Here it is...the end of the first month of 2016. How are you doing on your 2016 goals/resolutions? Have you already fallen off the wagon? If so, IT'S OK. Every single day can be New Year's. You don't have to wait for next January 1, or even a Monday to start anew. Just refocus, recommit, and reenergize!
I have most definitely not been perfectly achieving my goals that I set. However, I do revisit them weekly and try to plan out how I will continue to work toward them. What worked this week, and what didn't? What can I do in the future to make those instances of "not working" fewer?
Sometimes just changing one thing can be the key to revitalizing your momentum. Drink more water, plan to get more sleep, join my Challenge Groups, start a new workout program. Automate your payments, save every $5 bill, bring lunch to work one day a week.
Here's a great article from Bodybuilding.com with 61 Fitness Tips to Make 2016 Your Year of Change...there are some great ideas to get you back on track!
Let me know what your favorite tips are below!
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Friday, January 22, 2016
We Are What We Repeatedly Do
I think I've figured it out. The key to lifestyle change is...HABITS. Doesn't that sound easy? Yes! Have I mastered it? NO! But, figuring it out is the first step and I think I've already set up a few keystone habits that have helped me.
To me, a habit is an action so ingrained in you or your schedule that you don't even have to think about doing it anymore...in fact, it's not an option or a decision that you even have to make. It just IS what you do. So, how do you establish habits? Well, here are some tips to developing good habits.
1. Surround yourself with a supportive environment. For me, this means laying out my workout clothes by my bed every night, so that I have less excuses for my morning workout. It means spending the time on the weekends to chop veggies and fruits and prepare healthy snacks and meals. It means using technology and apps if that's your thing to track your water intake or set reminders to drink your water.
2. Think about the good things you want to do, instead of the bad things you shouldn't do. What is your new habit adding to your life? Don't think of waking up early as losing time sleeping; think of it as gaining an hour or two to accomplish your goals or take more time for self-care.
3. Make your promises public so people can track your progress and hold you accountable. That's right...go ahead and Facebook it! I'm telling you, I've seen it work! And it may just inspire others to do the same.
4. Find a success buddy. Make sure it is someone close enough to you to tell you the truth!
5. Use competition for optimum performance, if that's your thing. Personally, this approach seems to backfire for me--I cave under pressure. But there's a reason The Biggest Loser competitions have taken the workplace by storm and people have as many Fitbit friends as Facebook friends.
6. Celebrate your achievements! Whether it's publicly or just a little internal pat on the back, make sure you take the time to recognize your efforts and successes.
7. Be willing to be boring! You've probably heard this before--your willpower is actually a finite resource that is used up with each decision you have to make throughout the day, whether it's what outfit to wear or what to eat. This is why Steve Jobs wore the same black shirt each day. It was one less thing he had to "waste" his willpower and decision-making on. So make things so routine that you don't even think about them anymore. I plan my workouts for 5:30 every morning, no matter the day. I wake up, put my workout clothes on, let the dog out, turn on the coffee maker, drink my preworkout, and get going. Every single morning. I use a scheduled workout plan so I don't have to decide which workout I "feel" like doing that day. Every single day I make my chocolate Shakeology for breakfast. Yes, I'll admit it, it's boring. But it works and I don't have to spend much energy thinking about it!
8. Reward yourself. Treat yourself to a mani-pedi, buy new workout clothes or a new set of weights, get a massage, or just treat yourself to a special outdoor workout in a place you might not usually have time to drive to. It doesn't have to be expensive; it just goes back to taking a moment to recognize your achievements.
9. Lastly, if you're just getting started with habit development, consider starting with an incredibly small habit; one that's so small, almost ridiculous, that you can't not do it. If you want to start working out, commit to doing a 1-minute workout daily. If you want to start meditating, begin with 1 minute a day. You might think, "What good will one minute do?" It will do a great deal in establishing consistency, that's what!
If you want more information on habit development and it's benefits, some great resources include BJ Fogg's website and Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habits book.
To me, a habit is an action so ingrained in you or your schedule that you don't even have to think about doing it anymore...in fact, it's not an option or a decision that you even have to make. It just IS what you do. So, how do you establish habits? Well, here are some tips to developing good habits.
1. Surround yourself with a supportive environment. For me, this means laying out my workout clothes by my bed every night, so that I have less excuses for my morning workout. It means spending the time on the weekends to chop veggies and fruits and prepare healthy snacks and meals. It means using technology and apps if that's your thing to track your water intake or set reminders to drink your water.
2. Think about the good things you want to do, instead of the bad things you shouldn't do. What is your new habit adding to your life? Don't think of waking up early as losing time sleeping; think of it as gaining an hour or two to accomplish your goals or take more time for self-care.
3. Make your promises public so people can track your progress and hold you accountable. That's right...go ahead and Facebook it! I'm telling you, I've seen it work! And it may just inspire others to do the same.
4. Find a success buddy. Make sure it is someone close enough to you to tell you the truth!
5. Use competition for optimum performance, if that's your thing. Personally, this approach seems to backfire for me--I cave under pressure. But there's a reason The Biggest Loser competitions have taken the workplace by storm and people have as many Fitbit friends as Facebook friends.
6. Celebrate your achievements! Whether it's publicly or just a little internal pat on the back, make sure you take the time to recognize your efforts and successes.
7. Be willing to be boring! You've probably heard this before--your willpower is actually a finite resource that is used up with each decision you have to make throughout the day, whether it's what outfit to wear or what to eat. This is why Steve Jobs wore the same black shirt each day. It was one less thing he had to "waste" his willpower and decision-making on. So make things so routine that you don't even think about them anymore. I plan my workouts for 5:30 every morning, no matter the day. I wake up, put my workout clothes on, let the dog out, turn on the coffee maker, drink my preworkout, and get going. Every single morning. I use a scheduled workout plan so I don't have to decide which workout I "feel" like doing that day. Every single day I make my chocolate Shakeology for breakfast. Yes, I'll admit it, it's boring. But it works and I don't have to spend much energy thinking about it!
8. Reward yourself. Treat yourself to a mani-pedi, buy new workout clothes or a new set of weights, get a massage, or just treat yourself to a special outdoor workout in a place you might not usually have time to drive to. It doesn't have to be expensive; it just goes back to taking a moment to recognize your achievements.
9. Lastly, if you're just getting started with habit development, consider starting with an incredibly small habit; one that's so small, almost ridiculous, that you can't not do it. If you want to start working out, commit to doing a 1-minute workout daily. If you want to start meditating, begin with 1 minute a day. You might think, "What good will one minute do?" It will do a great deal in establishing consistency, that's what!
If you want more information on habit development and it's benefits, some great resources include BJ Fogg's website and Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habits book.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Nice to Meet YOU
Thanks for visiting my new blog! I wanted to give a little
introduction to myself and my life and my purpose here to start.
My name is Sandy, and I am a 42-year-old (42?!) wife to my
amazing and inspiring husband, mother to two awesome teenage children and a
snuggly dog, as well as a Beachbody online health and fitness coach, a physical
therapist, and a Pilates instructor.
As you may assume from my varying careers, I’m into the
body, and wellness, and all of that. But even more than that, the older I get,
the more self-aware I get (one of the perks of getting older) and I want to
help every person who reads this to just feel better about themselves, whether
that has to do with your physical health or one of the many other Eight
Dimensions of Wellness included in the
image below as delineated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This is my goal…not because I’ve got it all
figured out (hell, no!) but because I am on a quest to learn as much as I can
to feel better, look better, perform better, and BE better for myself, my
family, and everyone I come in contact with. Hence, the name of this blog, “The
YOU Project.” I want this community to think of yourself and your life as a
never-ending project, always able to improve, always striving to push yourself
and build yourself up just a little bit more, with the benefit of others
helping and supporting each other along the way!
So, please feel free to comment below each post, including
this one, giving me your thoughts on the post! Today, take some time to
introduce yourself to the community of readers, tell us your goals, tell me
what you would like to hear about, or just say “hi!” I can’t wait to get
started with this project!
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