After a long break from the holidays and our trip to Paris for New Years, I’m back at it and ready to kill it in 2016 in more ways than one. I’ve spent the last few weeks really defining my goals, both personal, professional, and physical. Most of those who know me, know that fitness is a huge part of my life and I can preach the positive influence its had on me and other women for hours. I’ve regularly worked out anywhere from 3-6x a week for years. I’ve ran races, done Crossfit competitions, and been in numerous fitness challenges. I usually eat pretty healthy and clean, but no one loves junk food more than me. Donuts, desserts, pastries, and fried food were pretty much my diet for a good chunk of my life (oh that early twenties metabolism). These days, I can usually balance my life in a way where I’m good to my body, but I don’t deprive it of the things it may crave. I exercise, but I’m not obsessive. What I could do better at, and I think all women struggle with this, is not having that guilt that comes along with it. 

Like any woman, I’ve struggled with body image issues for years. In my teens, I hated everything about myself. In my twenties, I learned to accept my body and began to love it (a kind of fake it till you make it approach). I began to think less of cellulite and more on “look at the distance you ran,” “look how much weight you lifted,” remember when that was difficult for you?” I made my mind switch from focusing on all the things it wasn’t to all the things it could do and the amazing things around me. 

For a long time I was surrounded by toxic influencers and negative nancy’s and I’ve focused a good deal of energy on removing those things and people from my life. Now, I’m surrounded by what I consider the best people on the planet. And when I began nurturing relationships, helping others, and exploring my passions, an interesting thing happened…I began to obsess less and less about what my body looked like because my mind was so full with all the amazing things and people around me. Who has time to care about whether my abs are there or not when you’re busy focusing on your next trip, your work, or hanging out with painstakingly funny people. I was happy, healthy, and thinking positive. Overall, I’m in a really good place both mentally and physically. 

BUT…thats not to say there still isn’t work to be done. 

Some of you may have seen that I’m hosting an intro workshop next month (which details will be released tomorrow!), and the essential point of what I want to explore with other female entrepreneurs and freelancers is ridding yourself of that feeling that you’re alone. Whether its the frustration in building your business or how to balance it all, we all feel like its just us while Sunshine Sally seems to have it all together. I promise you, she has bad days just like anyone else. I want to create a community where women can be vulnerable and learn from each other. But I have to practice what I preach so here’s one part of my life I still haven’t nailed down yet that I can be vulnerable about….Food Guilt. 

While I have an overall healthy approach on my body image, exercise, and all that jazz…I still struggle with guilt. It when I eat that donut, or go get Chick Fil A, I get that moment right after of guilt and think “why did I do that?” Y'ALL..... I’M SO TIRED OF IT. So I joined Amanda Adams and Ander Wilson’s program, Hot and Healthy Habits, which launched yesterday to help me conquer that food demon once and for all. I’ve known these awesome ladies for years and I can tell you first hand that their approach to fitness, health, and just overall life balance is pretty much like OJ with Champagne. Its freaking perfect. They’re real, they’re honest, and they’re single handedly changing the way thousands of women have approached fitness. Its really been amazing to watch their community grow and how the women who participated have changed in such a positive way. So I thought I would join their program because we call can improve on things in our life and I know that one habit I can do better on is conquering that guilt once and for all. Not saying that at the end of this, I’m going to be “cured” but I do believe whole heartedly that I’ll be leaps and bounds better than when I started. The Workshop series I’m starting is called “Be Free” and is meant to be interpreted however that fits for you. Well I want to Be Free of Food Guilt. 

So in the name of vulnerability, I’ll be writing each week on my progress, fitness, and other health related topics (something I used to do a few years back and wish I had never stopped) as well as the impact the Hot and Healthy Habits program has on me for those of you interested in trying it the next go-round. 

Now, to avoid the donuts and go eat breakfast.