My 2018 Fitness – An Update + Goals

This post was sponsored by Optimum Nutrition, Avia, and Schwinn Bicycles as part of an Influencer Activation and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I realized the other day that the last time I talked about my fitness was when I ran the Honolulu Marathon….six months ago! GULP. It’s safe to say I have no idea where 2018 is going. It’s like one minute we were ringing in the new year and I had just swore up and down I would never run a marathon again and now here we are, halfway to 2019. Insane. I wanted to pop in today to share an update on my 2018 fitness and goals I have for the rest of the year. So, if you’ve been curious what I’m up to and what I’ve got brewing in the fitness department, today’s post is for you! Plus, make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom for details on an amazing giveaway 🙂

My 2018 Fitness – An Update + Goals

For starters, I decided after the marathon to really give myself a break from running. I really do love it, but I’m typically pretty content in the 2-5 mile range. To be honest, the long training runs leading up to the marathon weren’t therapeutic for me anymore, they just felt like work, which is the opposite effect of what I want from my fitness routine. So, I canned them. And to be totally transparent – I’m not running nearly as much as I was the first quarter of the year. For one, I tweaked my hip during the marathon and it hasn’t felt quite right since, despite stretches and strengthening exercises and two – I have fallen in love with going for long afternoon walks by myself. I know how that sounds – like I’m an old lady – but I find it so calming and is a great time to think. A few years ago, I fell in love with running and don’t get me wrong – I still do love it (it makes me feel good + remains a go-to for emotional release) – but I’m learning to really dig deep with other forms of exercise and that is exciting for me, too!So speaking of switching things up – this has been the year of that for me in terms of my exercise! In addition to walks, I’ve added spinning, weight lifting and biking, plus doing these amazing 8-minute workouts that I fell head over heels with this spring, because they only take 8 minutes and totally whip me into shape. I even take them with me on trips, because they rock! Of course, Dane and I stay pretty active hiking as much as possible and walking the dogs too 🙂

I sometimes joke that exercise is a form of therapy for me, so I have really been enjoying exploring new ways to enjoy fitness overall. It kind of helps that I gifted myself some new fitness apparel (new clothes always give you a boost, am I right?) that is majorly affordable from Avia. It’s moisture wicking, which is perfect for the weird weather we’ve been experiencing here in Hawaii!

Something that’s completely new to me for 2018 is nutritional supplements – something I’ve never explored before! Admittedly, the idea of supplements was a mystery to me. And because I didn’t know a ton, I was pretty hesitant to dive into them. Not to mention, I’m always wary about ingredients. But I was introduced to Optimum Nutrition® Performance Energy one day by a friend who was using it to replace her coffee habit in the mornings. She said it gave her a ton of energy and she got it at Walmart so I thought…easy enough, maybe I’ll look into it. Well, I looked into and…Optimum Nutrition has a ton of product options!

That said, I went with my friend’s recommendation of Performance Energy. There is grape and watermelon flavor, but my favorite is grape. Word to the wise: it’s very grape-y, so just know that ahead of time.

Optimum Nutrition® Performance Energy provides about as much caffeine from natural sources as a cup of coffee with 3 grams of muscle supporting amino acids. This fruit-flavored powder mixes easily into cold water using just a glass and spoon making it a great option for morning wake up, before exercise or as an afternoon pick-me-up. Plus, it’s completely gluten free. My favorite way to have it is by mixing it into water and then creating a smoothie or smoothie bowl prior to my workout. The grape flavor mixed with water and a single acai packet is delicious for a smoothie and when I want to make a smoothie bowl I add in some frozen fruit to the blender.

So where do I go from here? What are my goals? That’s easy – I want to keep enjoying the exercise I’m doing whether that’s getting back on track with more running, axing running altogether, going for more walks, lifting more weights, going for more bike rides, etc. My goal was to consistently workout 4-5 times per week and I’ve hit that goal nearly every week so far this year! The bottom line is that I’m really happy doing what I’m doing. I love that I’m gaining muscle from the weights, staying engaged with different activities and just generally enjoying my “sweat time”. I know that probably sounds cheesy, but when I don’t enjoy it anymore, then I’ll find something new to switch things up!

As far as nutrition goes – I really fell off the bandwagon this spring in terms of meal prep and eating healthy. Meal prep is EVERYTHING in our house, so when we fail to prepare, we prepare to fail.  I was also talking with my friend Heather about the amount of coffee I drink and she was appalled, which is why the Optimum Nutrition replacement is such a win for me. I can feel the same energy I got from coffee without drinking the 4-6 cups per day. I wish I was joking. I still drink 1 cup of coffee each morning and then use the Performance Energy right before my workout.

When we got back from our trip to Alaska, I was determined to hop back on the meal prep bandwagon and planned out our meals, purchased only what we needed at the store and have been really keeping on track. I find that when my exercise and nutrition are in sync, I feel my absolute best, which is no real shocker. It’s a total balancing act, but an important one! If I can finish 2018 strong in the meal prep and planning department (when we’re home), I think that will be a huge win.

And now what you all are probably most excited about…the giveaway! The winner of the Get Out Get Active at Walmart Sweepstakes will win an awesome prize pack that includes a Schwinn Bicycle, selected Optimum Nutrition products as well as head to toe Avia active gear (like the cute items I’m wearing in the photos!). If you’re not familiar, the Schwinn Sidewinder (photo below and what you’ll win!) is a trail-ready mountain bike that really packs a punch, thanks to the light aluminum mountain-style frame and front suspension fork that soak up bumps and thumps on the trail. I think my favorite thing about Schwinn is that for as long as you own the bike, it’s under warranty. I feel like that’s not a very popular thing these days, so high give to Schwinn for lifetime warranty guarantees on their products. I feel as if that speaks volumes about quality!

Be sure to enter HERE + good luck!

How are you doing with your fitness for 2018? Are you meeting your goals? Not doing as well as you had hoped? Let me know so we can motivate each other!