Hi there!

"This year is going to be dedicated to challenging workouts, toning muscle and finally getting some abs". I said before chomping on a donut. Yes, it's that time of year where people's new years resolutions get flung out of the window. Dry January, who? I'm sat writing this in my work out clothes and procrastinating from actually working out. So therefore, it seems about right that I should write a post about motivation. So, here are some tips to stay motivated to work out and eat (mostly) healthy!

The first thing that keeps to motivated to get on the grind... is looking the part. I find that gym clothes with funky designs and prints make me look and feel confident. People think that you need to spend a ton on work out clothes. As much as I would love to spend £40 on some (very nice) burgundy leggings, I simply cannot afford it. I bought the purple sports bra from Asda for £5 and the Nike Pro shorts from Sports Direct for £16.99! Who needs Gymshark when you have January sales?!

Exercise can get really boring really quickly, so it's important to find exciting ways to work out. I enjoy HIIT workouts and they do make me sweat. However, I just felt like they weren't pushing me to my limit. I stumbled across a Les Mills GRIT work out last week, and I regretted it immediately. Without being too TMI, I have not sweat so much in my life doing this work out! When I finished, I felt strong and athletic. I want to challenge myself to complete this workout without having additional breaks. Setting small goals and challenges which you can reach, can boost your motivation to work out! Try a GRIT work out, you won't regret it (I mean, you probably will)!

I hate the saying "it's eighty percent diet", mostly because I want to eat cake all of the time. But, it's probably true! I am not a dietician but from my own experience, I know that I perform better during my workouts when I eat healthy foods. Incorporating healthy fats, protein and complex carbohydrates into your lifestyle is going to fuel your workouts, and help to build muscle. To keep track of what I'm eating, I like to use the myfitnesspal app. I don't track religiously, but I do like to keep an eye on what I'm eating. You can also input your weight loss which is a great way to keep motivated. It's also useful to make you aware of portion sizes and what you're actually putting into your body!

It's not rocket science, so I won't talk too much about this. We all know that drinking water is good for you, and the recommended daily intake is over two litres. As I am active, I like to drink between three and four litres a day. I have suffered with both dry skin and acne, and I find that drinking this amount of water can clear my skin in days. If that is not enough motivation, you can find water bottles online that help you to keep track of the amount of water you're drinking. The one picture above is from amazon!

Most significantly, cut yourself some slack and balance your dietary intake. If you do not allow yourself certain food groups, you will crave them even more and end up feeling guilty when you succumb to the cravings. I set myself cheat days throughout the month where I eat whatever I want on that day. It's something that won't work for everyone, but for me it does. A few days each month I eat what I truly want, I don't feel guilty about it. It also works as a great motivation tool during my work outs!

Thank you so much if you read this post! I will be posting every week (unlike last year!) and I am very excited for my future posts!