MY FITNESS PROJECT: The Beginning of Something New

Most people embarked on their new fitness regimen in time with the New Year, but I am admittedly behind. This is because I hadn't planned on making any major changes to my routines; that is, until about a week ago.

I was sick for the majority of January and I hadn't been able to do a whole lot of yoga. I've also been teaching much less, so my activity level has decreased quite a bit recently. Aaannd, on top of that ridiculously clingy bug that was making me feel less than amazing, there were two full moons this past month, and with them a couple of intense menstrual periods that I thought I might not make it through. (Yes, I get dramatic in those dark times.) 

My energy was low. My mood was often shitty (and required many adjustments). I thought I was putting on weight and losing all of the muscle I had built up over the past year. Again, I was being overly dramatic and the situation wasn't quite as bad as I'd anticipated. Nonetheless, I decided to do something pretty drastic: a 90-day fitness and diet challenge that I will stay wholly committed to and share with you throughout the journey. (TERRIFYING.) 

I wanted to take on this new challenge because I realized I haven't pushed myself in a very long time. The past couple of years have been about intuitive health and wellness, and have entailed daily yoga and a reasonably balanced vegetarian diet. I've always been content with the results of this sort of lifestyle, but now, I'm eager to take on a challenge and see what body - and mind - is really capable of. 

So, let's take a look at where I'm starting, today...

{Before I continue, I want to quickly add that I'm happier with my body right now than I ever have been, because I know this is the healthiest I've ever been, and I have finally come to a place where I can truly love my body, exactly as it is.}

(Above photo included to track booty gains!)

I stopped weighing myself regularly a couple of years ago, and I believe the last time I weighed myself was September 2017, at which time I was 111 lbs. My weight really hasn't changed since then, although I feel like I have less visible muscle definition now. I don't have any goals, in terms of weight or inches - I'm only keeping track of these details to satisfy my scientific curiosity! 

My goals for this challenge are to: 

CLEAN UP MY DIET: I've been vegetarian for 10 years, and I was vegan for the first five. I eat a relatively balanced diet, but I don't eat enough, and I know I should be including more protein. Most importantly, I want to eliminate processed sugar from my diet permanently, and I want to stop consuming wine, just for these 90 days. (I drink, on average, one bottle of wine weekly, and I'm not really interested in changing that in the long run!) I think my biggest dietary challenge will be to eat enough of the things I should be eating (ie: timed nutrition) on a regular basis. (Although I haven't always been this way, I'm one of those people who eats to live rather than lives to eat.)

STAY COMMITTED: I've always struggled with consistency, so I'm doing this to strengthen my resolve and determination just as much as my arms and glutes. I've never done a diet and fitness challenge like this, so I'm really curious about how it's all going to go for me. I've chosen to go pubic with this on social media so that I have you guys to keep me accountable! I'm not going to give up on myself, and I promise to authentically share my challenges and triumphs with this experience along the way. 

EMBRACE CHANGE AND POSSIBILITIES: As I mentioned earlier in this blog post, I haven't really pushed myself - physically, mentally, or emotionally - for the past few years, as I've been more focused on nurturing a balanced, healing practice that is sustainable over a lifetime. However, I'm totally ready to take on something new and I'm embracing all of the changes this experiment might bring. 

I'll be positing periodic updates on the blog, but mainly I'll share my experiences through Instagram, so please follow me there (@saraspondayoga) if you're interested in keeping up with my fitness and nutrition journey. 

I'm nervous. And excited. And HUNGRY...

...And so it begins.