Why I’m Getting Fit in 2016

I’ve made it no secret that I would like to get fit in 2016. In fact I have told a number of people and every time I get the same look or comment “But you don’t need to go to the gym you skinny already”.

Shockingly this response didn’t surprise me at all. Body shaming is something that myself and our generation seem to have become accustom to. I have had experiences of Skinny Shaming and I am sure that the majority of people who have made comments probably haven’t meant it or didn’t realise that they were doing it due to it becoming so engrained in our society as a ‘norm’.

My response to these people is simple “Yes, but I also want to be strong.”. People assume that because I am thin I must eat well, be healthy and fit when the reality is I eat what I want when I want and do barely any exercise meaning I’m usually knackered if I have to walk up any sort of incline.  So here are the small changes I plan to make in 2016 to make myself that little bit stronger:

• Diet – Eating what I want, when I want is not healthy and it is certainly not allowing me to have the balanced diet I need to get the right nutrients and vitamins for my body. About September time last year I decided to become pescatarian.  My hope for this year is that I can expand my cooking horizons and ensure I am getting all the right goodness my body needs to survive without having meat. Hello a whole new world of vegetables!
• Exercise – I hate this word and don’t expect to see me in a gym any time soon. I have signed up for Yoga classes at The Zen Den in Glasgow with the amazing Kyle Gray as well as Les Miller BodyBalance classes to start with. I hope in time to also build up my stamina by getting on my running shoes and going out into the fresh air to help clear my head and keep myself fit. Why run on a treadmill when I can enjoy the beauty of the Scottish countryside and get some fresh air?
• Rest – I think that on my progression to get healthy and strong I need to focus on my mind as well as my body. I hope to spend less time sitting at my computer after work and more time meditating and reading. I work from computers all day and when I’m commuting I am on my phone. I hope to clear my head every so often and shut out the world for a few hours each week. (If you any book recommendations please leave them in the comments below).

So that’s my plan to ensure that 2016 is the year I become physically and mentally fit. It is in no way complex, in fact it is pretty simple but I hoping that by starting off slowly and easily I will be able to progress in the year to come. There is no point in burning out before you have even begun.