and now for a little something different...

happy monday, my loves – and happy first day of fall! how were your weekends? mine was kind of random, but overall it was pleasant, and i feel like i spent the perfect amount of time at home and with friends, which is always a nice balance to strike.

anyway, do you all remember this post? well, i’ve been working some of amy weschler’s tips into my daily life and i’m thrilled to tell you that i’ve experienced a really positive response. case in point: i now have one cup of coffee in the morning and then drink green tea (whole foods sells an 80-bag box for $3.99 – heaven!) and water the rest of the day (with the exception of the occasional cocktail on weekends). the result? way more energy, especially in the afternoon. i turn off the tv and the computer an hour before i go to bed, and i’ve been sleeping more soundly than i have in a long while.

but the most profound difference is that all that extra energy has given me a new motivation to work out, whether it’s a brisk walk through my cute neighborhood, 45 minutes on the elliptical at the gym or a hardcore sweat sesh with my friend k. consisting of running up and down stairs and bike-riding like crazy. truth time: i’ve been wanting to drop some weight for awhile now – ever since college, really, when the dreaded freshman 15 made itself comfortable on my mid-section – but i’ve never made the decision to, ahem, just do it. however, thanks to these little lifestyle tweaks, i’m feeling a million times better and the desire to get active seems to come with that territory. it’s great.

so, tell me, what do you guys do to stay healthy? i know that experts say it takes something like 21 days (correct me if i’m wrong – i’m relying on memory with that stat) to really get into a routine, and i’m not anywhere near that milestone yet. what’s your favorite form of exercise? are you gym rats or do you like being outside? please share!

p.s. if you’re looking for a great shape-up blog, i highly recommend this one, by glamour associate editor margarita bertsos. not only has she lost an incredible amount of weight, she’s also so honest about her struggles and triumphs. truly inspiring.

{ images: awesome workout duds by stella mccartney for adidas. }