Healthy Living Guest Post: Kristine from Heart Shaped Sweat

I have a treat for everyone today!!!! Kristine is here with some awesome fitness tips to help you with your New Year's Resolutions. Come on, I know you all added lose weight to you resolutions list (I sure have for almost every year I have been alive!).
Kristine has an awesome lifestyle and fitness blog called Heart Shaped Sweat. Trust me, you can learn a lot from the lady. She's so committed to fitness, just look at her - the girl is gorgeous and in great shape! So instead of me trying to pretend that I slave away at the gym and have the perfect tips for you, I asked Kristine to share her wisdom with all of you. I hope you enjoy what she has to say, and please stop by her blog, you will love it!


Hello Pursuit of Pink readers!

I'm thrilled to be here today with Lindsay and all of you!

Intro's are, so ironically, hard for me. I never know where to start or how to end....

Pardon me...as I just throw a few random words at you....My goal in blogging is to inspire. To help, teach and motivate. My blog is of the fitness and lifestyle trend - including stories of my hubby and 2 boys, all the while dedicating posts to health and fitness. Ok...on to the fun stuff!

I've shared this quote with many, I feel it's words are powerful and motivating, I adore it and live by it...

"the purpose in life is to live it, if you awake with any dread for the day...you simply do not have enough goals set for yourself."

Setting goals for yourself can be exciting but for some it may cause anxiety.

When setting your goals always be realistic. This idea is redundant through the internet and within your circles of friends - because it's true. My supporting advice to this idea is to set mini goals within the large goal.

Everyone starts and ends at a different level, cater your goals accordingly. And be sure to give yourself rewards along the way. And by rewards...I mean the satisfaction of achieving mini goals within your big goal. Short term//mini goals will guarantee your success. In an effort to maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle...I feel, you must look at these three things....

Before setting your fitness goals take the time to evaluate where you are within the realm of fitness. Are you coming off a year hiatus? Have you had a recent setback keeping you from your routine? Do you have previous injuries to be considered? Once you are comfortable and honest with your current position - look ahead. way ahead - to where you want to be with your personal fitness level and make that your overall goal. Now that the big picture is drawn up lets map the route to include mini goals...these markers will give you satisfaction and encouragement to keep going. Your first short term//mini goal could be just overcoming a fear of the gym. Another mini goal could be managing a distance equal to a 5K and then moving on to a 10K, eventually hitting a half marathon.  Short term//mini goals can be as simple as pumping out 25 consecutive sit-ups or holding a 30 second plank with an overall goal of 50 sit-ups and 1 minute planks. One of the best ways to challenge yourself and reach your big goal is to simply 'be more than you were yesterday'. It's that easy. It's worked for me, every time. Bringing out the inner competitor we all own is a driving force to keep us on track to our main goals.

Oh my, the word diet bothers me. I fear it's use because often times it means "slashing certain foods". I don't mean "diet" in this sense. I say diet, because that's what it is...an overall consumption of foods you choose. Your diet is going to dictate how you feel and what you can do. The rule of thumb is simple...Eat Good, Look Good. Your diet must complement your fitness goals. Think about the time you spend finding the perfect earrings, scarf and purse for a certain outfit...now apply that same desire to complementing your fitness goals with your diet. Again mini goals will help you get to the big goal. If you wish to lose 25 pounds by bikini season, set mini goals of 4 pounds per month. Sound attainable? It is. Your diet is the finishing touch on your fitness level, or vice versa, however you see it best. Set mini goals such as shopping from only the perimeter of the grocery store, eating out only once a week, making sure your snacks are healthy choices, always having breakfast, adding more fiber through beans, greens and wheat and setting aside time to make healthy meals. These suggested mini goals will help you find rewards along the route to your personalized diet goal and set you up for healthy habits.

Take a look in the mirror. Now what do you hear? Yes, not see but hear. Are there cries of doubt? The mirror should shout beautiful, encouraging words but many hear just the opposite and this dooms us for failure. Set a goal to applaud yourself when you stand before the mirror. Instead of letting your eyes roll to the subject of annoyance let your eyes meet and say, "Yes, I do approve". Hearing yourself in the mirror will help you find the "self" in self-image and your potential. And, focusing on the good will reinforce the beauty in your image. The more aware you are of the beauty you hold, the more value you carry. And the more valuable you are to yourself, the more capable you are of mighty things and achieving your goals (big and small). Being self aware and self confident brings out a force that is hard to defeat. By inserting this goal of healthy self-image you will get the best out of a healthy, fit lifestyle....looks and performance.

Whether you dub these goals as your New Year Resolutions or not, we're given this time of the year to reflect and renew ourselves. As you set out to achieve your own personal goals, give yourself credit and slack where due. You may need to reevaluate - adjusting your goals to new learnings of your body and schedule. Consider the SWOT factors. It will become clear to you where your strengths lay (always use them to your advantage), where your weaknesses are (always nourish this area, as weak links need more time), which opportunities lead to success (record methods that work for you and repeat them) and where your threats are (be mindful of what occurrences cause your downfalls, don't repeat).

I would love to hear about the goals you have set for yourself! We have so much to learn from each other. Stop by and let me know if any of these tips have been helpful for you!


Thanks Lindsay for having me here today! It's been real! And fun! I look forward to getting to know your readers better and am looking forward to the day you guest post with me. My readers and I would love to know all the beauty and fashion secrets you hold in that pretty head of yours!




See I told you the girl knew her stuff! I hope you enjoyed these tips. Best of luck as you put them to use and work on keeping your fitness at the forefront of your list of goals.