Yoga Challenge = Completed!

I LOVE breakfast. After I finish eating my massive bowl of porridge with peanut butter/apple/banana/raisins/coconut flakes/maple syrup (delete where appropriate), I generally get really sad because it was so great and crave more delicious-ness.

When I started my 'health kick' I also started a 30 Day Yoga Challenge by DoYouYoga, not expecting to stick with it at all... but I HAVE FINISHED IT! 

There is the challenge, and it is seriously so ridiculously easy and yet challenging at the same time that doing it for 15 minutes a day feels like something to look forward to! For me personally, doing it straight after breakfast meant I soon forgot about any pesky cravings (mmm maple syrup..) and instead relaxed my body! 

Erin Motz (the instructor) is really relatable and lovely - she makes the exercises really accessible and easy to do no matter what your level, which was great for me. I did it (almost!) everyday with no yoga mat, and when I went to a class last week I was amazed at how much I have improved.

I've pretty much lost the weight I needed to now, unfortunately not from yoga alone, but a combination of seriously healthy eating and very regular exercise - a change in lifestyle, not diet. I've learned some pretty good tips along the way!

1. Do it for yourself 

This is the only way you will be able to motivate yourself to not eat that creme egg, or drag yourself to the gym in the rain. If you have good motivation (I definitely did!) then it becomes less of a chore and more of a way of achieving what you need to.

2.  Drink up!

I drink roughly 10-12 glasses of water a day, and about 5 cups of green tea (reusing the bag!) It becomes easier if you put slices of lemon, cucumber or apple in your water and have many glasses to hand at a time! 

3. Stay full

Don't starve yourself - you will end up gnawing madly on chocolate in a mad rush (guilty!). If I get snack cravings I try to have a satsuma to hand (35 calories) - it will usually kill my sugar cravings. But if it is only chocolate that will work, I'll eat a bit of dark chocolate. 

4. Stay happy! 

A way of making healthy eating/exercise a bit less awful is finding ways to make it fun! I have recently followed SO many healthy 'fitspo' blogs/instagrams and they all have such great ideas on how to get healthy and eat good food! :)