—
WTFW
Goals For the New Year
Happy What The Fork Wednesday!
The new year is riiiiight around the corner y’all!
How many of you have been thinking about what you want to change regarding physical health choices entering 2019? Any resolutions that you promised yourself this past year that you didn’t keep up with? Or that you have been wanting to make room for, but just haven’t quite taken the plunge? I know I have a few…
I think it’s a great time to start really planning on what you want to do in 2019 as far as your health, fitness, and nutrition goals are related. Let’s set some goals! Real, sustainable goals that might pull you out of your comfort zone. This is called growth, I believe :) Write them down and put the list somewhere you can see. A new gym, a new eating plan, a new routine that has you busier, taking care of an injury, mental practices, nutritional practices, cooking influences, improving specific areas of your sport/physical activity of choice, etc…whatever it may be for you, lets get serious and decide that enough is enough! You are ready. All you have to do is choose to be ready, to be consistent and make a change, to practice daily decisions of a better physical well being.
Lifestyle changes are hard…for some, very extreme. But, I know no-one who has ever looked back and wished they’d stayed their “old selves”. Not one. It’s time for self care and self love!
Now, another important question…why wait? Let’s tackle the month of December in terms of setting realistic goals and expectations for 2019, and start implementing steps into our daily life. The holidays are the most hectic time of year and it’s easy to get caught up in all of the mumble jumble. A lot of people tend to gain extra unwanted lbs this time of year simply because of all of the gatherings and parties and happiness and food that flows freely and all the things at special events and on and on and onnnnn! How can we resist???? Ugh! The struggle. I The best of food comes out this time of year. Not complaining, but I know what I don’t want even more, is to lose track of my vision and goals. Not saying I’m going to skip mom’s coconut cream pie…ha! But I am saying I will be smart with my choices and intentions!
Here’s some tips to keep you on track through December into the New Year!
- Write down your goals, and look at them every day.
2. Learn to say “no”.
You don’t HAVE to have the appetizers or desserts or anything you don’t wanna. Nothing and no one is making you put things into your mouth. Plain and simple. Start practicing on the daily with one thing at a time. This will get easier, just gut it out and stick to your decision. No one will be offended that you didn’t try their _______ either, promise.
3.Conciously make the effort, and be aware of those decisions.
Every time you keep a promise to yourself, you grow. These little promises kept over time reveal a love for yourself you never knew existed…so it’s important to recognize when you have given yourself the respect your body deserves through fitness and nutrition. When your health is a priority, you will see a shift in your life in ways you may have never thought possible. Small wins build confidence. Over time, these minor milestones will have laid a foundation for you. You will now remember what it feels like to take charge of your thoughts and actions, and it will become easier and easier over time. It really is the little things. :)
4.Stay away from the booze.
Or at least have some in moderation. Parties are all the rage this time of year. All kinds! And lets face it we all love to let loose and be merry with family and friends. But like anything else, moderation is best. Alcohol is one of those things that can really destroy your diet and fitness goals if you aren’t careful. It is probably the absolute worst thing you can put into your body when you’re trying to create a better lifestyle. Of course, a few drinks here and there won’t hurt! I’m talking more about going tooooo hard tooooo often. So, first and foremost, don’t feel obligated to drink at social parties! You can have sparkling drinks with lime, bring your own mixture of virgin goodness, or go the water route. Another idea, give yourself certain days your will have drinks and stick to that. Plan in advance when your know you have gatherings to attend to. You can do it.
5.Eat at home!
This could potentially be a game changer in your life as well! If you are someone who eats our a lot, and wonders why maybe you aren’t succeeding with weight goals/health goals, it might be time to put this topic underneath the magnifying glass. I have cut down my fast food/eating our life tremendously over the past couple of years. Taking the time to prepare your own food can do wonders for your mental health and how one views food. Especially when what you’re cooking is abundant with nutritious value (Whole Foods, lots of veggies, fruits, lean meats). Each week, lay out your schedule/plans, decide when you’re going to go to the store, what your’re going to make recipe wise, and make a list. Don’t know what to make? Hop on Pinterest for some Inso. There is SO much on the internet nowadays. Pick some easy recipes, don’t overwhelm yourself. Crock pot recipe or one pan recipes are a great place to start. Recipes that require minimal ingredients, made up of Whole Foods. You HAVE to be open to finding time to do these things if you want to make the change. Everyone is busy….choose to prioritize yourself and you can make it happen.
Not as easy as it seems, I know, all the things, but we can try. You gotta start somewhere. With all of the hustle and bustle this month, remember to tap into that strong voice inside your head, the one that is kinda hard to hear sometimes. Know that YOU have control over that! Empower yourself by deciding for yourself. Mind over matter, baby. The compilation of actions that you make daily will take your closer to your goal and have a snowball effect on your progress and mentality towards your new lifestyle. It’s all about the journey! One day at a time, friends.
December, are you ready?
Go grab a pen and paper and get started on #1!