Admittedly I have written, edited, and rewritten this post a few times. The original title was “A Little Monday Encouragement”. The second title was “A Little Mid-Week Encouragement’.. and here we are and it’s already Friday. But who’s complaining? And who isn’t dreaming of some hilarious Superbowl commercials and tasty snacks? 

At the beginning of this week I took some time to think about why I started a blog. While STHB gives me that creative outlet that I often crave but don’t get to explore working in finance and an easy place to share the many recipes and projects I take on during the week, I also want to use this to provide motivation to those looking to change the way they fuel their bodies (and mind!) and achieve their health related goals. I do struggle to fit Sweet T and a Honey B in the ‘health’ or ‘fitness’ category because I’m not going to share a new leg day workout every week or tell you that you should only ever be eating chicken and vegetables. STHB was born so that I could share my experiences, and ultimately ideas and tips, to leading a healthy life that’s good for your mind, body, AND soul. I am not even close to being an expert on any topic I write (or ramble) about but my qualification comes from my passion of helping others find confidence in themselves. I truly believe I am one of the most blessed people on this earth- I have the world’s most loving and hilarious family and friends, a nothing-but-supportive (and extremely handsome) husband, a good education and career, and a roof over my head. Though, I am still human and have faced a few trying times throughout my life coupled with some low self-esteem. This is why sometimes my posts might not come in the form of a recipe, workout, or my latest crafting endeavor, but rather in the form of lessons I’ve learned or the thoughts going through my head during that given day or week. 

It’s probably about time that I get to where this is really coming from. The past couple of weeks at work have been very busy and required some later nights than usual. I just came up on a year at my company and occasionally feel like I’m still learning the ropes. A few mistakes made last week at the office, combined with being exhausted, admittedly led to some angry tears on the drive home and frustration with myself. I also didn’t have as much time to hit the gym- which is always my go-to stress relief. I’m sure many of you can relate that it was ‘just one of those weeks’. When the weight of the week is on your shoulders, it’s easy to lose motivation when it comes to taking care of yourself. These are often the weeks I don’t find the time to make dinner, but stop at Chipotle instead. Or, sleeping in so much that I end up running late and skipping breakfast altogether. I was not only feeling in over my head but was anticipating a disappointing number on the scale. Longer hours at work=longer hours sitting (even though I DO have my new exercise ball chair 😉 )While I am a huge proponent of not using the number on the scale to define how hard I’ve been working, I have been actively working again to lose some extra weight I’ve gained within the last year or so and getting back to feeling like the strongest version of myself.

Despite my lack of time for anything much outside of work or teaching dance the last couple of weeks, I found myself determined to keep a different mindset than I have in the past. First, I was determined to keep on track with my WW Points and not give in to the easy temptation of pitching in for the pizza our team was ordering during a late night or making that Chipotle stop. I planned ahead, packed my snacks, and made sure to drink plenty of water. Secondly, while working out is extremely important-so is rest. I didn’t get discouraged when I could only sneak in 25 minutes of the elliptical or needed that rest day altogether. And lastly, but most importantly, my husband has been my biggest motivator and cheerleader. He’s been diligent about planning and packing his lunches/snacks, getting to bed early, and finding a good balance between going to the gym and listening to his body when he’s tired. Surrounding yourself with people who continually motivate you to be the best person you can be is the number one factor when achieving your own goals. 

By fueling myself with the proper nutrition to keep myself energized and focused, listening to my mind and my body when it’s time to slow down, and staying motivated with the help of my incredible husband and best friends (I wrote about our 100 Day Health Challenge here), I’ve been feeling really good throughout these last few weeks. As it turns out, I have lost over 5lbs since the New Year. I’m feeling strong, ready to accomplish my fitness goals this year, and excited to motivate others through STHB 🙂