everyday we make it

Just me, doing the best I can.

[kealyne]

A fabulous night out with some fabulous gals #wrigley #girlsnightout #london #kentucky #chicago #fabulous #drinks #fun

[kealyne]

Last day as an intern cause i have officially accepted my first big girl job offer!! #employeed #job #internstatus #advertising #startedfromthebottom #bigthingsahead

[kealyne]

There's no questioning my love for fashion. Even if I can't pull if off personally, I adore a look that pushes boundaries. Clothing is fun and says something that word's can't always describe. So, why not carry that fashion into the gym? It's just more fun that way! Looking fly and sweating your ass off!

My favorite workout gear? Without a doubt, Flex til Your Famous! Seriously, check out their amazing story here. They are a family company producing AWESOME clothes that inspire you to get yo' sweat on! I CANNOT wait for their next drop on August 23rd, and you won't want to miss out!!!

FLEX TILL YOUR FAMOUS. Come on, even the name is inspiring!

[kealyne]

9 Round

Ding, ding! The bell rings whether you are ready for it or not. Step into the ring and take charge of your life (or your workout).

I hate it, but I have accepted the fact that I simply cannot go without working out. I eat, I drink and my body reacts. In order for me to maintain or improve the way I look I need to hit the gym. Looking at “fitspiration,” pinning workouts and thinking about my beach body will not actually get me any closer to my goals. I have also come to terms that I am not a runner or a gym rat. Running is a battle for me and the gym is a foreign land to me. In order for me to get the most out of my workout, I need structure.

That’s when I fell in love with kickboxing. It combines cardio and resistance training, and I feel like a total badass when I am doing it. I was lucky to find an amazing program, gym and support system in Farrell’s Peoria. Moving back to Chicago didn’t change my need for a fitness routine or the fact that I hated to run, so I was in search for a new gym.

I stumbled upon a 9 Round coupon in the Sunday paper and decided to give it a try. I went and before that bell rang, I knew I would life this place. In 9 rounds, 3 minutes each, I got my ass kicked! And I was hooked.

[kealyne]

girl, where you been?

In May I graduated college and moved back to the Chicagoland area. I was super excited to start the next stage of my life post-grad. I imagined this ideal “city slicker” life. My life was going to be glamorous and I was going to look fabulous at all times. HA.

I had just finished my Farrell’s program, won a major advertising award and landed THE internship of my dreams. This was going to be the best summer and the start of my new life. I had everything going for me. Well, almost. I was newly single, no longer living alone and had access to an excess of bad influences.

It was the change that made the most impact on me. Once I fell out of my routine, I was done for. I was eating, drinking and doing whatever I wanted. I was going to “grab drinks” with friends more often than not, stuffing my face with Chicago favorites I had not had while being away, and channel surfing became my new form of exercising. I knew that I wasn’t happy with what I was doing and the effects it had on my body, but I could not stop. I didn’t have the willpower.

Until I stumbled upon my Farrell’s before and after pictures. I no longer recognized the girl in the after picture. She had this genuine smile that seemed so foreign to me now. And I looked in the mirror and I resembled that defeated image of myself from the before photo and I resented myself. I knew something had to give, and it had to be me. The food, drinks and overall indulgences would always be there.

You decide when you have had enough. You decide when the pictures you look at are taunting you or motivating you. When your dreams become your goals and your passion becomes your fuel. Whatever your motivation is, find it. Mine came from my former self. I just needed a reminder that I could be that woman again. My move was taking back my happiness, and I’m ready for life to make the next move. Checkmate, bitch.

[kealyne]

21 miles around

Lake Geneva, that is. This past weekend I participated in Eric’s Walk the Lake, a charity walk around Lake Geneva.

When my alarm went off at 6am, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. By 8:05am, a few minutes into the walk, I still had no clue what to expect that day. And then it hit me: this was no 5k, not a 10k, but a 21mile walk around the lake…that’s almost a marathon! What did I sign up for!

8 hours later I could barely move but I had done it. It turned out to be an awesome day with an awesome group of people. 21 miles down, new friends made and great memories in the books, I’d call that a pretty successful day.

My point? Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it. Start small, start with the first step. You can accomplish so much with the right attitude. I know this wasn’t a race, I was not running a marathon, the weather was beautiful and I was surrounded with some pretty fun people, but walking for 8 hours straight was not something I thought I could accomplish and I did. But it all starts with the first step…

About: Eric's Walk Around the Lake is an event to celebrate the life of Eric Stricker and to raise funds for the Eric Stricker Scholarship Fund. The scholarship(s) is intended to assist local students in obtaining a culinary certificate or degree.

[kealyne]

Beautiful Friday for an afternoon run!

I was done. I had had it! I was mad and I was going to make the change. Motivation came at 6:29pm on a Friday afternoon. I put on my workout gear and hit the street. I ran until the demons in my head shut up. Funny, how something so simple can so drastically change your mood. I decided that night that I was ready to push myself and see progress again. Visibly seeing the work you put it feels great, and I was ready to feel great again.

It can come at anytime, but if you’re not ready, you may miss it. If you don’t want to hear, it you may push it away. Go for a run, lay in the grass, read a book…clear your mind and find your motivation and your peace.

[kealyne]

That time we went on adventures through Peoria... @burnett_brit #outside #exploring #peoria #heights #grandview #fun #allover #hiking #climbing #nature #sundayfunday #towerpark #goodbyepeoria #illmissthistown #lastweek

[kealyne]

If you can make it here, you'll make it anywhere #newyork #bbdo #office #bbdoworldwide #dougalligood #bradley #trip #winner #takeitin #blue #rockedit

[kealyne]

Only you should control the way you feel, don't let anyone else determine your happiness. Changing my attitude and trying to keep positive. This may not have been the best week but it's time to get back on it #humpday #muchneeded #motivation #behappy #smile

[kealyne]

[kealyne]

Live how you please! Last #PiPhi formal today, let's get rowdy #sorority #formal #daydrinking #booze #fun #sisters #seniors #bestyearsofyourlife #cheers #lifeisshort #quote #happiness

[kealyne]

Count your blessings, not your problems. Hard to do sometimes, but we have so much to be grateful for. It's never as bad as you think it is #staypositive #motivation #blessings #problems #quote #pickmeup #happy #humpday #hatersneedhobbies

[kealyne]

Started with day with 45 minutes of #kickboxing then decided to kill myself with this core #challenge #fxb #farells #abs #workout #trainextreme thinking I will be adding a new core routine each day #almostsummer #mtlsummer #wherearemyabs #pushyourself also, in need of a workout partner... @burnett_brit @sdanna #leggo

[kealyne]

I'll get there. One day at a time, but I will get there. Learning not to dwell on the mistakes and keep moving forward. #motivation #keepgoing #onedayatatime #quote #notthereyet #bebetter

[kealyne]

Needing a little extra motivation on this rainy Wednesday morning. #midweekmotivation #keepgoing #cantstop #wontstop #pushyourself

[kealyne]

Blurry but starting to see some definition in my arms! Killed it at upper body today, so hoping the progress keeps coming. #ftyf #mybesthasyettobeseen @flextyfamous #fxb #bodyshaping #progress #yougottastartsomewhere #bicep #upperbody #workout #teamflex #motivation #youcandothis #keepgoing