Happy January, friends! I cannot believe we are already halfway through the month! If you read my blog post on the goals I set for myself this year, then you know that I don’t necessarily love making goals at the new year. I fall into the same pattern every year that goes something like this: I get super passionate about my goals January-February, but once Marach starts to roll around, I lose myself a bit, and before ya know it, that goal is long gone.
Health and fitness goals are important for everyone, no matter who you are! They help us form healthy habits, live healthier lifestyles, and take accountability for our health and overall wellbeing. However, setting big (and unattainable) health and fitness goals is something that I am guilty of doing in the past, so this year I really thought about my lifestyle and habits to create health goals that I know I will be able to stick to.
1 Move my body at least three times a week.
I worded this as “move my body” rather than “exercise” because personally, when I think of exercise, I think of a hardcore workout. And when I think of completing a hardcore workout, I’m not always motivated to do this, especially after a long day of teaching middle schoolers! However, going on a long walk (still a form of moving my body!) after school sounds like something I’d be a lot more likely to do after a long, tiring day. Moving my body can be anything from a long walk, run, workout video or pilates class, so I like that this goal gives me options and doesn’t limit me to just “hardcore workouts” that I would be less likely to do.
2. Try at least 3 new workout classes.
Okay, this one might have to wait a few more months until this pandemic dies down (surely it will, right…?). I want to try new workout classes that I normally wouldn’t try in hopes of opening my eyes to activities that I like! I absolutely love Pure Barre, pilates, and cardio dance classes; however, I do not care for cycling, and have never tried boxing. My goal is to try another cycling class (I haven’t been to one since college, and I hated it, so naturally I haven’t been to a class since), as well as a boxing class! I want to find one more class to try, do y’all have any recommendations of ones you love?!
*When quarantine first started, I signed up for Obe Fitness, and have been using it ever since. If you are in search for a virtual fitness class community, I 10/10 recommend Obe! The instructors are incredible and the classes are so fun. They have a variety of options to choose from, from barre to pilates to boxing to yoga! You can even use code SAVANNA30 for 30% off your first month! Click here to check it out!
3. Keep healthier snacks in the house.
Again, a goal that I am super passionate about in the early months of the year, then it just slowly goes downhill and I continue to buy chips, cookies, and ice cream. This is a goal that I truly want to stick to this year because I know it will be beneficial towards my health in the long run. How I plan to do this is only buy healthy snacks that I know I’ll eat; bananas, tangerines, strawberries, almonds, cucumbers, carrots and hummus. The minute I force myself to snack on celery is when I start to lose it!
4. Drink more water.
Okay, I feel like this goal should be on everyone’s list for 2021 resolutions. Does anyone out there actually drink enough water? I drink almost a full Yeti (24 oz.) before school starts every day, but once the bell rings and the day begins, I’m lucky if I take another sip before lunch! I’m really going to try to make a conscious effort to drink more water throughout the day. We all know that we need water to survive, and water is pertinent to our health for so many reasons, but I also think staying hydrated throughout the day will help keep my energy levels up as well.
If you are anything like me and know that three months from now your health goals for the new year will be long gone, I highly suggest sitting down and really thinking about what are realistic goals that you can fit into your lifestyle. Making drastic changes aren’t easy, and I think this is why so many people give up on their health goals: because they are drastic and big changes to one’s lifestyle. It’s great to have high aspirations and goals for yourself, but start small! Once you conquer these small health victories, you’ll be much more likely to conquer those larger goals as the year goes on!
Everyone knows that new activewear gives us the motivation we need to actually workout! As much as I love Lululemon and truly believe their quality is unlike any other, I also am very aware of just how pricey their items are. To be honest, a lot of the Lululemon items I have, I have purchased gently used off of Poshmark! I made it my mission to find some good dupes for some of my Lululemon favorites, and I think I hit the nail on the head with these three! Full transparency: I ordered a lot more items off of Amazon in hopes of finding a great dupe, but sadly, they couldn’t even hold a candle. The three that I am sharing, though, really are amazing alternatives for the pricier Lululemon items! You can click on each photo to shop the items!
The Define jacket from Lululemon is one of their best sellers, for good reason. However, $118 is a little steep for an athletic jacket. The Amazon dupe that I found is actually much softer than the Lululemon option, however, is definitely a looser fit. I wear a size 4 in Lululemon, and ordered an XS in the Amazon dupe. It comes in a lot of pretty colors and is very soft and lightweight! Overall, I really like this jacket and might even order it in a few more colors!
Another favorite: the Swiftly Tech tank. After Christmas, Lululemon had a huge sale which included this tank, so I ordered it in a few colors since it was over half off! The Amazon dupe that I found is really good quality; however, is definitely small. I ordered an XS in the Amazon tank and I would definitely recommend sizing up one. In terms of material, I really don’t notice a difference between these two. I think I hit the jackpot with this dupe!
Sports bras can be tricky because depending on your size and activity level, your needs from a sports bra will vary. I love the fun backs on both of these! The Amazon dupe comes in lots of colors and fit me really well. It felt very comfortable and easy to move while wearing it. However, I am unsure of the quality and how it will hold up after a few washes. The Lululemon option fits like a glove and is very comfortable, and will definitely hold up (to be honest, if you take care of it, it will probably last you years). I think for the price, the Amazon dupe is an amazing option!