You're Human.

Good morning, guys! I just wanted to stop by (hehe stop by own blog? IDK) and share this quote I found and posted on Instagram last night. You might have already seen it, but I wanted to reflect on it a bit more in a blog post.

So, welcome to the club. The club of humans. 

Having a blog that talks about health and fitness, people in my personal life and online, often think that I "never skip a workout" or "never have a cheat meal" just because I only post healthy recipes. But that's not the case at all! I eat cake and ice cream and french fries like any normal teenager. I just choose to eat them in moderation. I give into cravings. I skip workouts (probably more than I should). But most of all I'm trying to not beat myself about that. Being too hard on yourself is not healthy at all. 

I post those healthy things because that's what I truly enjoy and want to encourage others to live a healthy lifestyle. "Lifestyle" being the key word.

If you're living a healthy lifestyle for the long run, one cheat meal or skipping one workout is NOT a set back. You have not failed.

I reapeat- YOU HAVE NOT FAILED.

Yes, this past week I could have chosen not to have so many treats, or I could've gotten up at 5am and went to the gym. But, I didn't feel like it. So I didn't. Does that make me unhealthy or lazy? NO.

You can be fit and healthy without a perfect diet or workout routine. WOW SHOCKER RIGHT?

So often with the age of social media we get brain washed by constant images of perfect bodies, health facts, and super fit people killing it in the gym every day. But those people are no better than you. You should not get your validation from how "perfect" you can be. What about the way you treat others? What about just being happy?

We need to change the way we look at health and fitness. And I hope this post helps. I hope I can inspire even just one of you to not be so hard on yourself. Yes- you should be hard working, motivated, and a lil' disciplined. But not obsessive. A healthy lifestyle should become second nature. Not something you feel that is keeping you from living. 

 Healthy comes from being physically AND mentally happy. But most of all it's about being happy and confident in your own skin. And that's different for everyone. 

Have a cupcake Thursday night.

Have a green smoothie Friday morning.

Go for a run Saturday.

Sleep in Sunday.

It's all about balance.

So... when you screw up, skip a workout, eat "bad foods" (because no one food is bad actually), or sleep in, it doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you human. 

XoXo,

Stephanie