Happy New Year friends!
I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and your New Year is off to a wonderful start! I love New Year’s Day. It’s a fresh start, an exciting opportunity with a whole year ahead of new adventures, challenges, and experiences ahead. Isn’t that great?! January 1st is also a day when a lot of us recommit to health and fitness, to a “new you”. Resolutions can be an excellent way to set goals and challenge yourself. In that spirit, I wanted to share my 17 tips on how you can make 2017 your best year yet!
- Be realistic. All good things take time. Especially major weightloss or physique changes.
- Start with small changes. What are small changes you can make in your life today that will have an impact on what you’re trying to achieve?
- Be consistent. Success is built on consistency. Stay the course!
- Find your why. We all have different motivators, but only you can find out what yours is.
- Set SMART goals. Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-line driven.
- Have a game plan. This is huge, and perhaps one of the most important on this list. If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.
- Surround yourself with support. Birds of a feather flock together friends! Lifestyle changes aren’t easy. You need people around you to support you, and help keep you accountable.
- Challenge yourself. This is the fun part. It’s you vs. you.
- Measure progress. And NOT just by what the scale says! (see number 16). Record your workouts. Pay attention to your food choices. Take progress pictures! It will get easier, and you will get better. Progress can also be a great motivator. When you see how far you’ve come, it’s so encouraging to keep pushing forward!
- Rest is part of the program. Listen to your body. Sleep, rest, hydrate.
- Practice mindfulness. This is one of my favorites. It’s so easy to just go through the motions with the minutiae of life. Mindfulness is a practice of being present and paying attention. Be mindful of your spirit. Of what you’re eating. Of how you’re feeling. Be present friends!
- Remember to have fun. You won’t stick with anything that isn’t fun! When you’re having fun, life is more enjoyable!
- Reward yourself. Not necessarily with food, but with little perks that will keep you motivated and excited!
- Be nice to yourself. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you can keep your attitude and mindset in check, the rest will come.
- Balance is KEY. Life is too short to not enjoy it! Everything is fine in moderation. Have the wine, eat the cupcake, get some tacos!
- The scale isn’t everything. Especially as women, it’s so easy to tie our progress and attitude to what the damn scale says. Remember this is a lifestyle, as your physique changes, the scale will change. That’s why it’s so important to look at progress in every area.
- Take one day at a time. Honestly, take it one day, one meal, one workout at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Be nice to yourself and enjoy the process!
I don’t know about you, but I am so excited to see what this new year holds! I’m finishing up studying for my NASM Personal Training certification, and can’t wait to partner with more clients to help them in their fitness journeys. Happy New Year everyone!
Cheers!
-Mere