Chris and I have been talking about making a trip to St. Croix for a while now. To be honest, I’ve been wanting to go, but one thing that’s been lingering in the back of my mind is how I’m not happy with my “beach body”, or lack there of. Since he surprised me with a booked trip on my birthday, I have no excuse to push the trip back. Instead, it’s crunch time to do as much as I can to help me feel the most confident when it comes time to step foot on the island. After all, I’m better when working under pressure, so the timing turned out to be a good thing! Along with exercise, here are a few changes I’m making while the countdown is officially on for our St. Croix trip, which is only 16 days away. That’s a little over two weeks to do my best to make a difference. Will I lose 10 pounds? No. But will I feel better about myself? You better believe it.
Drink Mostly Water
I’m pretty good and getting my water intake for the day, but come dinner time I do like to sneak in a rootbeer every now and then. Nothing good comes out of soda intake, so for the next two+ weeks, I’m going to completely do without it.
Get 10,000 Steps a Day
I have a FitBit Charge HR (highly recommend, by the way) so now it’s time to get competitive with it. Chris and my mom both have one too, so I’m going to start our first step challenge. This will motivate me to keep moving throughout the day. Maybe I’ll even take a few trips up and down our stairs just for the extra activity.
Throw Away the Junk
It’s time the pantry gets a good purge. All the extra snack foods lingering around the house have got to go. I’m the type of person that doesn’t want something until I see it, so having unnecessary snacks around the house is just binge eating waiting to happen. Instead, I’ll replace it with healthy snacks.
Only Eat Clean
Hahahaha. Confession: I’ve never gone a whole week without cheating. Terrible I know, but I’m just being real. Usually by the third day in, I’m craving something I shouldn’t and let myself have a little taste. Since I know my tricks and habits by now, I’m going to at least try to be better. This means lean grilled meats and fish for dinner every week night with no cheat take out meals for two weeks. Weekends don’t count (shhh).
Don’t Skip Breakfast
I used to always be a breakfast person, but lately I’ve been skipping breakfast. The bad thing about this is not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day, but I’m starving by lunch time, which leads to me wanting to eat more. When I have a small breakfast, I’m a tame person come lunch time and a buffet of food doesn’t sound nearly as appetizing. I’ve been skipping breakfast because I haven’t made time for it. Options like Plenti Greek Yogurt are my favorite because they offer a quick and filling breakfast. Plenti Yogurt is perfect for on the go or when you’re in a rush. It’s blended with whole grain oats, flax, and pumpkin seeds that leave you feeling full of goodness. I’ll be making it a point to have breakfast everyday again.
Plenti is available exclusively at Kroger and affiliated stores and comes in a variety of flavors which make it easy to decide depending on your mood. Check out this list of flavors to see which ones you’d like to try.
What changes do you make when you have a beach trip coming up?
Julia says
Ooo that sounds like an awesome trip! I'm supposed to put on a bathing suit in a week for the 4th (yikes!) and I so don't feel ready for it! These are some great ideas though!
Christine says
Drinking water is SO important. It makes such a huge difference in so many things.
Morgan Smith says
HIIT is what I suggest…plus the clean eating. And as far as breakfast foods, watch the sugar intake on those yogurts…best to do lowfat cottage cheese and fresh fruit. Good luck!
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Kate at Green Fashionista says
Super jealous of your St. Croix trip, that's going to be AMAZING! And drinking mostly water is a huge thing, and super good for you. Other than my morning cup of coffee/tea and my adult bevvies on the weekend I drink only water 😀
Meg Taylor says
Oh my gosh, what an awesome birthday present!! These are awesome tips, and I definitely want to try that yogurt, especially the peach!
Brittany@TheLadyLawyer says
What an exciting reason to get in shape!
BLovedBoston says
That is a fantastic birthday present and i have no doubt with those changes you'll be able to make it happen!! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
Alyson Cruse says
That's such a great birthday present! Even though I'm not going on an amazing vacation I'll be trying these tips at home.
XO Alyson | mylifeasalyson.blogspot.com
Sarah E. says
It's so hard not to skip breakfast but those yogurt cups are such an easy thing to grab and go. No dirtying a bunch of dishes or having to wait. Instant gratification, right?! St Croix sounds fun! Hope you all have a great time 🙂