tips for keeping fit

okay so since this New Year started, I have been trying my hardest to keep up my New Years resolution to get a good body before summer.
I know that New Years resolutions to lose weight and get fit can be difficult to commit to but here are some things that have helped me to persevere this new year.

1. DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY.

it’s no good trying to commit to a whole form of exercise that you hate because there’s no way you’ll want to keep doing it. find something that you like doing, whether it’s a sport, a certain fitness class, or even a work out dvd and you’ll find that sometimes you can even look forward to getting fit.
also, don’t forget to challenge yourself, even when you feel like you cannot continue, try and get a little further each time you work out and you’ll be getting through each session in no time.

2. HAVE A CERTAIN TIME.

make sure that you set a certain day for when you work out. I chose Monday, Wednesday and Friday because those are my free days. having a specific time makes things feel like more of a commitment and soon you’ll find that it will become a habit.

3. EAT HEALTHILY.

getting fit isn’t just about exercise alone. diets can be effective but it’s better just to eat a balanced diet. don’t be afraid to eat the things you like as long as they’re in proportion. also, healthy foods can taste just as good. I’ve had a recent love for roasted vegetables with just about everything.
[if you’re looking for some really tasty but healthy recipes, go check out the blog: deliciously ella]

so those are some tips for how I’m trying to keep fit, I hope they’re helpful to anyone trying to get healthier this new year. remember that you don’t need to lose weight to become whoever society wants you to be. trying to become fit and healthy is all about becoming who you want to be and being happy in your own body.

January blues

so, by now most of us are all back to school and work and I don’t know about anyone else but, for me, it’s becoming definite that the spirit of Christmas and the hype of new year is coming to a close.
the expectation is that because it’s a new year we should be full of energy and ready to engage in all aspects of life but I myself have found that due to being out of habit and also worn out from my disrupted sleeping pattern as well as the idea of what is to come in 2015 for me, I’m feeling rather worn out.
in a way, this year seems like it ends when my school year does and it also seems like the steep downhill of a roller coaster and right now I’m perched precariously on the top, scared as hell.
GCSEs are the thing in my life right now that I’m just going to have to face regardless of anything else and I think we all have something like that in one way or another, we always do.
for times where we feel low and anxious because of something inevitable, we should try and remind ourselves that time goes on no matter what and we are going to have to live through some things even if we have been dreading it for months on end.
in January, some people feel inspired, others feel daunted by the year ahead, and if we remind ourselves that the year will happen regardless, us daunted fellows can begin to feel inspired also by the blank canvas we’ve been given.
hope everyone’s having a good start to 2015

getting away

the other day I went to a little place between Whitby and Scarborough called Robin hoods bay for my dad to do a charity bike ride.
at first, I didn’t really want to go because it would mean missing a day of school and I couldn’t be bothered to miss it (I know, that makes no sense) but I was persuaded and I actually am glad that I was. while I was there, I realised how good it feels to get away from all the urgency and busy-ness of life and to escape to somewhere different and calm.
the hotel wait was surreal to wake up to a view of the sea because it was as if I had forgotten something so magnificent existed. each morning I would wake up and look out the window and be stunned by the view.

it was also a get away that included a few firsts for me. for example, I decided to try being a vegetarian and I had to go to numerous restaurants avoiding my usual safe option of a burger and resisting a full English every morning. despite everything, it wasn’t that difficult and I’m glad I tried it during that time because I had lots of tasty dishes I wouldn’t have dared to try before.
I also fell in love with the decaf coffee in the room. i had never tried actual coffee before, only lattes and cappuccinos so it was a real change, but a good one.
overall the get away was very rewarding and I think when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, that is the best thing to do. see some new things, breathe some new air and I guarantee you will feel better.

Drinking more water

something that i have been trying to do more lately is cutting down on fizzy drinks and replacing them with water.

Previously, i never really drank much water but this summer i decided to give it a try. from drinking lots of water a day and replacing fizzy drinks with blackcurrant squash, ive really noticed a difference in my skin. i have also felt a lot better in myself because i never feel strange or anything because I am full of bubbles.

i think its a good idea to challenge yourself to make small differences to your diet. just by switching something unhealthy for something better like i did with water. the longer you try and maintain that change, it will probably become a habit. its important to remember that its good to treat yourself once in a while, for example, although i always drink water or squash at home, i will drink a fizzy drink if i go out for a meal. its good to have a balance and its okay to treat yourself sometimes.

this is quite a short post but i wanted to share something that i have been trying lately and express how it has actually made me feel better in myself and i hope that it can help you too.

making choices

this year, i am repeatedly being told that i need to think about what i want to do with my life, i mean, i know I’ve had to think of this for years but now its actually becoming a bit more real. its kind of becoming clear that i have to decide what i want to take for a-levels or if i want to take a btec or do an apprenticeship and what i achieve in those years determines what opportunities that i have. things are only just starting out and its difficult to choose what path would be the best to take.

if you think about it, we spend the majority of our lives in education and in work and that means that its important you enjoy what you are doing. in my opinion, having to make choices like this at ages like 16 and 18 seem really scary because we are still young and used to deluding ourselves into believing that we still have years before these decisions have to be made. i guess something that is difficult to remember is that we don’t have to stay in one occupation forever and that we can change our mind.

also, i think taking risks is important in getting what you want; no one ever gets anything amazing easily. that goes for anything in life. there is no point for a life being afraid because what can you achieve from that? would you rather live a life in your comfort zone or live the most interesting life you can? i think that taking risks doesn’t mean that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into or that you’re completely comfortable doing it, to be honest its the complete opposite. taking risks can take a lot of courage sometimes and can mean you feel sick to your stomach but that can make it even more rewarding if it goes the way you want, which i can say from experience that it usually turns out alright.

in the end, all good things have to come to and end but life is full of endless opportunities and we just have to be willing enough to accept them.

this is quite a short post but i hope you enjoyed, another post coming on sunday:)

Back to school essentials

Okay so everyone is starting back at school and i thought i would use this time to show you some of my “Back to school essentials” I would also like to point out that nothing that i bought for this …

worrying about school

so it’s almost time when everyone goes back to school or university or college or whatever and it’s okay for people to be nervous about starting back.
I always get kind of nervous when I go back to school because I keep moving onto different buses. it’s difficult because you never know where to sit or whether you’ll know anyone.
I think the main reason that we worry about going back to school is the fear of the unknown, especially if you’re starting a new school or going to college or university.
however, should we worry? Is it worth working ourself up about starting a new year when there’s so much it could offer? by moving to a new step in your education you have the amazing opportunity to have a clean slate and be the person that you want to. you can make new friends and even try a different attitude towards learning. this isn’t always just when you’re moving to a new school/college/uni, you can always go back with an ambition to succeed that year. I think this is a good idea if you’re just starting your gcse’s or alevel’s because they play a part in your life, plus, it’s nice to open an envelope filled with A’s on results day.
if you aren’t feeling very academic then it always feels good to change your look slightly, maybe try and find new everyday hairstyles to try out or new makeup that is quick and easy to recreate in a morning so you can get that extra ten minutes of sleep and still look good.
in the end, it’s okay to be nervous but you shouldn’t let that get in the way of being who you want to be and achieving what you want to achieve.