A Fun Thing Called 'Fitspo'

Welcome back sunflowers (or lavenders... you choose!).

Today I am going to be talking about something called 'fitspo'. You may in fact be familiar with the term, but then again you may be totally confused. Basically, 'fitspo' is short for 'fitsporation'. Fitspo usually consists of images of active, strong and fit women and men that promote a healthy body, along with a balanced diet and exercise. Fitspo could include images of women/men in workout clothing, images of women/men exercising or images of a certain area of the body that is toned. However, fitspo doesn't have to be pictures of people or certain areas of the body, it can be motivational quotes situated around the idea of a positive mindset about diet and exercise. Fitspo can be images of healthy foods. The idea of fitspo is to inspire people to make the most of their body, to exercise and nourish it with the best foods.

As a teenager I am becoming more aware of the type of foods I am putting into my body, and of course the amount of exercise I am doing daily. Teenagers, particularly teenage girls tend to become more wary of their image, the type of foods they eat and of course the amount of exercise they do. Girls and boys at this age tend to be drawn in by society's obsession with being skinny and thin, and therefore I believe fitspo is better suited for girls and boys in their teenage years. Fitspo looks at being healthy, by combining the right diet with a stable amount of daily exercise. Thinspo on the other hand idolises the idea of being thin, skinny and depriving your body from food and over exercising. Thinspo is not healthy, and in no way do I promote it. Infact, I am opposed to the idea thinsporation. It is dangerous. Young people are being exposed to the world of thinspo, but more recently fitspo has become a more popular choice among the teenage crowd. Go fitspo!

In my opinion it is great to have a healthy body, mindset, and the right diet to nourish my body and fitspo has motivated me to achieve this. Only last year was I lazing around doing next to no exercise, and eating processed junk day in day out. When I decided to change my eating and exercise habits, I admit it was tough. I tended to reach for the popular choice of Weight Watchers® low calorie meals, and Marks and Spencer's Count On Us range (also low calorie meals). I exercised a little more but not at all a healthy amount. I deprived myself of nutrients, minerals and vitamins found in natural foods by opting for the low-calorie processed microwave meals. It seemed a good idea at the time, but after a while I felt sluggish, fatigued and lifeless. I lost weight but mostly muscle as I didn't exercise enough and ate little calories. I knew something had to change, so I turned to the internet and researched the idea of a balanced lifestyle. This was where I was going wrong. I was obsessed about the weight-loss; I looked upon my eating habits as a short-term diet, something I would stop once losing a desired amount of weight.

Researching the idea of a healthy lifestyle educated me to make the right decisions. I began eating simplistic meals incorporating lots of vegetables, fruit, protein and healthy carbohydrates (e.g. brown pasta, wholemeal pitta breads etc.). I also invested in an elliptical trainer to do daily cardio workouts, and I went on long walks for toning purposes and just to enjoy the natural environment around me. I do a range of leg workouts and ab workouts, even arm workouts. I mix both strength training and cardiovascular exercise to get the perfect workout routine. I eat treats but in moderation; depriving yourself of certain foods is unhealthy, but filling your body of processed foods is also unhealthy! It's about balance. Finding balance can prove a struggle at times, and this is why I turn to fitsporation for help. Looking at quotes related to a healthy lifestyle inspires me and motivates me to have the healthiest lifestyle I could possibly can. Other people's success with a healthy lifestyle inspires me to strive for success. Seeing other people enjoying exercise and nourishing their body with great food makes me want to do the same. Eating 'clean' 100% of the time is not expected of us, of course we are allowed treats. The key is moderation!

I hope that I have educated some of you into the world of fitspo and a healthy lifestyle; I would love to have inspired someone to take the same journey that I am taking! A balanced lifestyle and positive mindset is very much fulfilling and I am so happy that I chose to take a healthier route. I am so much happier now, I am much more energetic and I love what I eat! Below I will post some photographs of some fitsporation to inspire you to endeavor a healthier lifestyle, along with some helpful links. Thank you for reading (if you got this far... ha ha!),

Sarah x