Fresh Start To Working Out

Working out is very important to me. I love the stress relief it provides and I love being in great shape. I am very competitive so I love playing sports. I do not work out to be thin, I work out to be healthy and in good shape. I want muscle tone and strength over being skinny. There is a big difference between being lean and toned and just being skinny.

However, school and life often get in the way of being able to work out regularly. I know it is important to make a better effort to find time every day but I get tired after a long day at school. I have been trying to have a more positive outlook on life and focus on myself. Life is not meant to be constant work and struggle, we are supposed to be happy! So in order to keep with this spirit, I have decided to start fresh and give it one hundred percent.

Here are a few tips for finding the motivation to work out..

1. Work out in the morning

When you work out first thing in the day, you beat the end of the day exhaustion. Working out in the morning is also revitalizing and leaves you feeling accomplished the rest of the day. There are many other benefits to working out in the morning, maybe I'll create another blog post on that!

2. Find your activity

To get your work outs in, find an activity that you love to do and look forward to doing. Hiking, surfing, dance classes, or adult sports leagues are all fun ways to work out.

3. Bring a friend

Working out with a friend is very motivational because you will be less likely to bail on your work out if you have someone waiting on you. It helps if you have common goals or interests in activities, but even if you don't you can always just take a long walk and spend time gossiping.

4. Pencil it in

When you write it down in your schedule or plan the time to go to the gym, you will be more likely to follow through. It serves as a reminder and as a motivation to get it done.

5. Set goals

Have short term goals leading to a long term goal to help keep your interest. It will keep you motivated when you are successfully reaching the goals you set for yourself. For example, instead of having one long term weight loss goal, focus on working out a certain number of times per week. Reward yourself when you reach each of your short term goals, or just after each work out to condition your body to look forward to working out!

6. Don't give up

Sometimes life will get in the way so don't get discouraged or feel like you have failed yourself if you miss a work out. Just make sure you get back on track the next day and keep going!

 Remember to take your progress slow as you get back into working out so you don't injure yourself! That was my problem last time, I kept increasing my running distance too quickly and got hurt and could not work out for a month. So join me on my fitness journey and share some of the ways you motivate yourself to work out!

Healthy Skin

We all have that friend who has absolutely flawless skin. The one who is naturally gorgeous and has perfect skin without having to work for it. This can be very upsetting and discouraging to the rest of us who work hard and struggle to have beautiful, healthy skin. I wanted to share a few tips I've found to be extremely helpful in keeping my skin looking it's best!

1. Do not wear make up!

Make up is bad for your skin plain and simple. It clogs your pores causing more undesirable blemishes.  If you must wear makeup, try to do it only when necessary and take it off as soon as you get home. Clean your face thoroughly to be certain you get rid of all the makeup! DO NOT wear makeup while you work out!

2. Visit a dermatologist

Instead of spending a lot of time at stores looking at different face washes and cleansing products and testing them out, make an appointment with a dermatologist. They will be better able to recommend products for your skin type that will work better than stuff from your local grocery store. You may even get a prescription face wash or lotion to help. It is also important to check your skin regularly for questionable moles. (I will upload a post about the products I use on my skin later)

Also, your friend who may not be working very hard for their beautiful skin may have visited a dermatologist and gotten expert advice and great quality products. Do not feel discouraged in visiting a doctor for help!

3. Drink plenty of water
 

Water has a variety of benefits for your body, including helping you have beautiful skin! It hydrates your skin increasing elasticity and giving you a healthy, youthful glow. 

4. Wear sunscreen

The sun and the vitamin D in sun are healthy for you, but not too much! I must admit that I am guilty of not always following this one. I hate the smell and feel of sunscreen so it took me a long time to find one I was willing to wear on my face, my dermatologist recommended it. Wearing sunscreen helps to prevent moles, sunspots, and wrinkles! 

5. Stick to a routine

Wash your face regularly, even when you are tired or lazy. Most people tell you that washing your face once a day is best. They suggest washing your face at night to wash off the dirt and grime of the day. While this is good, I find it equally as important to wash your face first thing in the morning. Along with waking you up, it gets rid of the sweat and pillow/hair oils that have accumulated on your face all night. Also try to keep your hair pulled back out of your face when you sleep and wash your pillowcases frequently. I like to wash my sheets and pillow cases every weekend!

6. Treat yourself

My last tip is to splurge a little! Treat yourself to a facial or a relaxing massage to calm and relieve stress. Buy yourself a nice face mask or washes/cleansers. You and your skin deserve some pampering!

 

I hope you find some of these tips helpful! Remember to see the beauty your life and love yourself!

"Beauty isn't about having a pretty face. It's about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and a pretty soul."

Meet Callie

Getting a dalmatian was probably the best decision I ever made. I had always wanted a dal ever since I was a little girl, something just drew me to them. I knew all the "negatives" that people and even breeders warn about so that people are not surprised when their cute puppy grows up into an energetic adult dog. Owning a dalmatian has been the most rewarding experience, so I want to share a little about my favorite girl!

Meet Callie!

This is my almost 8 year old dalmatian, Callie. She is very goofy, sassy, and adorable! She can be a little protective and shy when meeting new people, nothing aggressive though. She acts tough but she's really actually scared. She is very attached to me and I am to her. When we used to live with my dad, he used to tell me that she would wait outside my door for me to let her in to cuddle, even if I was not home. How heartbreaking... Speaking of cuddling, Callie absolutely loves to cuddle really close all the time. When she gets kicked off the couch, she somehow weasels her way back onto my lap to cuddle.

Such a clown

Callie is an extremely smart dog! I can teach her a new trick within five minutes (so of course she knows a lot of tricks!). Sometimes though, it can be a pain that she is so smart because she knows when we are talking about her even when we don't say her name! She loves her toys and loves to play, but she does not fetch. She does not like to swim or go through water unless her feet can touch the ground. Bath time is always entertaining..

"Come back to bed and cuddle me Mom, aren't I cute?"

Despite what people say about dalmatians, Callie is a very lazy dog. While she enjoys going on walks and running around at the park, she is perfectly content cuddling up in bed or on the couch. When I am sick and do not want to vacate my bed, she will gladly stay and cuddle all day. 

I suppose I should save some pictures for later posts, especially all her adorable puppy photos! Share photos of your fur babies!!

About Me

Hi!! I'm Catherine. I live with my boyfriend in a cute apartment in California. I want to live closer to the beach, or on a ranch in Montana/Wyoming/Idaho/Texas/Tennessee, or somewhere along those lines. Or maybe I can live on a beach front ranch :p Our lease is up in a few months and I'm not sure where we want to adventure to next.

I go to college and am a Geology major. It took me a long time before I realized what I wanted to study, I have changed my major four times which has caused me to take longer than four years to graduate.. and I still have another year left.

We live with our three cats and our dalmatian. I have two horses as well. I am absolutely obsessed with my animals so I will probably overload with pictures of them all on here because why not?! 

I listen to a lot of different music but my favorite is probably country. I love to read, so give me some suggestions of your favorite books! I am very casual and laid back, I was voted most free spirited in middle school. I love playing sports. I love being outdoors and going camping, fishing, shooting, dirtbiking, and horseback riding. I really love traveling (but I don't like flying) and taking a lot of pictures. I like working out and eating healthy, which includes cooking us healthy meals! I'm trying to become a better cook and try lots of new recipes.

I'm not really sure what else to say and I have to head off to school, so I'll end it on that. Welcome to my blog and I hope you stick around :)

New Me

Here I go again! Attempting this blog thing.. I have tried blogging several times in the past with no success. I felt that my blog posts were more like boring journal entries. I did not feel that anything I wrote was interesting enough for others to read. A few posts in to a blog and I would lose interest myself.. Looking back, I feel like I wasn't in the best place in my life when I previously tried blogging. Not that I was depressed, but I wasn't the happy normal me. I think I just stopped loving myself. However, I have recently been focusing on myself and my happiness so I definitely think and feel that I am in a better place. So I decided to give this a try again!

I was having trouble deciding what to write about.. should I share my fashion interests and post some of my outfits? Should I write about cooking and share some of my favorite recipes and healthy food options? Should I share fitness tips and workouts? Should I simply write about my adventures in the outdoors and traveling the world? Then I realized, I can write about them all!! I also think I would be less likely to post without being able to share a variety of topics.. and I would probably run out of things to say! 

So, I'm going to give this a good effort and see where it goes! I know it's too early for any followers, but if you happen to come across my blog, stop by and leave a comment! Thanks for stopping by!!