Perseverance For Staying Healthy (and Fit!) As The Year Comes To An End
When I think about the year coming to an end, my thoughts swirl in excitement for the cozy Holiday vibes along with the freshness that a New Year brings. Doesn’t the thought of waking up on January 1 with a feeling of READINESS sound amazing!?
We all have the best intentions when a new year comes, but why is it so rare that people follow through? I know as a studio owner that January is PRIME time for business and then we start to see a dip in attendance until the sun comes back out. I’ve definitely been “one of those '' people. Haven’t we all!? But, there’s a secret that no one has ever told you. Are you ready for it? Start (or maintain) your regimen before the holidays and EVERYTHING will change!
In case you forgot, you were born to conquer some amazing things in life. Imagine waking up on January 1st ready to HIT THE GROUND RUNNING with those audacious goals rather than put all your energy into playing catch up to detox and tone up from the Holiday shenanigans. Think about how you may make different/healthy choices at the Holiday parties if you already woke up and got your work out in!?
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to make your self-care a priority through the end of the year — that’s the easy part. The hard part is how to do it. Here are a few examples of what I do that helps keep me on track.
The 5 P’s
If you’ve been following me for a while you know I LOVE the 5 P’s - Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!
Plan your Movement, and I mean this quite literally. Each Sunday, check your calendar and commit to the times you're gifting yourself movement. Put it in your calendar and make it a “no matter what” promise to yourself.
Plan your Meals. We thrive so much better when there is a plan and knowing what food you’ll be nourishing yourself with gives you something to look forward to!
Check a Box. I know I say this a ton, but even though the power of checking a box is so simple, the unconscious confidence that it builds (knowing you showed TF up for yourself) is priceless. This confidence boost will always snowball into more good decisions.
But what about Holiday parties?
My general rule of thumb is to eat any and everything except the carbs (chips, crackers, desserts etc.) Even if the meal is more indulgent than a typical home meal, I know the extra fat and protein will fuel an amazing workout the next day which is always The Burn (post party.)
Another thing you can do is offer to bring something! When you bring your own salad, you can load your plate up and then dabble in the other things available. I love tweaking this quick recipe by adding goat cheese and warm butter pecans from my meal plan.
Last but not least, I often bring sliced veggies on a pretty platter with dip. It’s a win win — I’m giving other people a healthy option and also selfishly love replacing the chips/crackers with my sliced cucumbers at the hors d’oeuvres table.
Treat Yo Self
This is the toughest time of year to follow through, so it often needs a heftier reward system than the uge. I love treating myself to a spa day at the local hot springs if I checked all my boxes off over the course of a month. Choose something (other than food) that you’ll look forward to and choose a timeframe that works for you.
If you’ve read this far, I'm impressed! My challenge to you — commit to something for the end of the year and if you follow through, I want to give YOU a prize! Post a pic on IG of your set up to mooooooove your body and tag me. I’m picking 3 lucky winners for a total transformation package right before New Years.
Xx, B