i'm doing great even if this blog is not

Well, I've been so busy being active lately that I haven't posted on my healthy habits blog. I discovered the secret to physical activity. Find someone to do active things with. In the last week I have been on two awesome hikes, gone on two runs and played ultimate frisbee twice. I love that I've been so incredibly active and it doesn't even feel like a hassle or a burden to get out and get some physical activity in. It's just hanging out with someone that I want to spend time with and it's so fun. I also feel AMAZING. I have huge amounts of energy all the time and even though I've been getting a little less sleep, I don't feel as tired. I am having a blast and feeling great about myself too!

On a note about my eating, it has been pretty good! I ate a lot of home cooked meals this week (as well as a couple of out-to-eats...), and I've been having green smoothies almost every day. It's surprising, but they fill me up really well and I have definitely felt differences in myself as I've been consuming more fruits and veggies. I had red meat twice this week, but oh well. This girl will probably never say no to a burger.

All in all, I'm feeling great about my healthy habit goals! The goal for this week is to be better about bedtime...we'll see how that goes!

new endeavor!

Welcome to Amberly's Healthy Habits! I decided to start this blog to help facilitate a lifestyle change inspired by a semester of not doing my best, by discussions about veganism, and mostly by a desire to invest in myself now so that I can reap dividends of good health when I am older.

Overall, I am not an unhealthy person. I try to watch what I put in my body and exercise, but I've decided that now is the time to really crack down on my health habits, to document my goals and my progress and to hold myself accountable.

I realize that it's important to start slow, so I have some very small goals as I start on this endeavor:

• Drink more water. I've started taking a water bottle to work with me every day and I have the goal to drink two full water bottles in the 8 hours that I'm there.
• Eat more fruits and veggies. Right now I'm getting about 2-3 servings a day but I want to start eating more like 5-6.
• Eat less processed foods. This is hard when I'm in the break room at work and all I want to do is eat eggos, airheads and cookies.
• Eat less red meat. Really all that you need is 3 oz. a week and I'm probably eating more than that.
• Exercise! Right now I'm starting with 20 min a day and will increase. I'm not worrying about mileage right now, I'm just focusing on getting out there for a certain amount of time.

And long term, I hope to be able to run with my wonderful roommate Ashley when she moves out here in 4 months again! I also hope to do another half marathon. It's been 4 years! But I know I can work up to it.

Thanks for stopping by! Encouragement and advice are welcome.