Define your version of what healthy is for you. For me, it’s doing my best to not overeat, and trying to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity 4-5 days per week. These aren’t strict and I give myself a break if I don’t meet these expectations all the time. My physical activity is walking/running on the beach. I chose the beach because it helps clear my head, and I feel better being outside and hearing the waves. I’m fortunate that I’m close to the beach and can do this in the mornings before I start my workday. Here are some things that I do to stay motivated:

1. Take time to get used to a routine. I wake up at 6am, walk my dog, then get ready for my run. I try to get to the beach by 7am and run for about 30-45 minutes. Added bonus: my dog is now used to waking up early that I have no excuse to stay in bed
2. Find an activity that you know you’ll enjoy. Hate running? Don’t do it! Tried out yoga and liked it? Sign up for a class, or follow videos online. Curious what else is out there? Check out groupon for special deals on fitness studios. Or signup for classpass to try out a variety of workouts.
3. Don’t let finances stop you. Walking is free! You only need a great pair of walking shoes, and those are worth the investment to get you going.
4. Don’t let what others do intimidate you. There are always going to be people who run faster, lift more weights, look fabulous in their crop top and shorts. But you know what? Those people could be looking at you and thinking, how do I get to where she is?
5. On a similar note, look at others for motivation. When I first started running, I saw a woman wearing a matching sports bra and biker shorts set. She walked with so much confidence that I thought to myself, I wanna have that kind of confidence.

As far as my diet goes, well, I’ll start with a disclaimer. I’m lucky to have inherited the genetics that I have. Having said that, I struggle with losing weight and keeping it off. The times I’m successful, it’s because I’ve reduced my calorie intake. It feels great, but I don’t like depriving myself of what I want to eat. I try my best to do it in moderation. Want chocolate? I’ll eat one piece vs the entire candy bar. Ice cream? Yes, but I won’t eat the whole pint. I’ve found that when I deprive myself of what I enjoy, I end up self-sabotaging and gorge on everything I’ve been excluding. 

The main thing is to don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m not here to provide you with a weekly fitness and food plan. Cut yourself some slack and enjoy life! If you had to skip a workout day, forgive yourself and get back on track the next day. If you eat the entire pint of ice cream. Cool! It must have been really good ice cream, and I wouldn’t blame you for savoring it.