Exclusive Interview with Paige Hathaway – Global Fitness Icon and New Mom

Tired of jumping from diet to diet? Try the 80/20 balance approach in your fitness lifestyle! The 80/20 philosophy is what I’ve been doing for quite some time now. Yup, the “eat healthy 80 percent of the time and treat-yo-self the other 20 percent” mentality. After all, life is about balance. Although this came sometime after I really educated myself on calories and macro nutrients. After time being spent learning what works for your body and what doesn’t. Learning to have a good healthy relationship with food. And while some people will tout “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” I beg to differ. A healthy relationship with food tastes just as good as skinny feels.

 The biggest misconception when pregnant is that you can’t exercise when you’re pregnant. Or that you have to be “extremely careful” that your routine is modified so much that you went from working out to barely doing anything at all! WHEN IN REALITY…YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID BEFORE YOU GOT PREGNANT! If you lifted weights before you got pregnant, go on momma and lift those weights while you’re pregnant. Whether you ran marathons, did CrossFit, Pilates, or played sports…go on with your bad self and continue to be a badass! Everything that you did before you were pregnant for fitness you can do now! Unless your doctor recommends sticking to walks, yoga, and light weights, which she may do in high-risk situations, then go on and continue to do everything you have always done.  It’s perfectly safe to continue with your regularly scheduled activity even after you get pregnant, as long as you listen to your body!

I think workout classes or finding a workout trainer is one of the best things you can do to start out! So “date” different types of workouts and/or trainers until you find the one you truly like and I don’t mean literally date trainers ha! I just mean try them all out until you vibe with something that makes you want to come back for more! There really are endless types of workouts out there, and the truth is that the best workout for you is the one you’ll actually do. The number one way to find the best fit for you is through trial and error, even though it may feel daunting at first.

Most importantly beyond any class or trainer, find your “why” and focus on your own journey!! This is my philosophy to keep going even if you want to quit. This process allows you to better make health and wellness a lifestyle, not just a fad thing. This might take some digging, and it has to mean enough to you to fall back on when you feel like giving up. Maybe it’s being able to keep up with your kids, feeling strong in your own body, or just setting aside time to focus on your own well-being! Make sure before you set any goals, or sign up for a program…you find your “why” and focus on your own journey!

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