I spent my Sunday checking out a local bridal show. I like to see what’s new in bridal trends and pick the brains of the vendors and attendees for tweaks to my bridal bootcamps. I had a blast! However… I must have been asked this question 10 times: “I blew it over the holidays! Now I’m panicking. What do I do?”
It’s so easy to get off track for the last 3 months of the year. The days go by quickly, the holiday parties stack up and before you know it it’s the New Year. Focus on these 3 elements and get ready for an amazing 2016!
1. Nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Mindset
Nutrition obviously is a big one and one that I can speak to personally. There’s a fine line between balance and making it so difficult that you can’t keep it up. I used to spend all my time cooking and prepping food. I ate 1000% “clean”. And I could maintain it for about 9 days on average. Then I’d blow it because life happened and there was no backup plan. Make it easier for yourself – pick meals to batch cook and plan in advance. Eating clean has taken on many different definitions – mine is avoiding sugar and white flours. Sugar is a tough one for me to kick and once I’m on the sugar train its full speed ahead. I designed a free 72-hour sugar free challenge complete with grocery list, meal plan and recipes to help you kick the curb. I used it myself right after Christmas - my sugar cookie habit was escalating quickly. It’s free – sign up here!
Exercise. Bottom line if you aren’t already in the flow of getting your workouts in, don’t go overboard. Keep it simple – get out for a hike or a daily lunchtime walk. Experiment with a new class, ask a friend to be your workout partner for some motivation. Just don’t try to overhaul everything. Remember it takes time and small changes done daily add up exponentially over time.
If you're an avid gym goer and just aren't seeing the results you desire, it’s time to take a look at what you are doing and change it up. Try out this cardio drill for something new on the treadmill:
Mindset plays a major role in accomplishing your goals and if your goal is to get back on track, you really need to be aware of the self-talk going on in your head. Forget the past and what you might have eaten/drank/Netflix binged over the holidays, give yourself some grace and move forward. Morning meditation – I resisted for soooo long! I never thought I could or should do it. Now, I do at least 5 minutes on most mornings. It’s still not easy (hence the 5 minutes!) but it crushes feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Don’t know where to start? This is where I started. Getting married can be stressful and this is one way to find some calm and focus in your busy day.
Jen Raymond is a National Personal Training Institute Certified Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition Certified Coach and has been in the business for over a decade. She recently launched her fitness training business for women - FitGirlsNW.
