Does anyone else feel like September is basically the second New Year?
Summer has a funny way of making all our normal routines disappear.
Holidays, meals out, BBQs, ice creams ( i love a Croatian dark chocolate gelato!), later nights, weekends away… and suddenly the things we normally do without thinking seem to have gone completely out the window. 😂
Training might become a little less regular. Meals are all over the place. We're out more, we're socialising more and we're generally just enjoying ourselves.
And do you know what?
Good.
That's what summer is for.
I'm definitely not going into September thinking I need to somehow "undo" summer. I don't believe in punishing ourselves for enjoying food, having a holiday or missing a few workouts.
But I do love that feeling of getting some structure back, my ADHD brain needs it...
For me, September isn't about starting another diet.
It's about getting back to the things that make me feel good.
Moving my body.
Strength training.
Eating well most of the time.
Getting outside.
Having something to work towards, love a goal to give me focus.
And being around good people who make all of those things a lot more fun.
Welcome to the September Comeback 💪
This is exactly why I've called my next Simply Sabina Fitness programme the September Comeback.
Because that's what it is.
A comeback.
Not a punishment for what we ate over summer.
Not eight weeks of trying to make ourselves smaller.
And definitely not turning up on day one and absolutely destroying ourselves because we haven't trained properly for a few weeks. 😂
It's about finding our rhythm again.
And one of my favourite things about the fitness groups I've created isn't actually the workouts.
It's the women.
There's something very special about a group of women turning up after work, probably tired, sometimes not particularly wanting to train, and then leaving feeling completely different.
We encourage each other.
We laugh.
We moan.
I probably sing and dance when nobody asked me to. 😂
And somewhere amongst all of that, we get stronger.
That's the kind of fitness I love.
This Comeback is going outside the gym too 🏔️
I've also decided that this September we're going to have a few adventures.
Because fitness doesn't only happen inside four gym walls.
At the end of September, some of the September Comeback ladies and I are going to climb Snowdon together.
And I'm SO excited.
We've deliberately chosen one of the more manageable routes because this isn't about who's the fastest or fittest.
It's about doing something challenging together.
Getting outside.
Walking.
Talking.
Laughing.
Helping each other when it gets tough.
And hopefully standing at the top thinking…
WE ACTUALLY DID THAT.
Although knowing us, there'll probably be a lot of snacks involved too. (I always bring the goods) 😂
And then there's line dancing… 🤠
Yes.
Apparently I'm learning to line dance.
A few of the September Comeback ladies are coming along with me, and this one has an extra special reason behind it.
The lovely owner of my hair salon is dancing to help raise funds for Dougie Mac, so we're getting involved and supporting him.
I'm not entirely sure the world is ready for my line dancing skills, but we're going to have a go.
And actually, this is exactly what I mean when I talk about a healthy lifestyle.
It isn't just about calories burned.
It isn't just about steps.
And it definitely isn't about what the scales say.
Sometimes movement is lifting a heavy dumbbell.
Sometimes it's climbing a mountain.
And sometimes it's laughing your head off with a group of women while trying to remember which direction you're supposed to be line dancing in.
It all counts.
So where does Simply Sabina Eats fit into all this? 💗
Quite naturally, actually.
Because Simply Sabina Fitness and Simply Sabina Eats come from the same part of me.
I love training.
I love feeling strong.
I love looking after myself.
But I also LOVE FOOD.
I'm never going to be the person who tells you that getting back into a healthy routine means chicken and broccoli seven days a week.
Apart from anything else… I'm vegan. 😂
Simply Sabina Eats started because I wanted something that sat somewhere between the two worlds.
I wanted snacks that could support an active lifestyle but still feel like you're having something delicious.
Because sometimes you want an energy ball on the go.
Sometimes you want a protein flapjack with your coffee.
And sometimes you want a chocolate brownie.
Actually, quite often I want the chocolate brownie. 😂
And that's okay.
Healthy food should still taste good
One of the biggest things I've learned over the years is that if something doesn't fit into your actual life, you're probably not going to stick with it.
You can have the world's most "perfect" eating plan, but if you're miserable following it, what's the point?
That's why I'm so passionate about making my Simply Sabina Eats treats taste like actual treats.
They're handmade by me in small batches, and I'm constantly playing around with recipes, textures and flavours.
I want them to be something you genuinely look forward to eating.
Not something you reluctantly eat because the packet says "protein" on the front.
For me, that's what balance looks like.
You don't need a completely new you this September
I think this is probably the biggest thing I want to say.
Please don't feel like September means you suddenly need to overhaul your entire life.
You don't need to train seven days a week.
You don't need to throw everything in your cupboards away.
And you certainly don't need to feel guilty about whatever you did over summer.
Start small.
Book a training session.
Go for a walk.
Get outside.
Drink some more water.
Plan a few meals.
Put something in the diary that excites you.
Try something completely new.
Maybe even go line dancing. 😂
Just start doing a few more of the things that make you feel like you again.
My September is looking pretty full… and I love it 💗
Between running the September Comeback, making orders for Simply Sabina Eats, working, training, climbing Snowdon and apparently beginning my new career as a line dancer 🤠😂, September is going to be busy. oh and I started online training too.... (more to come on that soon)
But it's the kind of busy that makes me very happy.
There are women coming together.
There are challenges.
There are new experiences.
There is movement.
There is good food.
And there will be plenty of laughter.
That's my kind of healthy lifestyle.
Not perfect.
Not restrictive.
And definitely not boring.
So if your summer routine went slightly AWOL too, don't panic.
You haven't failed.
You don't need to start again.
Just come back.
Here's to a strong, happy and slightly chaotic September.
And yes… we're still eating the brownies. 💗
Sabina xx
Simply Sabina Eats × Simply Sabina Fitness
