Get Lean Twenty Fourteen

Christmas has come and gone. My guess is you over ate, over drank and are feeling like the stuffed turkey you consumed. You probably vowed that this year was going to be different, you wouldn't go crazy on the food, you would only eat one of the desserts and you would eat everything in moderation. That didn't happen did it? And now that the new year is impending you have made the new years resolution to lose weight and shape up.

I bet you made the same resolution last year and it didn't happen. Why? Because you got lazy, you had no willpower and you probably just gave up because it was easier to sit on the lounge eating a block of chocolate than to go for a walk. 2014 will be different!

Gym Selfies

It’s the era of the gym selfie or gelfie – some love them and some loathe them.

If you know me well enough you would know I am definitely not opposed to a selfie. You only have to scroll through my instagram to see that much is true. But I draw the line at taking a selfie mid workout (a video of doing something good has been excluded). This could also be because no one wants to see a selfie of me mid-workout. I practically roll out of bed in the morning, half asleep, my hair is in a messy bun (it’s a good day if I do re-do the messy bun after I wake up), I am makeup free and once I start sweating I can’t say I look pretty. Let’s just say I probably won’t pick up at the gym. I’m also too busy doing some punishing exercise to think about taking a shot of my guns (or lack thereof).

Why 'I don't have time" is a lame excuse

Since I have become a maniac workout freak I get asked a lot about how I find the time to do so much exercising - I work full time, I study, I am constantly doing something with my friends and family - where do I find enough time to workout twice a day? The thing is I MAKE time.

I hear people who say 'I need to lose weight but I just don't have time'. That's a lie. You do. You know how I know, because you just told me exactly what happened in that one hour episode of True Blood followed by how you were laying on the couch stalking your ex boyfriends new girlfriend for half an hour. The excuse of time becomes an incredibly weak argument.

Why sit ups will make you fat

We have all looked at those 30 day workout plans to lean and mean abs and tried it out. How far did you get? Day 10? Daily routines of sit ups and crunches that promise to get you a six pack are ridiculous. They are lying and don’t work. It’s a waste of time.

Get motivated, stay motivated

It's too hot, It's too cold, I'm tired, I can't be bothered... You have heard them all and used them all. I've used every single excuse under the sun to not go to training and give up on healthy eating and honestly getting motivated and staying motivated is 90% psychological. Basically if you skip workouts often and give up on healthy eating so easily its because you're lazy (straight to the point, but true).

After starting to eat relatively healthy and going to the gym a couple of times a week it still took me a good 9 months to kick the excuses and just do it. I wasn't going to get skinny and toned from a half assed attempt at working out and eating healthy 70% of the time. It's damn hard to stick to it and even if you don't you shouldn't feel like a failure, it just gives you more reason to try again and try harder.

You need to figure out what works best for you to keep you going after the first few weeks. You wont always see results straight away so you need that push and motivation to keep going until you do.

Here are my top 5 shallow tips to finding motivation (because lets face it, I'm about as shallow as they come and anyone who says they aren't shallow are lying):

1. BIKINI SEASON. There is no bigger motivator than the scary thought of bikini season. And wouldn't it be the best feeling to have people look at you and think 'dammnnn they are looking good!' 

2. IT'S SUMMER. You want to fit back into those shorts from last summer, your arms will look better in that singlet, that LBD fits a whole lot nicer. Whatever fashion reason it may be, its a perfect incentive to get into shape and look your best.

3. THE OPPOSITE SEX. This has got to be the number one reason that people start to work out. Whether you're in a relationship or single you always want to look attractive to the opposite sex. And when you start looking great and getting compliments you will feel better too and keep going.

4. TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF. Ultimately you have got to do it for yourself otherwise you will give up too easily. That feeling when you reach a goal weight, lift heavier, run further is fulfilling and gives you that boost that makes you feel great. And when you feel great you look great and people notice that.

5. TO RUB IT IN THEIR FACE. There's always people who are going to think they are better than you. They are the ones who put you down, scoffed at the idea you were going to start a new exercise plan and generally just try to make you feel bad and laugh at you for eating so god damn healthy. I've found its because they are jealous and deep down wish they had the willpower and motivation to do the same. So prove them wrong and rub it in their face when you look amazing.

My name is Lyndal and I'm obsessed with working out..

They say the first step is admitting you have a problem. Personally I don't think working out every day is a problem but I will freely admit that yes I am obsessed with all things fitness related. So it comes as no surprise (and a massive push from my close friends) that I start a blog about everything I love - fitness, health, food and beauty.

So why is it starting now? I was never like this, it has happened gradually in the last 18 months and now my whole life is consumed with it that it's all I think about 24/7.
It started when I returned home from living in London for 2 years. I spent most of that time travelling, eating and doing barely any exercise. As amazing as the time was that I spent in Europe it was not good for my health and needless to say I was not in the best shape. Arriving home, I became single after 8 years of being in a relationship, found a new lease on life, my lifestyle completely changed and I haven't looked back since.
Probably the biggest turning point was finding an amazing personal trainer and seeing an incredible naturopath that I owe everything to (I'm sure I'll write about them later). 

The push to start a blog came from so many of my friends and family wanting to know what I have done to get where I am, ideas for workouts at home and at the gym, healthy foods I eat and basically wanting to know what makes me so happy everyday. It was easier to start a blog to share it with everyone so I hope you like it and learn something new.

Love Lyndal
xx