of these companies that try to sell you their big plans and all of their products, but it will be fun to see if I can do everything they ask of me for a week. The one thing that no one tells you is that workouts and eating well takes up a lot of time in your day! By the time you meal prep, workout, do your strength training, and walk your 10,000 steps, you’re squeezing in the rest of your life around all of this. I live my life the other way around, making wellness fit in around my family, my friends, my job, etc. So we’ll see how all of this goes. I’ll bring you along in my Instagram stories this week if you’re interested.
I always think that cute workout clothes help with staying motivated, but mine have to be the worst! I usually buy two new sets of leggings and two new tanks every winter and literally wear them until they fall apart at the end of the year. I’m dangling a little carrot of buying some new workout gear if I can successfully make it through this week’s challenge. Athleta now makes some of my favorite yoga tops and bottoms. I have my eye on this, this, this, and this. If I look less tattered next week in yoga, you’ll know why!
Thanks for letting me hold myself accountable with all of you! Let’s go and have a great week!
xo,
P.S. Before I let you go:
- Here’s what I’m making for dinner this week. Even though I’m doing my little five-day challenge, I’m still going to cook like I usually do for Ed and Jimmy.
- Boden should just come and take all of my money. It seems like each week they’re dropping things even cuter than the last. This trench coat might be the cutest one I have ever seen.
- I also think we have to stop sleeping on Madewell. I shared my favorite jeans with you last week. But how about this tee, sweater, and bag? All such great staples!
- I know Valentine’s Day is over, but these heart necklaces from Roxanne Assoulin are adorable.
- Last week, I jumped on a trend that was flying around about what it would be like to take your younger self to coffee. This is how I dreamed it would be.
The picture of me above was taken by my pal Jenn Marie Edwards.
