How I Made Working Out Work

You know those days when your body feels like a massive paperweight, the teaspoon of energy that you possess is spent on feeble attempts to reach the TV remote, your skin looks like a mountain climber's dream,  you're inexplicably and unjustifiably mean to anyone who so much as acknowledges your existence, your hair sucks, and you want nothing more than to lie in your bed nest all day long? Well, girlfriend, you are not alone. (In case there is any confusion, men are included in the "girlfriend" population.) Bitch Days are something that most of us have probably experienced at least once a week (although once a day is probably more reflective of the national average) since the age of 15, and if you haven't... goodbye. But why does it happen? Why do we get into these moods and get so sucked in that we don't come out until our Oxygen (or gummi bear) supply is nearly depleted? Besides the fact that we feel like shit, we're making everyone around us feel like shit too. While a lot of it can likely be contributed to hormones ("moodmones" is more like it), much of it can probably be prevented by making adjustments to our diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle routines.

I used to feel like crap ALL OF THE TIME. My freshman and sophomore years of college, I was a lethargic mess. My gym schedule was incredibly inconsistent, my diet consisted of eating shitty diner food whenever I could scrounge up enough energy to leave my dorm room and make the trek to the dining hall, and although I didn't drink, my weekends were spent lying in bed until goodness knows when doing goodness knows what. It's not like I was failing my classes, but I felt like I was failing myself. I hated how I felt, but it wasn't severe enough for me to make any sort of change. I was a functional bloob.

Fast forward to second semester of senior year (which wound up being semester 2/3), and everything changed. One day I went to the gym with my best friend, and we decided that we wanted to create a google spreadsheet where we could record our weekly workouts, and I kid you not, since that day I have not worked out less than 3 days in a week. That was April 2013, and here we are almost a year later. I feel more energized, I like to sleep in, but I don't feel groggy in the mornings, I make healthier decisions when it comes to eating, I've discovered that I HATE feeling full, so I don't overeat, and I have more motivation to get things done. I mean, yes, of course I still procrastinate, but I'm now active enough that I have the ability not to.

Having a friend by your side (literally or figuratively) means having someone to hold you accountable, it means wanting to do well because there is someone depending on you. It was that one teensy tiny change that made all the difference for me. 90% of the time my friend and I didn't even workout together, but that didn't matter; we were in it together. Eventually, you'll become strong enough that you don't even have to check in with your partner, much less record your workouts (although I still do), but that doesn't mean it's time to give up. This was our journey to change together, and it's now a part of my life. I wasn't working out to lose weight (but let's be clear, I was not at all opposed to shedding a pound or two), I was doing it to feel better about myself. You and your partner don't have to have the same fitness goals, you just have to support each other in reaching them. My Bitch Day count has gone down exponentially since I made working out a regular part of my life, and it feels great. Of course I still have those days (it would be a unicorn miracle if they just magically disappeared) but I feel better than ever, I have consistency in my life, and I'm making better choices every day.

Do you and your friends keep a fitness diary? How do you stay on track with your fitness goals? Share your stories; I'd love to hear them!

I want to dedicate this post to my loving, patient, amazing boyfriend, who sees me on the Bitch Days. I don't know how you do it, and I love you for it.

These Are a Few of My (Oprah's) Favorite Things || 2013 Gift Guide Part 1

If you're like me, shopping for holiday (or any-day) gifts is the most stressful part of your holiday routine. Who do I get what? Wait I got him that last year. Well it's nice so maybe...shit. It's an unpleasant experience that occurs during what should be the most wonderful time of the year. Over the last few months, I've made a conscious effort to perfect my gift choosing skills down to a science, and while I'm still in the novice stages, I must say that I have made some excellent finds. The gift guide series is my way of giving thanks to the ghosts of Christmas past and present, who have so diligently helped me hone my once closeted skills. If that made sense, please, read on. Each post will feature a few of my (Oprah's) favorite things, but if you don't find just what you're looking for... ha ha let's be real, of course you will. But if you don't, don't give up! The sites that these products come from have lots of cool gifts, and this post represents about .093% of them. Search and explore, and you're sure to find more awesome gift ideas.

For the Crafty Chic Girl

Anthropologie Gem Monogrammed Wristlet

For the Happy Couple

Furbish Studio Mr. & Mrs. Cocktail Glasses

For the Bottle Popper 

Furbish Studio Ace of Spades Bottle Opener

For the Sporty Spice

Contigo Autoseal Kangaroo Waterbottle

For the Instagrammer

Printstagram Calendar

#WordsToLiveBy

    Theme of the day: get your happy on. #wordstoliveby

I Don't Know What the F*** I'm Doing

Sometimes I feel like, in the simplest terms, I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. And I know that I'm not alone, because everywhere I turn I'm faced with other twenty-somethings who are also proclaiming "what the fuckk?!" (Try saying that again in a sing-songy voice. It's more effective.) I've come to the conclusion that this is just a confusing time. I'm graduating from college in a month, I'm applying to jobs like an insane person, so many, I might add, that when I get a call from someone telling me that they "saw that I recently submitted my resume online," I have to stop myself from saying, "Really, because I'm pretty sure I've never heard of your company in my life." I'm in the awkward "I want to move out but I don't know if I'm ready and can I really afford this right now?" phase, and to top it all off, I have this damn blog that now feels more like a hamster that I just had to have 3 weeks ago, and now can barely remember to feed in the morning. Don't get me wrong; I love it, It's just so damn needy and I don't have the energy for that right now. So what do I do? What do you do? What do you do when you don't know what the fuck you're doing? Do you meditate, cry, take a nap, watch Corgi videos? I would try to write a conclusion sentence, but keeping with the theme of this post... no.

Dear Halloween, We're Not Ready Yet

For me, Halloween represents a number of things. First off, it is my favorite holiday. Secondly, I don't know why, because every single year for the past forever, I've had the same problem. I come up with one partially thought through idea that has great growth potential, but before I can even think it through ideas 2 through 297 simultaneously enter my brain. And it's not even like they enter in an orderly fashion. They all try to squeeze through the same damn door until eventually there's just so much energy that they're forced through. But they don't simmer down once they're in; they bounce around like a bunch of hyperactive children for the next 3 months. And then it's January. And then I choose a costume. But besides the fantasy of having a sensational costume, there is so much more to love about Halloween. For example, the candy, the treats, the decorations, das haunted haus, the TV specials, the pumpkin patch, the hay rides, the parties, and seeing dogs dressed as various meats and historical figures. But if you're like me, don't let the simple fact that you suffer from an undiagnosed undocumented condition called Adrenal Gland Hyperactivity Syndrome hold you down. You may have been unable to confirm an awesome costume with your brain thus far, but that doesn't mean you can't have the best Halloween costume ever. There's still time. Don't lose hope. Pinterest is here to help. Pinterest Saves Halloween

How Much is This "Degree" of Mine Reallyy Worth?

Recently, I got to thinking, and in my thinking I came to the conclusion that it's time I make more money. It's time that my skills are worth more than less than $10 an hour. Then it hit me: I'm graduating from college in two months. And what does that mean, my friends? That means that in the blink of an eye and the step of a foot across a stage and the placing of a rolled up piece of non-drug related paper in my hands, all of my skills and opinions will suddenly be worth significantly more than they were 17 seconds before when I did not have this official declaration of knowledge attained. And that, is an empowering realization. Because I know how this works. They say you need to earn a degree to get a good job, so you get one, then they tell you that you still aren't qualified for any positions at a real person company, so you just stare at them like what the fuck? It all makes a lot of sense, really. But I can't be upset, because at the very least, in the final semester of the last year of my four year term as undergrad, I have learned that my degree is worth a minimum of $3 more per hour at my current job. I calculated this value by using a very simple formula that involves thinking of an arbitrary number, and presenting it to your boss while simultaneously asserting your position as college graduate and heavily implying that denial of a pay increase will result in your suggesting a lower number. It's all politics. And since I'm bad at both lying and negotiating, I should go very far.

Body, Mind, and a Nice Behind

This is part of a new thing I'm doing where I post things more frequently. It's called being consistent, and I hope you like it. Recently over the past decade I've been getting really into body/mind peace. Hippie shit, but with bras, and a little less granola. I used to direct most of my fitness efforts towards physical fitness, getting a nice ass and what not, but at some point after dealing with (and putting myself through) years of anxiety and stress at the hands of my schizophrenic serotonin levels, I realized that the health of my mind is just as important as the health of my ass body. And since that realization, I have come to a beautiful place. And no, bitties, that place does not involve scenic views or ocean breezes. No breakfast in bed, or thoroughbred ponies. That place involves a few billion neurons, a hippopotathalamus, and some very squishy gray stuff. That place, bitties, is my brain. And guess what? You've got one too. Which means that you, too, have a 24/7 fast past to the happiest place on earth. And no, I am not high right now.

One technique that I'm slowly and not so surely getting into is yoga, and although it can be frustrating, unpleasant, and all around painful, it can also be very calming when you know your limits. For example, I am, and always will be, a yoga beginner. I don't want to lift a full grown man using only the strength of my big toe, I just want to touch my big toe without breaking my back. So imagine my joy when I happened to find this amazing bunny [morning] yoga sequence on Pinterest! It's perfect for beginners, it's a great way to stretch and reenergize after a workout, and all the moves are diagramed by a sassy bunny guru.