5 Things Erin Has Learned Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Push yourself. You might be surprised at what you can do! Credit: lululemon athletica

As part of our second-annual Back to Basics Week, each FBG is sharing five things living a healthy lifestyle has taught her. Read on for our serious—and fun—life lessons!

Like Jenn and Tish have done already, today I’m sharing the five things living a healthy lifestyle has taught me. Let the life lessons begin…

5 Things Living a Healthy Lifestyle Has Taught Me

1. Trying new things is fun and isn’t as scary as you may think. I’m totally a creature of habit. I find what I love in food and fitness, and I stick with it. But whether it’s cooking something new or trying a fitness class you’re slightly nervous about, it’s always rewarding to try something new. Besides, if I’d never been brave enough to try Zumba or make kale chips, how would I know their awesomeness? Sure, sometimes you may burn a dish or get totally lost in a new class, but in the grand scheme, who cares?

2. Challenge yourself. You may surprise yourself. I took a few personal training sessions upon joining my new gym, and the trainer wouldn’t let me do modified push-ups. I hadn’t thought myself strong enough to do the Real Thing in years, so I was shocked when I did five regular push-ups. And quickly worked my way up to 10. Goes to show: Aim high. At least then you’ll push yourself harder.

3. A break isn’t the end of the world. Even being a Fit Bottomed founder, I’ve fallen off the workout wagon a time or two. Sometimes life really does get in the way of workouts. Whether it’s having a baby or having an injury, being sidelined may suck, but if you’re consistent the rest of the time, minor setbacks won’t derail your healthy lifestyle.

4. Deprivation has no place. You don’t have to be an angel when it comes to health and fitness. Do I miss workouts? Yep. Do I indulge? Yep. But as long as I’m eating well most of the time and staying active chasing my kiddos around, there is no reason to beat myself up for enjoying a treat or not being able to make it to the gym.

5. The journey isn’t over once you hit a magic number. It’s easy to fall victim to the number on the scale, especially when you have a goal weight. But while that number is a gauge, it’s not like you’re done once you get there. I’m only a few pounds away from my goal weight, but much farther away from the fitness level I’d like to achieve. It’s more fun to focus on improving my fitness level anyway.

What lessons have you learned from living healthy? —Erin