Summer Health and Fitness

"Your body is your most priceless possession. Take care of it." - Jack Lalane

This summer, I have become a complete health and fitness junkie. I'm obsessed with treating my body with care so that I can wake up everyday feeling my absolute best. Although the changes that I have been making are small, they have made a huge impact on the way I live and feel about my mental and physical health. Here are some ways that I have become a happier and healthier version of myself:

Something that has actually saved my life, is the LifeSum app on my iPhone. This app is a food, water and exercise tracker. With this app, you can scan the barcode of whatever food you are eating and keep track of your calories, and most importantly, your nutrients. The app also includes personalized plans for the specific goals your are trying to achieve, whether it's gaining muscle, losing weight, or just maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Honestly, I am someone who just eats all the time. I eat when I'm bored, I eat with friends, I literally never stop eating. This app really helps me with keeping my eating habits in check and pacing myself with when I am going to be eating. I have also been super motivated to drink a lot more water with this app. Every time I add a glass, it gives me a super encouraging little message. I know it's cliche, but seriously, drinking 8+ glasses of water a day will seriously change you life (If you don't believe me, BuzzFeed made an insane video about people drinking more water and the result are mind-blowing. Watch it here). Using this app has become a necessity for me, and I have recommend it to everyone, no matter what your health goals are.

Now talking fitness, I have always been a very active person. I grew up taking dance classes and competing in dance, which lead me to go into college in pursuit of a degree in dance and choreography. That being said, it is incredibly important for me to be in shape and feel good so that I can continue dancing. Unfortunately, the current job that I have keeps me busy all week, so I barely have any time to attend a dance intensive or travel into New York for drop-in classes. It's basically my worst nightmare. Back in May when I had just returned from college for the summer, my mom invited me to go take a Bar Method class with her at our local studio. I knew what barre classes were and that they were ideal for dancers, but I didn't know how great of a workout it would be. I immediately fell in love after my first class. Now that I have been going for a few months, I have noticed a huge change in my body and my strength in places where I needed it for dance. I would absolutely recommend barre classes to anyone looking to gain strength and tone their muscles. I am so happy to have gained this physical strength, but I am even more happy and excited to get back to dancing and improving my technique.

Now for the thing that I think most people forget when it comes to health and fitness, SLEEP! I LOVE SLEEPING! I LOVE MY BED! I LOVE BEING COZY! SLEEP! SLEEP! SLEEP! The iPhone's Health and Clock app have features where it tracks your sleep and has a set bedtime and alarm each day. Now, I've never really been one to stay up late. Even being in college, I can never stay up late studying or doing homework, or I will not be able to function the next day. Setting a bedtime on my phone reminds me 30 minutes before to start getting ready for bedtime so that I can get a full night's rest before my alarm goes off in the morning. This has become a lifesaver with having to wake up early for work, but also makes it easy for me to get up and be productive on the weekends.

All of this being said, I think your health and fitness goals can not be reached overnight. Staying on top of your health and wellness is a lifestyle, but a lifestyle that is not impossible. Being focused on the state of my body, both mentally and physically has made me become more productive and more motivated to achieve the things that I want. I seriously love the subtle changes that I have made this summer, and I am definitely going to continue my work and journey once I return to school. 

Thank you so much for reading, stay tuned for more posts!

Maggie