It’s that time again. The third week in January where New Year’s resolutions start to fall apart. The snooze button is hit a few more times, those workouts become shorter and less frequent, and those sugary afternoon snacks creep back into your daily routine. If you’re still holding strong on y0ur resolutions, that’s great! Keep going strong! If you’ve slipped a bit, it’s ok, there is no rule that says you can’t get back on the horse well after New Year’s.
The truth is, it is hard to change routines, whether that change is to add in a workout, change your diet, or maintain your regularly healthy lifestyle when new activities and responsibilities arise. In my case, that is balancing work and school, but other obstacles include multiple jobs, kids, or a new position at work that demands more hours. Less me time means less time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals, less time in the gym, and more time cramming in quick but often less healthy meals. Increased stress also tends to make that chocolate cake or bag of chips look more and more like your ally. I know my weakness is dark chocolate, and while I am usually good about limiting myself to one piece as a treat after dinner, recently the stress of my four week crash course has made only one trip to that bag of Dove chocolate hard. Lack of time and sleep has also led to less intense workouts and more “rest” days than usual.
So what is a stressed out girl to do? The easiest solution may seem to be letting those resolutions or dedication to a healthy life slip; after all, you can always pick them up after things calm down right? True to an extent, it is never too late to start or get back to living healthier. However, the longer you hold onto bad habits, the harder they are to break. The better solution is to keep your healthy life at the top of the priority list and make small concessions or changes to make time for you. Maybe that means getting up 10 minutes earlier and taking a jog around the block or making a healthy breakfast. Maybe it means going to bed a little earlier instead of staying up to watch Kimmel. Whatever the change, make sure that it is something that helps make you feel better.
Since staying healthier is always easier with a partner and maintaining a healthy life is a big part of this crazy ride I’m on, I’ll be dedicating a certain number of posts to tips, tricks, and struggles to keeping it balanced. Be sure to check back and share your stories, tips, recipes, and advice for staying happy and healthy.
Best,
Katherine
A Mid 20s Night's Dream 