Oh my… The last Friday in May!? Whattt?!! I am shocked. Can’t believe it. Saddened. *sigh*
Plus- its the last day for our “Fitspiration Friday” series! *boo* What did you guys think? Did you like the series? Would you like to see it again in the future? Pleeeeeease let me know! :))
Our last guest poster in our series is Diana! A lovely lady form Minnesota! (Um.. whenever I say Minnesota I say it in the voice of Robin from How I Met Your Mother. Am I the only one?) <33
hey everybody!
my name is diana & i run a sustainable accessories shop + a vegan lifestyle blog ; both named :dianapantz:! i also just released my very first e-cookbook called ‘the 3-day a week vegan’. it features 30 easy & delish recipes for folks that are looking to add a few more grains, fruits & veggies to their daily plan. [plus, $1 from each book sold goes to charity!]
i am super excited to be here today to share a few of my favorite heathy living tips!
today i am answering 5 questions & hopefully motivating you to make the change you have been thinking about!
1) What motivates you to eat healthy and work out?
i am *super* lucky to live in one of the most active cities in the nation [minneapolis, mn]. we have hundreds of miles of biking//walking trails that wrap all over the state.
even though minnesota is known for our nasty winters, people are *so* active. people sled, ski, run, skate & fish in the winter to stay active. and in the summer, the options are endless.
i am constantly motivated by all of the active people i am surrounded by. i live 6 blocks away from TWO beautiful lakes & less than a mile away from a trail system that connects over 50 miles of paved trails.
i am also motivated by how great i feel. eating well & being active has been a part of my life for the years & i know how well i sleep & how much energy i have when i take care of myself.
this is the only body i have & its my job to treat it well. [especially after i think about all the amazing things my body allows me to do!]
2) What advice would you give to someone that wants to change their lifestyle into one that is healthy and fit?
my advice is ‘baby steps’. sit down and figure out where you want to be. do you want to drink more water, take more steps throughout the day, cut out meat & dairy [yeah!] or lose 10+ pounds? once you have your goals, break them down into even smaller goals.
one of my recent goals was to drink more water.
i keep a cup of water in the bathroom ; once i wake up, i drink a large glass of water. so when i have to use the bathroom, i drink another glass of water. each time i enter the bathroom, i drink another 6-10oz of water. in the past month, i have been able to drink between 60-100oz a day & i feel great. i know my body, skin & brain need water to function & making that small change is a huge step.
3) What is your “go to” healthy snack?
i strongly believe that as long as you are eating clean, whole foods, nothing is off limits. i am proud of the fact that i eat dessert each & every day. i eat whole grains, lots of fruits, veggies & nuts throughout the day, so i never feel guilty about feeding my sweet tooth.
i love fruit [usually apples, bananas, clementines or strawberries] with melted dark chocolate drizzled on top. i also love fruit smoothes! there is a recipe in my e-book for apple jelly bars & they are another fun treat. also, i have a ‘recipe box’ on my blog FULL of tasty, vegan treats.
4) What is your favorite workout exercise/move? And what is your least favorite?
i love biking. two years ago, i purchased my first ‘real’ bike as an adult.
my partner blake has been a bike commuter for years, and i wanted in on the action ;) i bike most places & i love it. biking helps the planet, saved us hundreds [if not more!] of dollars & you get a great workout.
i also love the insanity dvds workout, zumba [both through community ed + the dvd series] & long walks.
my least favorite is definitely running! i have run a half-marathon, a 10k & a bunch of 5ks, but its just not something i enjoy anymore. i would much rather be biking [plus, its way faster ;)]
5) How do you make yourself workout even if you are worn out and just “not in the mood?”
i am one of those people that really does love working out. its such a great way to focus on myself & i deserve that. i put my work out on my ‘to-do’ list, just like everything else. taking care of my body is just as important as getting groceries, going to work or doing the laundry.
if my body is sore, or i have worked super hard that week, i never feel guilt about taking a night off, soaking in the tub & reading a good book.
thanks for reading, everybody!
(Bree here! -I am participating in a HUGE giveaway at My Beautiful Crazy Life. Be sure to check it out and enter! )
4 Responses
What great advice and motivation since I ‘fell off my wagon’.
However, I am such a germ and clean freak and when I read about keeping a cup in the bathroom and drinking a full glass of water in there freaked me out. Some how I do not find that sanitary. Yikes!
my partner blake feels the same way ; he thinks its gross.
i wash my hands & keep the cup away from the toilet.
maybe keeping the cup outside of the bathroom would work?
i chose to put it in the bathroom so i could see it ; i am super visual. any other room [without a toilet] would work, too ;)
Boo- last week of fitspiration Friday :( I LOVED this series and would LOVE to see it back again sometime!!
Have a great weekend!!
-Liz
I totally agree with her – riding my bike everywhere is the best way to get exercise. I don’t have to make extra time to do it, and I don’t have an excuse not to either. I mean, I have to go places, and I might as well ride my bike to get there.