Chillax

     When you're running from job to job, workout to lunch with the girls, sometimes we forget to grab a little me time. But unfortunately, when we're stocked up on IOU's of me time, it can catch up to you. It caught up to me in the form of what I was sure was the plague (though more believably, strep throat). On top of that, because we were getting our floors re-done, I wasn't allowed in the house. Instead, I was holed up in a hotel with nothing but water, dry bread, and enough medication to cure an entire country of the common cold.
     What I learned between episodes of Desperate Housewives and restless sleeps was not to wait until you literally can't get out of bed to spend some time there. Allow yourself a day to sleep in. Tell your friends you can't go out because you want to curl up with your favorite book for a few hours. It's okay to be alone for a little while. I also highly recommend doing it when it's not in a drug-enduced stupor.

Where's My Healthy?

   
      I was nannying the other day when I had a little girl asked me why I was fat.
     "I'm not fat," I answered. "I'm just bigger than your mommy and daddy."(Her mom and dad are triathletes and ultra-marathon runners. Hard to compete...)
     "Yeah, but bigger is fatter," she answered.
     Right then is when I saw it: the truth of our generation and those that are coming after us. Bigger is fatter. At least, that's what we're told. I'm at a perfectly healthy weight for my height, though certainly not on the model-skinny side. And yet, to this 5-year-old, I looked fat.
     Her question didn't hurt my feelings, didn't upset me or make me angry. Rather, it made me worried. How do we correct this distorted image? In a society where millions are dangerously overweight, we have been taught to praise the skinnier, smaller people. But in that praise, we're forgetting about the normal people. We forget about the people who are healthy, who eat right and exercise, but are never going to grace the covers of Vogue or Marie Claire. We ignore these people who fall somewhere in between skinny and fat, despite the fact that they make up most of our population. They are real-sized. I am real-sized.
     Skinny doesn't mean healthy. Though many people think of them as one in the same, they are not. I am not skinny because I enjoy a piece of birthday cake at a party and I relish in sleeping in a few times a week instead of hitting the gym before work. In this routine, I have found happiness. Yet, magazines and television urge the public with diet pills and magic workout programs that you can't be happy until you're skinny. But you know what? I feel pretty damn happy, big butt and all.

Motivation

     Motivation is one of the hardest things to fake. If you aren't truly motivated to get out the door and go for a run or hit up the gym, you're going to have a difficult time getting there. That's why if you can't find it deep within yourself to work out for the sole reason that it's good for you (don't worry, I can't do that either), then create motivation.

     This summer, I signed up for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon. Maybe being signed up won't motivate me to go fast or to train every day for hours on end, but while I'm laying in bed, debating whether or not to actually get up and run, now, there's a little voice inside my head asking me, "Do you really want to crawl the 6 miles?" The answer, obviously being no, reminds me to get up, get out, and, as Nike says, just do it.
     If running isn't your thing, find some other way to hold yourself accountable. Sign up for a workout class at your gym. If you've already paid for the classes, you won't want to miss them. Buy a swim suit that you want to look great in on your next vacation and hang it on your bedroom door. When you see that, you'll remember to put on those gym shorts and get active. Maybe you can't fake motivation, but you can certainly find a way to make a little of your own.

Getting Out of Bed

     I've never been one to hop out of bed with the rising sun and be ready to go. Sure, I'm a morning person, but it takes a few cups of coffee and a few hours of lounging to be ready for the day. Usually, I'm up and about for a while before I'm ready to go for a run. In the brisk fall weather or the warm spring afternoons, that's never been a problem. But when I hit my favorite running trail at 95 degrees with 0% humidity, afternoon running didn't feel so hot.
     I love running, but I had to change my habits as the summer heats up. If you're like me and you'd rather beat your head against a wall then run more than five minutes on a treadmill, choose two or three days out of the week to get up early and hit the running trail. Choose the days when you need to be up early for work and set the alarm 30 minutes earlier or coordinate morning runs with friends so you aren't tempted to roll back under the covers. The air conditioned gym may feel like the best choice when the temperature sky-rockets, but if you need your dose of outdoor activity, plan ahead.

Try Something New

     There's no shame in being a little lazy sometimes. Everyone deserves the chance to lay on the couch in their pajamas all day watching their favorite movie for the 700th time. But when you are trying to figure out what you've accomplished in the past week and you come up empty handed, that's an indication that maybe it's time to get out and do something.
     Change up your routine. Escape the monotony of everyday life. Get out there and do something that you've never tried before. Two weeks back, I packed up my camping gear and headed out on a two week camping expedition with my friend and her family. We danced it up at a music festival and spent days lounging at the beach. We spent the nights circled around a campfire and slept tucked under a low-hanging tree in our two-person tent. It was something I'd never done before and that felt great.
     So when you realize that you've watched three seasons of Desperate Housewives in less than a week, get off the couch and try something new. Go outside of your comfort zone and dive into an experience that you can hold with you for a long time. When you get back, Desperate Housewives will still be waiting for you.

Make Me

   

     I like to run. Usually. But there are some days when I just don't want to get off the couch. I want to stay cuddled in my warm blanket with the air conditioning cranked as high as it will go so that I can pretend it's not 90 degrees outside. Motivating myself to put on the running shoes and actually get out there proves to be somewhat of a challenge. Whether it's running, work, or some other task you just can't bring yourself to do, here are some ways I've found do the trick:

1. Just get started
     If you just motivate yourself to put on the shoes, eventually, you're body will be ready to take on the task of the actual run. Slowly but surely, as you get dressed and pull your hair in that pony tail, you will accidentally motivate yourself to go out there and do it.

2. Time yourself
    Tell yourself "I'm going to do this for 10 minutes, then I get a break," or "in 5 minutes, I'm going." Giving yourself a time limit allows you to psyche yourself up. If you say you're going to run for 10 minutes, you often times keep going for more without even realizing you had the motivation in you.

3. Tell yourself why
     Sure, it would be easy never to leave my front door in a pair of running shoes, but I have to remind myself how great it feels when I'm done. I feel like I've accomplished something and I'm always in a better mood. Take the time to actually thing to yourself why you're doing what you do in the first place.

Over The Top

     I don't really do anything half-hearted. Either I'm diving headfirst into the deep end or I'll just stay on my chair and tan. That's why when my friends suggested watching Miss USA together, I knew it was time for a full-fledged beauty queen fiasco. We dressed in gowns, snacked on fancy desserts, and bet on our favorite contestant. It took a casual television gathering and turned it into a party. Plus, we got some pretty interesting looks...

     When you take time to yourself to have a little fun, it's a great opportunity for relaxation. But when you turn that time to yourself into a dramatic, over-the-top party, it's a great opportunity for fun. Get your friends together for a slip and slide party or have afternoon tea complete with hats and fine china. Don't do anything half-hearted. Go big or go home.