Hello and welcome or welcome back to today’s post. I really hope you have been well. :)
Let’s talk about fitness.
I have never actually exclusively talked about my fitness journey, even though it’s been a fundamental part of my life for about 6 years, but here I am.
I’d like to share with you guys how I keep fit and healthy currently, but before that, lemme share with you my fitness journey since the beginning.
Where we started
So, it was around August 2015, I was in high school but on holiday and I was at home, bored. I was looking for something to do, more so something to watch among the CDs we had, but I had watched like all of them lol. Then, I remembered some time back, my dad had bought these Zumba CDs and I decided to check them out.
If you don’t know what Zumba is, it is a form of exercise that’s mostly cardio (an activity that increases your heart rate), in this case though, the cardio is dancing. I’ve always loved to dance, even though I shy away from doing it in front of people lol. So when I found an exercise program which combines dance and exercise, I was hooked. That’s how I got started with fitness y’all, finding something that I love to do, and I could stay healthy while at it.
Soon after, I looked for more and more Zumba CDs, even YouTube videos and for a couple of years I was a solid Zumba enthusiast. My exercise choices have definitely evolved over time, these days I do not do Zumba anymore, but I still do dance cardio in my fitness routine, which I will share more on in this post, so stay tuned ;)
In the beginning, my muscles were definitely sore as my body was still getting used to exercise, but y’all I was having so much fun, it wasn’t a big deal. Since then, I have been consistent with working out, such that its basically become part of my life. When I go without some form of exercise for a long time, it actually affects me. The secret isn’t perfection, its consistency. Then, when it comes to working out, it isn’t a destination thing. Meaning, let’s say you want to lose weight, you’ll put in the work at the gym right? So what happens after you reach your goal (the destination)? Will you go back to the same habits or will you now make exercise a part of your life? In other words, a lifestyle? I prefer the latter to the former.
Anyway, let’s get into how my fitness routine looks like currently in 2021;
Morning Prayer walks
On a typical day, I do my workouts in the mornings, unless my schedule changes.
So, I get up at 6:30 to 7:00 am, brush my teeth, wash my face, change into my workout clothes, put my Jesus playlist on my phone, earphones and go for a prayer walk.
It’s a beautiful time to start my day with the Lord, while getting my body moving. Also, walking is an underrated but effective way of working out.
My walk is usually within my neighborhood, as well as the area around it it takes me about 30 minutes to complete the walk.
At times, I have a hard time getting up in the morning, and I’ve shared this somewhere in my socials, on how God convicted me of my sleeping habits. I often found it hard to wake up early and immediately get into my quiet time with the Lord, but incorporating exercise has given me enough motivation to get up, go out, spend time with the Lord and enjoy His creation. And, what’s not to like about this view? Huh?
taken by me, during one of my morning prayer walks :)
Dance Cardio or Strength training using body weight and literal weights e.g. dumbbells
After I come back home from my walk, we aren’t done, it’s time for dance cardio or strength training. I usually alternate between the two, like if today I do dance cardio, tomorrow I will do strength training, with rest days in between.
Before I leave for my walk, I turn on my laptop, go on YouTube and choose the dance cardio video I will do for that day. My faves on YouTube currently are;
I love Jo from Growwithjo the most at the moment. She has a variety of exercises, like dance parties, indoor walking, strength training etc. they’re super fun! I highly recommend, especially when you’re just getting started.
I also enjoy Mike Peele. His exercises are mostly dance cardio and his music playlists are usually fireeee!
I like popsugar fitness as well, they have a wide variety of exercise you could choose from. Dance, strength training, HIIT(High Interval Intense Training), Tabata, you name it!
You can check them out via the provided links.
I do this for about 30 minutes, then I may stretch a little, take a shower, dress up, get ready and get started with the day’s agenda. I am usually done with everything by 10am latest, considering any unforeseen circumstance that may take place or if I get distracted lol.
But honestly guys, having this morning routine sets the tone for the rest of my day. I feel more refreshed, clear –headed, I am less likely to get distracted and waste time, and I am also more likely to not procrastinate. Sounds like a good deal to me! :)
Diet
Next, we can’t talk about fitness without talking about diet! Your diet plays a fundamental part in staying fit. If you put in hours at the gym, but you’re still eating unhealthy most of the time, you’re likely not to reach your fitness goals.
I get it and have seen it in practice. At the beginning of my journey, I used to do Zumba and sweat like crazy, then afterwards, have some milk tea and like 4 scones. It was a slim tea and 5 mandazis kinda situation. If I was looking for results, I was NOT going to get them like this.
Don’t worry, we all struggle, we all have cravings, and it is difficult to resist the temptation to indulge more than needed to. But, in the long-term, the sacrifices we make today, will have long-term results. You’ll not only look good, but you’ll feel great too.
I am not a nutrition expert, but I can share with you guys some tips on improving your diet that I have picked up along the way;
a) Eat more whole, real foods for a balanced diet
Here I mean, let your diet have more real foods like ugali, rice, chapati, for carbohydrates; beef, chicken, eggs, fish, beans and ndengu for your protein; sukuma wiki, cabbage spinach, mrenda, mchicha, bananas, oranges, avocadoes and mangoes for your vitamins. Try your best, that in every meal you’re getting all the food groups.
Limit the processed stuff like the crisps, cookies and candy. You can totally eat them on occasion, as cheat meals, but make sure most of your diet includes the healthy stuff.
Okay, so what healthy snacks can you have? Peanuts, rice cakes with peanut butter and honey (yum!), popcorn, yogurt and oats, fruits like grapes and apples. ouu, apples and peanut butter (you can tell by now that you’re girl loves peanut butter! :))
b) Look at your plate
It is recommended that half of your plate should have veggies, then the other half is divided into two quarters. One quarter has the carbohydrates, another has protein.
Instead of denying yourself an entire food group, try controlling the portions. For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight or decrease body fat percentage, reducing the amount of carbs like (ugali, rice, chapati, potatoes) while increasing proteins and veggies, can help tremendously with that.
c) Water
Did you know, that at times your body masks thirst with hunger. Like, at times when you’re hungry, it’s not that you’re hungry, but you’re actually thirsty.
Taking enough water on a daily basis not only cleanses your body of toxins, but also fills you up, so you’re less likely to overeat.
So, invest in that water bottle and carry it around everywhere. The only downside with drinking lots of water, is peeing a lot, but for the most part, the results are amazing.
The thing about fitness, it’s not just a one-time thing, it’s a lifestyle. If you’re just starting out, try finding something that you actually enjoy. Like for me, I love dancing and it’s an amazing form of exercise. Starting with something I loved, helped me to stick with working out for the long haul till today, and it even evolved to a love for strength training. These days, I enjoy lifting weights :) so do you like to walk? Run? Lift weights? Ride bikes? Swim? Start with that.
However, if you have any prevailing medical conditions or injuries, please consult your doctor before trying any fitness regimen. Also, start small and slowly. If you’re not able to do a certain exercise today, that’s ok, your body is still adjusting. Just keep showing up, and soon, the workout that you struggle with today, will be your warmup down the line :).
That’s it for me today you guys :)
Remember to like this post of you want to, and share this post with someone who may need it. If you haven’t subscribed to the e-mail list, to receive my monthly newsletter, please do so in the section below. Just input your e-mail address, and you’re in!
Thank you so much for reading! My hope is that this post has taught you a thing or two and inspired you in some way. I’ll see you on the next one!
Xoxo
BK.
Comments