by Keri O’Meara

Lately I have been feeling sluggish, unfocused, aimless and unhealthy.  I have been eating really badly, smoking a lot, partaking in a cocktail (or five) almost every night and I have been having a lot of anxiety ridden nightmares.   So when the sunny Queen West Pilates studio I go to, CORE, recently advertised a ‘30 day Challenge’ for its members I took it as a sign.  It’s time to buck up. I figure thirty days of Pilates is a doable challenge that will help me focus and be present, as well as help me detox and sleep better.  I am not going to fast, or diet, or quit drinking (I mean, it’s patio season now) but I am hoping that this challenge will at least curb some of my bad habits and contribute to better health all around.   

I am also (deep breath here) going to attempt to quit smoking over the course of this challenge.  In fact I intend to be smoke free by the 29th of May when I turn twenty nine.  “They” say that if you stop smoking before you are thirty, than your lungs can achieve almost a full recovery. What better time then now- certainly better than at 11:59pm on the day before my birthday next year.  My handbag will be free of cigarettes the night I go out to celebrate my champagne birthday in style.  

Mind body and spirit aside, let’s be honest here, bikini season is also coming up.  I want to look hot.  I am a relatively thin girl who works out but my ass jiggles and I can pinch more than a few inches around my belly. I don’t want to lose weight, but I do want to be as tight as a hipster’s jeans. My measurements have been taken, as has a ‘before’ shot.  I’ll give you the pre thirty day results when I get the post thirty day results. 

Confidence, better lifestyle choices, cleaner lungs and intestines and a smoking hot body is my goal for the next month. Is that a lot of faith to put into thirty days?  Perhaps, but the only way you will know for sure is by tuning into my fitness journal (OMFG did I just say fitness journal?).  At the end of each week I’ll let you know about my trials, tribulations, sore muscles, nicotine fits, better bowel movements, etc. What better way to complete this challenge and keep myself in check than to be accountable to all you sassy SDTC readers?   

Wish me luck.

xo