Shred

I am so happy to be moved and settled into a perfectly balanced life between structured routine and chaos. So far, I am LOVING living in N.C. And my roommate is fabulous!

Prior to the move, my workouts became infrequent as I struggled to cram in as much of my CT "bucket list" as possible. A few bike rides and hikes made their way into my life, but I certainly wasn't keeping up with the fitness routine I had been maintaining for several weeks before that.

Now that my life is coming together, I am making it a priority to take good care of myself, which is much easier when you have a) a puppy to take care of who requires a somewhat strict schedule b) less late nights spent hanging out with friends and resulting in sleep deprivation c) a much longer commute requiring that I wake up earlier.

IML updates, N.C. style!

1) Reduce Stress: I think I will fit right in in the south. I have always been a pretty low-stress person and am even more laid back now that I am amongst my kind of people. Peace out, New England anxiety-ridden folk!

2) Maintain exercise goal of 3x/wk: I have definitely been active every single day since I moved here. Having a puppy ensures I take at least 3 walks a day. I have also been biking a few times with my roommate or to run errands, have run on the treadmill, done some lifting, and started a new workout routine as of yesterday. As far as biking goes, I definitely need to find some nice long stretches of less-populated roads to take longer rides on and also want to explore some "greenways" -- which are the equivalent of the Rails to Trails in N.E.

In other news, my roommate and I are powering through Jillian Michael's 30 day shred! Last time I started it, I was doing pretty well until I re-sprained my bad ankle, so womp womp to that. Now that I am waking up at 6 every weekday to get ready for work, doing a nice 20 minute workout first thing in the morning is a great way to jump start the day. I am going to do all three levels of the shred, so it will technically be a 90 day shred. I'm looking forward to seeing some results!

3) Make more conscious food choices: I am eating way more healthily than I have in a while. Long gone are the days of traveling every weekend and eating out 3x +/wk. I have been having yogurt or oatmeal with fruit and nuts for breakfast, packing healthy lunches, and eating dinner at a more reasonable hour. I've also totally cut out snacking, mostly because I'm too busy to be sitting around getting hungry. I have been drinking approx 3x the amt of water since moving here, mostly because it's so hot/humid and I need to stay hydrated.

I am already seeing some results and think I have probably shed about 5 lbs already since I moved here, all thanks to my shift in lifestyle.

4) Enjoy my hobbies: I seriously love it here. All of the people I've met are super nice. I've been swimming and biking and reading and decorating and shopping and cooking and playing with my puppy/neighborhood children (can you believe I actually like these kids. Who am I?!). I've been busy and active and social and this is pretty much the life I have always wanted for myself. Next on the docket: make more friends!

5) Keep my close friends close: I have been making a concerted effort to keep in touch with my "home friends." I've had several long phone calls with my family and friends and sent many a text. Now if only I can convince all of you to come visit me...

6) Do what I can for my health: I feel GREAT. I am getting the perfect amount of sleep, exercise, and food intake. I am keeping up with a good dental routine. And, as always - creating happiness is the best thing you can do for your body. And right now I am overflowing with happy.

Stay tuned for some 30 DS shred results...took my Day 1 pictures and will post progress @ Day 15.

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