How to start your New Year off right!

Less than a week into the new year and I wanted to share some helpful tips to make your 2017 your best year yet. For so many, the new year starts off with a lot of enthusiasm and quickly begins to fade. We have great intentions but aren’t able to sustain momentum or generate the necessary energy to reach our desired goals. Life interrupts, followed by frustration, disappointment, guilt, and shame. Why does this happen so often and what can be done?

Goals are great but too often we set ourselves up for failure. Obviously we don’t know it or we’d do it a different way. So much time and attention is focused on BIG changes and cutting back. Although it makes a lot of sense, people tend to revert back to old ways, many times old habits that are comfortable. While there are a number of life areas to set goals, an overwhelming amount of attention is placed on health and fitness.

Every year gyms are crowded in early January and people attempt strict diets. Again, the intention to succeed is there, but the hard work between starting point and desired finish line, is very challenging.

Check out these 17 tips for 2017 and implement some or all into your healthy journey!

Don’t diet! Forget the “diets” and only focus on balanced & portioned nutrition. Is it easy? Maybe not…but it’s a simple process that will lead to positive results! We want fast results and when they don’t happen, we become frustrated, a little less motivated, and become stuck on the cycle of over-indulging and deprivation. The cycle does not end until we make the decision to focus on our whole health and a lifestyle change.

Identify 1-2 nutritional weaknesses or temptations, such as sugar, snacks, alcohol, etc., and develop a plan to replace those areas with something positive and healthy. It’s not just a matter of deciding to eliminate them…you need to replace them with something healthier.

Pay CLOSE attention to how you feel 30 minutes or more after a meal or snack. Do this regardless of whether it was “healthy” or not. When you are able to understand how nutrition, good or bad, influences your day, you’ll want to maintain that feeling.

Find a delicious AND healthy recipe to make once a week. Make the process fun, so plan a meal in advance, something you can look forward to and enjoy. No more bland meals!

Invest in quality sneakers for workouts. We keep up with (or at least should) physicals, eye checkups, and even teeth cleaning. Take care of your feet, knees and back, and spend some money on some nice shoes!

Involve your family and friends in your fitness journey, looking for opportunities to be active and healthier. You’ll be a role model while you spend quality time with them, while getting into much better shape yourself.

Go variety! Routines are easy to follow but they can become boring rather quickly. Look for ways to switch things up, whether it is your fitness, nutrition, or other areas of your life. Look to include more color into your nutrition, particularly in fruits and vegetables. There are so many out there so why not expand your choices? The old saying goes…”if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.” This is especially true in the health and wellness area. Same workouts over and over again and your body will get so used to them, they will not be as effective. You will also become less interested over time.

Cut the “cheat meal” mentality. Although the idea behind a cheat meal makes sense…eat clean for 6 ¾ days and then indulge in a meal of your choice, MOST people struggle to eat clean and then they give themselves the license to eat guilt free garbage. For some, it’s not easy to turn that mentality on and off and the cheat meal turns into cheat meals or cheat days. Begin slowly if you are new in your health journey…focus on portion control and balanced nutrition. If you get the increased urge to eat dessert, then make it a small serving. You then aren’t depriving yourself but instead limiting and monitoring your consumption.

Make a conscious effort to tighten your core at least a few times daily. Definitely focus on this during your workouts but also try to be aware when you are sitting in the car, at work, or when walking. This helps with posture and as you tighten the core, hopefully you will realize you don’t need to perform hundreds of crunches everyday.

Identify a workout partner or someone that can help you stay accountable with your fitness goals. You have to be careful with your selection as you are not interested in a “yes” person, nor are you looking for someone to berate you. There needs to be a mutual trust, someone who has your best interest and will challenge you, and yet someone you respect enough to listen to.

Change your attitude toward food and exercise. This will take time but will work if you are consistent. Use fitness as a form of therapy, or an opportunity to interact with people. Use nutrition as an energy boost and an opportunity to improve self-control. Change “I can’t and I have to” to “I can and I get to”. There will be many days where you don’t feel like making a good nutrition decision or working out, but in those times, remain positive and reflect on how you will feel when you remain focused and consistent.

Commit to enter a fitness race such as a 5k, half or full marathon, Mudder, Spartan, etc., or commit to hiring a fitness professional to help you improve your fitness level and quality of living. Maybe it’s a few sessions to start but someone with knowledge can help guide you on your journey and closer to your goals.

You NEED to find a way to remain motivated throughout the year and not become a New Year’s Resolution casualty. To do this you need to invest time daily, reading, meditating, focusing on something positive. What inspires you? Music? Books? People? Faith? Whatever you decide, make it a priority and carve out time each day. Don’t just listen, read, interact, etc…for the sake of doing it, but really invest time and energy so that your motivation, confidence, personal growth continue to improve. The most difficult part in a healthy journey is consistency. Commitment is a product of consistency. No one starts out saying they are a quitter, but as time goes on, it becomes easier to give in and give up.

Keep a sense of privacy. It’s natural to become excited with a new goal. Part of the beginning process is fueled by this excitement. But how often do you hear people talk about what they are going to do now and before long, lose that motivation, and doing something completely different? Admit it, you lose a little respect for that individual or at least roll your eyes and expect them to eventually quit. I’ve been guilty of both announcing I’m starting something new and gradually quitting, and looking at others with skepticism.

Focus more on your core rather than just your abdominal muscles. Earlier I mentioned a conscious effort to tighten your core, but now want to emphasize the importance of the lower back, hips, glutes, legs, and other muscles that help strengthen your core and shape your body. Belly weight does not disappear from excessive amounts of abdominal crunches. The muscles are strengthened, but the entire core needs focus. There are a number of exercises out there that will help engage the core, burn calories, and shape your figure.

Support people who are making a difference in their life and the lives of others. Jump on board! It’s a contagious ride that fuels positive living. If you don’t support others, you appear jealous whether or not you admit. People don’t want to fail, so take the time to encourage them in their endeavor. It’s important to remain positive for yourself, but also treat other people with a positive and encouraging atttitude. Struggles are real and it is important to understand the impact an encouraging word can have on an individual. Once in a while take the time to visualize yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Add an extra 15 minutes each week to at least one of your workouts. If it’s a cardio day, incorporate 15 minutes of weights or resistance into your routine. As your body changes and you begin to notice results, continue to challenge yourself. Set higher goals that require more intensity. Sometimes those last few pounds and/or inches are the toughest to lose, meaning fifteen extra minutes could make a big difference.

Take your journey in strides, a few steps each day toward your end goals. Drastic changes CAN make a quick impact, but can also lead to losing motivation or giving up too soon. Kickstart the new year by taking charge of YOUR health!