Some of us may be finishing up a Spring Challenge, some may be brand new members at the gym, some are working hard to achieve fitness goals set at the new year… but for all of us, summer is approaching… and it’s almost here. Read more
Just like every other kid around, I loved Halloween. The costumes, running around the neighborhood, the pumpkins on the doorsteps… and of course, the candy. My sister and I would dump it all out on the floor at the end of the night and line it up, making trades and exchanges, making sure we could get our hands on as many of our favorites as possible and leaving a discard pile for those few that neither of us liked (you couldn’t have paid me to eat an Almond Joy as a child).
The Daily Habit…
My Pre-Holiday Challenge participants know that one of my main focuses for them right now is a daily habit. It’s actually my personal goal for the month of October too… every day, choose one habit and make some progress.
It can be a good habit that you want to build upon or make stronger. Like recovering appropriately post-workout with a protein shake and applesauce…
Or leaving a glass next to your sink so that you have water every time you walk by it…
Or meal prepping on Sundays so that you always have chicken and vegetables grilled for dinner and hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for snacks.
For most people, the idea of weight loss comes with an end date. “I want to lose 20 pounds by summer.” You lose those 20 pounds, great job, but then what? Likely story is that over some period of time you go right back to what you were doing before.
In most cases, those 20 pounds are unfortunately back with you, faster than the time you took to lose it. So what is the difference-maker, how are you going to keep that weight off once you lose it?
Consistent, long-term weight loss and healthy eating is most easily maintained when we use accountability tools to keep us on track. Without accountability, we don’t have that little voice saying, “make the right choice, you will be so much happier later.”
I’m pretty sure that you have either heard it, said it, or thought it. Monday, I’ll start on Monday. It gives us an out and tells us “it’s OK” if I eat this or drink this, because once Monday comes, I will be stronger and I will be “good” and “I’ll start my diet”.
I can bet that 9 times out of 10, there are a couple good days after Monday but within two weeks, you’ll have another Monday, I’ll start on Monday.
We have ALL been there. This roller coaster of emotions most likely leaves us lacking progress and feeling like a failure. So what’s the alternative? Read more
Think about your typical week.
Most likely, you can predict what days you will be working late, driving the kids to activities, or basically too tired to cook.
In fact, your typical day may include waking up at 5 am, getting the kids ready for school, a full day of work, picking up the kids to take them to practice, then getting home after dark. After a day like this, the last thing you want to do is prepare a meal for dinner.
You know when you think a lot about something, you feel like it’s everywhere around you?
Like when you start thinking about having a baby, suddenly everyone you meet is pregnant? That’s what it’s been like for me while I’ve been starting this nutrition-coaching business.
Nutrition is EVERYWHERE. It’s all I can think about.
It has happened to all of us. We set a goal, start working towards the goal… and then, we have a bad day, or a bad week, and we feel like it’s game-over.
Does that one bad day, or one bad week, completely reverse all of the hard work and progress we have made in the days and weeks around it?
No!
Of course not, but people are hard on themselves and quick to focus on the mistakes, which ends up taking a toll on their own motivation and future progress.