If you’re reading this it’s too late. Just kidding lol. Swimsuit Season is right around the corner and although it’s said that Summer bodies are made in the Winter, it’s never too late to start working on them body goals. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my body, but I can use a little fine tuning. Since I started my Pescatarian Lifestyle 8 months ago, I’ve managed to maintain my weight and even slimmed out a bit, but I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t worked out in over a year. No gym, no at home workouts, no running. Nothing. This is totally unacceptable. No matter your size, shape, genetic makeup etc., you need to exercise daily for optimal health. I do get a little exercise in the form of walking and steps with my daily commute and activities, but this is not enough. I’m naturally slim thick (who made up this term? lol), but I also have Thyroid issues that can lead to excessive weight gain that’s hard to control. Here is what I’m doing/planning to do to prepare for swimsuit season, and to keep my body in shape, period.
Clean Eating
I don’t do the diet thing as I never really stick to it. I prefer to make more permanent lifestyle choices that I know I can commit to it, like giving up meat. I noticed that I’m able to maintain my weight better when I don’t eat red meat, so I gave it up about 10 years ago and never looked back. Giving up poultry was easy for me and I don’t miss it all, but I know that I love seafood too much to give up so I won’t even try. I’ve been eating my seafood and pairing it with healthier grains like quinoa and black rice. I’ve been eating a little too much pasta lately so I’ve been opting for zucchini noodles as a substitute where I can. I’ve also been eating more fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. I’ve been cutting down on the processed food and only picking items with a short ingredients list that I can understand. I’m having a hard time giving up my favorites-kettle cooked chips and ice cream, but I’ve been trying to enjoy in moderation.
Drink More Water
I never drink enough water. I can go an entire day and not realize that I didn’t drink any until I get that nagging dehydration headache. Mind you, the only beverages that I drink on the regular are water, sparkling water, coconut water, tea and sometimes coffee. Oh and wine. I drink soda and juice on occasion, aside from the 100% cranberry juice that I sometimes add to my water for urinary tract health. I suffered from a UTI last year because of my lack of water intake so I should know better, but I’m doing better. I’ve been keeping my 750ml water bottle on my desk and trying to fill it up at least 3 times a day. I’ve also been trying to drink at least two glasses of water with dinner, and one when I wake up in the morning. I probably need much more than this, but it’s a start.
At Home Workouts
I don’t even bother trying to commit to the gym anymore. I’ll go for a few weeks and then fall off. What I can commit to is at home workouts. I used to do Wii Fit and it worked for me. So my plan is to get back on my Wii Fit routines and find some good YouTube channels that I can use my Roku to watch on screen and workout. I’m not looking to lose any weight. I just want to do cardio and tone up- strengthen my core, tighten my booty and thighs, and maybe lose a few inches off my waist. I believe that I can do this at home if I find some good routines and stick with it.
Run
At one point I was running on the regular, twice during the week and once on the weekend, and then I just stopped. A year later I started again but it only lasted a few weeks. I’m going to start running again as I actually like to run. It makes me feel so energized and I’m able to clear my mind a bit. I do need to learn how to breathe better and how to pace myself, so these are some things that I plan to work on.
Yoga
I’ve always wanted to try Yoga. My doctor highly suggested it to help with my Thyroid symptoms so now’s the perfect time. I would like to try yoga to help me with strength, flexibility and balance, not only of the body but of the mind. My stress levels are really high and I suffer from insomnia. I also believe that I may suffer from anxiety as well. I’m hoping that Yoga will help with some of these things.
TARGET XHILARATION SWIMSUIT TOP & BOTTOM
You may have noticed that I haven’t started some of these things yet and mention that I plan to. I have a bad habit of procrastinating so I have to stay on top of myself, but I’ve taken the first step by setting goals. Now I need to follow through and set start dates. I’ll start my at home workouts this weekend, and hopefully I’ll be able to start running since it’s been pretty nice out. The plan is to start Yoga with the official start of Spring.
What are you doing to prepare for swimsuit season and to achieve your body goals? I’d love additional suggestions!
8 Responses
You are such a beautiful girl! From an older perspective, I would start with a 30-day sugar detox program, that will get rid of all your thyroid problems, there’s plenty online with some really good food, but I bought a program for $99 and they sent me recipes to cook. If you could add roller-skating it is really the best outdoor cardio and slims you down really quickly! Oh and join Workout 2.0 on FB, those gals are really motivational!
Thank you so much and thanks for the suggestions!
I I have hashimoto’s and Erica please thank the heavens it hasn’t affected your weight like it has mine! I think mines is more autoimmune and I have to need to stop eating grains (gluten). The insomnia is is bad symptom! If you don’t mind m asking do you take meds for your? I haven’t met many black women with it! This disease has also claimed my tresses.
Hi Dee Dee. So yes the Hashimotos is an autoimmune disorder. That’s how I found out about mine as my thyroid is enlarged due to my body attacking it, and I tested positive for abnormal antibodies. My hormone levels are still normal so I don’t take meds at this time, but I have to get my blood work done every 3 months to make sure things are still normal. The insomnia is the worse, I feel like I’m going mad at times smh. I believe that a lot of ppl with Hashimoto’s also have gluten sensitivity. I haven’t cut it out completely but I limit my intake as much as possible. I’m assuming I’m not having weight issues because my thyroid is still functioning, but if/when it stops I will most likely have hypothyroidism according to my doc. I had issues with my hair when it was relaxed, but since I’ve gone natural it’s been flourishing. More ppl probably have the disease but don’t know since its not checked properly. My old Doctor thought I had thyroid issues almost 10 years ago, but since my levels we’re normal, she left it alone. I hope all of this helps!
Hey, I have been exercising with fitness blender and superhero fitness, Xht just to name a few on YouTube.
Thanks for the suggestions!
I also have thyroid issues. I transitioned to natural because of it. So you haven’t gained weight or lost hair because of it?
No, probably because my thyroid is currently still functioning. My weight has been pretty stable, but I did switch to a Pescatarian diet. I haven’t been having any issues with my hair.