I’m sure if you are reading this, one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to get fit and healthy. CONGRATULATIONS. That first step is huge!!! But the REAL hard work lies ahead…
In the past, have you ever made a “get healthy & fit” resolution, only to burn out a month or two in? Have you started out strong and inspired, and then lost motivation? It’s not at all uncommon! But I’m here to HELP you make THIS YEAR’S resolution STICK!!!Part of the reason people burn out so fast is because they set themselves up for failure from the start. I know that sounds harsh, but hear me out! While it is absolutely wonderful and commendable that so many people resolve to exercise and eat healthier, they often times put too much pressure on themselves and try to change everything at once, without taking any time to adjust. They swiftly become exhausted from their new lifestyle and go back to their old ways. Believe it or not, simply making new DECISIONS is tiring in itself, let alone breaking out of your comfort zone and eat well and exercising!
Here are my TOP TIPS for sticking to that New Year’s Resolution YEAR ROUND!
- Make it a LIFESTYLE change, not a diet. The moment you tell yourself you “can’t” have this or that, is the same moment you confine yourself to the drudgery of a “diet”. If that is something you can picture yourself doing for all eternity, than by all means go for it. But be honest with yourself. Will you be able to resist eating cake or pizza forever? Probably not. So rather than condemn yourself to chicken and asparagus forever and always, make a change that you can maintain for the LONG TERM. Think about all the healthy, delicious foods you CAN have and the treats that you CAN have on occasion! Being healthy and fit is a MARATHON, not a sprint. Make it a lifestyle that you can maintain for the long term, otherwise you will gain all the weight back PLUS MORE.
- Transform at your own pace! Just because someone else is able to eat chicken and broccoli every day or do two-a-days at the gym, doesn’t mean you have to do that too! If you don’t like chicken and broccoli, there are other options! If you don’t have time to go to the gym twice, go once! Don’t follow cookie cutter routines that you hate… create something you enjoy so that it will LAST!
- Set realistic goals. Things like drinking more water each day, cutting down your 3 sodas-a-day to 1-a-day, including more vegetables at dinner, increasing the weight you lift on a particular exercise, or adding an extra ten minutes to your cardio are all attainable, healthy goals. Once you succeed at these, make new ones and continue to build and expand on the solid foundation you’ve lain.
- Challenge yourself, don’t overwhelm yourself! Just because the fitness models you see in the magazines can bench or squat a certain amount of weight, doesn’t mean you will be able to do that too. It took these people months and years of training to get to the point they’re at. Build up at your own pace!
- Do a little research. One of the best ways to stick to a healthy eating plan or exercise schedule is to keep it interesting! There are SO MANY fantastic, free resources for recipes and workouts! Try googling “Clean eating *fill in the blank favorite food*”. Check out websites like Team Beachbody for workouts, nutrition plans and a support network! Don’t be afraid to use your Google search engine to find motivating bloggers & nutritious chefs!
- Be patient. It took more than a day to put it on and it’s going to take more than a day to take it off. Transforming your lifestyle and your physique will take time. The sooner you recognize and accept this, the better! You WILL have set-backs and losing weight/getting fit WILL take time. You will occasionally eat something unhealthy, you will miss a workout, you will stumble, you will make mistakes… you’re human! Nothing worth having ever comes easily… if it WERE that easy, everyone would be in shape! Know that you are only a failure if you QUIT. So don’t quit! You will regret it in the long run!
- Be positive. Instead of beating yourself up over mistakes, try doing the opposite. For example, if you slip and eat a slice of cake, don’t tell yourself cruel things like “I’m a pig” or “I can’t do this”. Instead swap those negative affirmations out for positive mantras like: “I can do this”, “I had a treat and now I’m getting back on track”… and MEAN IT!
- Start exercising! The trick is to find something you enjoy so that you will actually DO IT. There are SO MANY options, some of which include: weight lifting, pilates, yoga, cross fit, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, powerlifting, olympic lifting, jogging, cycling, spin, zumba, interval training, jazzercise, jumping rope, dancing, running, hiking, mountain climbing, swimming… the list goes on!! Some of my favorite and most motivating workouts are Les Mills Pump, Turbofire, Chalean Extreme, Body Combat, P90X and Insanity.
- Surround yourself with people who support you. There is nothing worse than having negative and/or jealous people around when you are trying to make a healthy, positive change to your life. There WILL be people you THOUGHT were your friends try to drag you back to your old, unhealthy ways. They might tease, taunt or grill you for your new habits. Some people can’t handle change. If you find that your healthy habits are being mocked or demeaned by those around you … ask yourself why your ‘friends’ would want you to go back to being unhealthy. Do they not understand the sudden change? If so, explain to them why you’re doing it… Or, are those friends just jealous? If so, CUT THEM OUT OF YOUR LIFE!
- Plan ahead! If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Prepare your meals and workouts in advance. Always keep workout clothes, a water bottle and protein powder with a shaker cup in your car so you never have an excuse not to hit the gym. Always carry an apple, a serving of almonds in a ziploc baggy and a packet of tuna with you.. that way you never have an excuse to hit the vending machines or burger joint!
You can do anything you set your mind to. Believe in yourself, don’t give up and you will get there <3 strong="strong">
You can always join my 12 week health and fitness program to be surrounded by constant motivation, support, guidance, meal planning and recipes to keep your head in the game and you body working towards your goals!
