Awesome Yoga mat for an Home Workout

Summer is quickly approaching, and if you are anything like me, you want to be Bikini Glow Up ready! That and more are reasons why we want to get into shape now!

Crop tops, distressed shorts, swimsuits, oh my! It is about that time… we’re just a few days shy away from May and then BAM, it’s summer! And just like you get I get a little insecure when it comes time to shed those extra layers and show what I have been working with, or have not been working on… No worries, it is relatively safe to lose 1 to 2 pounds of body fat a week and get to work on tighten and tone to feel the confidence to strut your stuff if we decide to make some changes today.

In a previous life, I was far more active, you could catch me in the gym just about everyday; fast-forward to life as Mom and Boss, well, that old life seems like a distant memory. And quite frankly, the gym is not for every one; and my lifestyle just does not have the time for it. SO I am making time without a gym, and those pesky membership fees to get Summer Goddess Glow Up Ready! In the last few weeks, I have set up a healthy routine in the comforts of my own home and office to render the results I desire. A combination of nutrition and fitness has rendered me some noticeable results and I have found myself to feel more confidant in my mind and body. Here are some easy ways to get started on the beautiful journey of transformation from a Saggy Peggy to a Glow Flo!

Stop Comparing

First thing first, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, compare your beginning to anyone else. Not even ME! You are on your own journey full of triumphs of its own. If you are too busy scrolling through Instagram and Facebook looking at other’s profiles and pictures, you will miss out on that time to invest in your wellbeing. And watching other people live their best life is NO FUN. So start today by logging off and away from anything that may make you question yourself and your beginnings. Everyone works at there own pace. I can admit, I had a slight, okay may big problem at looking at the super fit chick in the gym, or scrolling through the flexible yogi profile desiring that I was like them. While yes, I can get there, I can not and you can not afford to drool over someone else when we have ourselves to look at in the mirror.

As long as you are taking action into improving your lifestyle and wellbeing by making healthier choices and incorporating some type of physical activity; trust and believe, you will get to what ever desire or goal that you have planned for yourself. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself, and remember to pace it, there is no rush. Your goal should not only be about looking good, it’s about feeling good too!

Eat Clean

Now, I am a HUGE foodie. I love food. Oh, did I mention I love food? I refute and rebuke the term “diet”; honestly, I feel as if I want to “die” when I utter the word from my perfectly pouty lips. However, I completely understand that half the battle is actually what we put in our mouths versus how much energy we exert in physical activity. It truly starts in the kitchen, or the menu option from your favorite restaurant; the point is making conscious choices to what we intake by minimizing or straight up eliminating certain foods from our body. The objective her goddess is self-control! I started eating a plant-based lifestyle about two years ago; that decision has rendered me some amazing results, such as I noticed my gut disappear. Meat is quite heavy and lingers in the body for about 3-5 days before digesting, so think of all the meat that is just sitting and rotting away in the stomach and intestines…eww! I consume less sugary and junk foods, all to my benefit, no more sugar-craving headaches these days. Also getting more greens is essential! I start my morning everyday with Supa Mega Greens in a smoothie form to ensure that I have my energy levels boosted and receive the vital nutrients and vitamins my body needs. Lastly, NEVER skip out on breakfast, Eating a balanced meal kick starts your metabolism and boosts your brain activity.

At Home Work Outs

I no longer have the time or patience to go to the gym, so I designed my time to workout at home or in my office. It’s best to dedicate at least an half an hour of your time each day for a short workout session. The beauty of working out at home, you can literally do it at any time- soon as you get out of bed, before you do your makeup, or while making breakfast- it’s your time, make the best of it.

My home workout consist of a yoga mat, resistance bands, and handheld weights, oh and YouTube! It’s literally the best resource to use, my favorite subscription channels are Koboko Fitness and SuperHeroFitnessTv . Both women have amazing videos for toning, tightening, and cardio that will definitely make you feel the burn. Did I mention all of this can be done in the comfort of your own home, can’t get no better than that!

xo,

Tahiry D

Self-Care, we are all talking about it…

The secret to being empowered is learning NOT to beat yourself up.

So what exactly is Self-Care? It seems to be one of those Millennial buzzwords that gets everyone talking, but no one quite seems to explain what it is or how it can be accomplished. The term itself is actually pretty broad and practically encompasses anything good that you do for yourself. In my definition, it is the act of being kind to yourself and practicing healthy coping mechanisms that allow you to step back, break away, and replenish yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically, respectfully.

Self-care involves the integration of self-compassion. This is exemplified when we show compassion for ourselves and encourages our self to acknowledge our flaws and limitations, by allowing you to look at our self from a more objective and realistic point of view. It’s all too easy to be extremely tough on ourselves; we need – at points – to get better at self-compassion. Here is an amazing video for The School of Life about Self-Compassion:

For much of my early life to mid-twenties I strived to work harder and aim to be the best. While there is nothing wrong with desiring to be the best; most of what I was considering to be my goals was the fuel to my happiness and sense of self. I suffered trying to strive to be infallible and retain positions at the top, and when I “failed” at the goal I would be accompanied with anxiety and later depression. Yet, I continued to sweat, struggle, and strive to accomplish, yet never was able to enjoy it or feel satisfied. There always seemed to be something wrong or “I could have done better”. After hitting what felt like rock bottom in my career and health, I quickly came to terms that is impossible to be better than everyone at all times. I was completely miserable trying to out-do, out-shine, and was highly self-critical, adding more to my misery. When faced with criticism I became defensive and felt crushed; any mistake or failure made me insecure and anxious. After observing my self-esteem, I began looking for an alternative, in a way this was like my awakening to finding myself. I went on a journey to seek my needs and the who, what, and why of myself. I had quit my job, actually left my career, and began the search for me. As glorious as this may sound, it was a very trying and uphill battle-but I stuck to the process. I came across several books and articles about self-compassion and through the healing arts of mysticism and incorporating different paths of spirituality I found within the value of me. I stopped judging myself negatively and adopted a more balanced approach that did not leave me feeling powerless and distraught. Self-compassion is learning to be your own best friend and even a mother to yourself. It taught me the true meaning of empowerment, patience, learning, and inner strength.

Awesome Yoga mat for an Home Workout

How to Glow Up for Summer 2018

Photo Credit