New-found inspiration for my fitness regimen!

Going to the gym went better today. I went to the 'women's area,' which I thought would be weird because the connotations of a women-specific section that exist in my mind led me to think of fannatical religious people. However, the person at Gold's Gym justifiably explained that a woman who is 50 pounds overweight is more comfortable working out in front of women only, instead of feeling added pressure from men- fair. The machines were basically the same (maybe a little nicer), but I doubt I am commiting to the women's section for now- it was more of a curious experiment.

While at the gym, I really felt like I was doing something good for my body and felt more motivated (with a fantastic playlist via Pandora). I did the elliptical for an hour, treadmill for about 15 minutes, some weight training (I know it is better to do weights one day and cardio another, but I was inspired), a bit of jump rope, and stretched. In terms of food, I ate an over-sized vegetarian salad (I think the only foods that you should eat more than 1 traditional serving of are veggies, fruits, and water in order to get your full fix of nutrients for the day) for brunch with pure tea. For a snack, I ate dried dates, which I am equally as obsessed with as figs.  For dinner, I ate veggies, purple potatoes, and home-made (by me!) popcorn with canola oil- not so healthy, but I wasn't really hungry and I am not really eating meat right now (though my mind could change tomorrow). Since I woke up late today, I might eat again, but not that much. In terms of improvement for next time, I would have liked to steam the potatoes- not fry them and will make the popcorn oil free by popping it in a bag off the cob (a tradition that we carry from our local CT farmers who sell the dried cobs). Usually, I eat way more food, but I think I really need to slow down and be conscious of what I am eating. Now that I am out of class and work for a bit, I can better focus on my health and fitness, which I think I have been allowing to fall by the wayside. I did gain a bit of weight since the summer, and I am hoping to lose it by amping up my regular exercise routine, drinking more water, and making better food choices (like sticking to whole foods, cutting down on my sugar intake, eating less meat, and eating at consistent times). One of the difficulties of college is the lack of consistency in one's schedule- eating becomes a bother and never happens at the same time from one day to the next. I really want to regulate when I wake up, go to sleep, eat, and exercise. I am planning on waking up a bit earlier tomorrow (though I don't have to) and working out in the morning, like I prefer to do. I also talked to my mom about making more of my family's food and she seemed happy (though the lack of meat won't fly for my mom, dad, or brother). I will keep you updated on that. I think part of why I was inspired today is because I realized that even though I did gain a little weight, I don't have to make it a big deal- I control myself and decide how things will go and no one else does. If I want to lose weight, I have to decide to lose that weight. If I don't do anything about it or eat a ton of cookies because I feel stressed (I am totally an emotional eater), it is my own fault that I don't have rockstar abs. I was watching a re-run of MTV's "I Used to Be Fat" (yes, I am a bit addicted to reality tv) and realized that anyone can do anything and achieve anything, as long as they set their mind to do so and make changes to their lives to welcome that change. I would not have gotten into NYU, passed my Senior Moves-in-the-Field ice skating test, become a certified ice skating coach and judge, or even ran my 1st 5K in the Fall if I didn't decide that my goal was important and make steps towards achieving it. I am serious about taking control over my body and am on yet another self-improvement binge, which is a good thing.

Also, I received some lovely gifts in the mail from Pooja today! Besides her kind words in a card, she sent me Endangered Species dark chocolate (which I  shared with my dad), Alter Eco dark chocolate, and Korin knives. It was nice to receive a gift that I can use.

I wanted to also make a side comment that I love coming home to my dogs (both miniature poodles). Dog owners live longer than non-pet owners and it is probably because they get a friend to love them unconditionally and play with all of the time. My dogs are crazy and full of energy most of the time, always seeking attention, but I love them to death. Basically, having a pet is healthy! My pooches got groomed today and look extra cute!

As for tomorrow, I may skate (after a long time of not skating, which is a bad habit I have taken up) and see my coaches after not seeing them for a while. I also want to focus a lot on my abs so I have a super strong core, and I am planning on using Pooja's secrets to sexy abs!

Photo courtesy of PoojasWay.com