The holidays are prime time for losing the path to fit. But this year, there is a better way. For my mind, body, health and wellness, I’ve devised a plan to stay on track. Check out these 5 tips below!
Write it down:
Writing your goal down where you can see it, everywhere you can see it, will help you achieve it. I keep my goals written in my planner, each week. On my workout mirror in my office. On every day in my planner. I keep it visible so I never lose sight of what I am working for.
When you have a goal written down and hung in a really visible place, everyone can see it and cheer you on! My husband and I actually write down our goals in the shower and update them as we go. I love seeing his progress and how invested he is in getting his health back!
Plan, plan, plan.
Menu, workouts, your day. Plan for it.
Schedule:
If you leave life up to change, you’re taking yourself out of the equation and saying you have no control. The truth is: you are the only one with control. Make each day count, and give your actions purpose. I go to sleep only after I write down my intentions for the next day. Of course, that includes the mundane to-do’s of the day, like grocery shopping or laundry. But more than that, this list also includes reaching out to my friends and checking in- on a new baby, on a sick parent, just to say hi. It includes writing in which workouts I want to do, a new recipe I want to add to my menu for the next week, or a new handprint craft to do with the girls.
Be mindful of your time. Schedule your hours. Time may not always be money, but it is just as valuable – if not more so! Spend those moments filled with beneficial activities for you, for family. Work with intention and budget your time, just as your budget your money: to work for you.
Self-care:
More than that, make time for you and your workouts. This is a meeting with yourself. You would never just not show up for a meeting with your boss because you were tired. So here is your chance. Schedule a daily, 30 minute meeting with yourself to workout and another 15 minutes to read just a few pages of a really good book.
Menu:
Everyday should be a map of success, not a chance to fail. Sure, you may have slips, but you don’t have to set yourself up for them. Choose to plan your meals and snacks for each day ahead and then go from there. You can not create a shopping list. Precut, or even precook your food. Portion out snacks. Refill the pantry. Knowing what you’re going to eat means knowing what you have to make. For me, if I have time in the morning, I may cut up my veggies for later that night- that way when the 6 o’clock rush comes around, I am not in a panic with kids at my feet trying to make the whole meal in one swing.
My favorite tip ⇒
Make one meal a week that is really good to freeze, and double the recipe as you do. Portion out half of the dinner into a glass pan, let cool, cover and freeze. Do this every week, and on the days where you are so scattered your plan goes to hell, grab a backup!
Shop for success
If it’s not in your home, you can’t eat it at 2am.
You’ve heard it all before:
* Shop the outside aisles before the inside
* Make a list of what you need based off your menu planning (Plan, plan, plan: see above)
* Shop fresh > frozen > canned* Eliminate one negative a week
* Purge the bad, fill with good
* Never shop hungry
So, as to not sound redundant… start with menu planning. Once you have a plan, open the pantry. What do you need to shop for? Don’t forget snacks for the week and spices that may make your food even more unique. I love cinnamon, garlic, Sriracha sauce, fresh citrus juice, and vanilla extract to pep up my dishes!
Once you see what you need, see what you don’t. Then get rid of it- or re-purpose it. Crackers left over from a party? Spread them on a tray, season them with salt, pepper, parsley, garlic and olive oil. Toast and crush. Now you have bread crumbs, perfect to make the kids homemade chicken fingers.. and no temptation of just one cracker. See the flour running low? Don’t buy more white flour, replace it with coconut flour for next time. You don’t have to throw money away, but replace those items that aren’t as good for you as they deplete, with better-for-you options.
Now that your pantry is clean and your list is made, grab yourself a healthy snack and hit the grocery store. Stick to the list. If your boss asks you to do 3 things for a project, you don’t add a million more items to that task, even if it seems like a good idea. Head down. Shop. That’s your goal. I often do toiletry shopping and food shopping separately so I don’t go meandering down aisles (or my husband and I split the list while we’re in the store to be more effective).
Now that you have everything for the week, store it as it’s meant to be and work from what you have!
Get started
Tomorrow isn’t a choice anymore. I know you’ve said tomorrow. Later. Next paycheck. When I have time.
…but when will you have more time?
I know that the longer I put something off, the more work, thus time, I need to put in when I get to it. From work projects that I have to rush to complete to weight piling on that takes me longer, harder workouts to flush out. The more time we let pass with excuses, the more time we need to spend later to get to where we want to be.
Now is your day, so take advantage of it!
Excuses are just well planned failures. Be better. You owe it to yourself. #fittips Click To TweetEnlist a friend, find your tribe, be a part of a fit-fam
Keeping yourself on track is done when you have backup. Trust me! From challenge groups (Balance + Sparkle) that connect you to a whole fit community that are working the same program and eating plan as you, to a buddy that texts you at 6am for your morning run every day- find your #fitfam.
I am really excited to be hosting a group in November that is LADIES ONLY! I usually have co-ed groups, but I want to support the women out there who are running double time. Between work, school, family, friends and holidays, we can really stress ourselves out. My group: Balance + Sparkle will focus on personal development, nutrition and community- and I am literally beaming at the possibility for my challengers!
When you enlist a group, you’ve not only taken a step towards a better you, but a leap! In our group, we’ll all be reading the same book to motivate, inspire and build the foundation to achieving your goals. You choose your workouts (yes, you can try Beachbody on Demand for FREE!), and your nutrition- which I can help you with, if you’d like. For the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, we will be giving back to the women who mean most in our lives: us.
No matter what you do, find your balance so you can sparkle! These 5 tips will help you get there and prepare for the best holiday season yet: for mind and body!
I look forward to hearing all about your holiday success plan!
Personally, I think the best way to have a stress free holiday is to simply not worry about it. Don’t worry about the supposed extra pounds you’ll gain. Enjoy your time with your family instead.
I enjoy it, of course… but then I start to feel so sick. Staying on top of it just makes the most sense for me!
I love that you and your husband write your goals on the shower wall. These are all great tips. Planning is such an important step.
Keeps us on pointe!
The holidays is not an excuse to not exercise and workout. If anything, you should even double your physical activity around that time. These are great tips on how to do just that.
So true!!
I’ll definitely have to implement these tips over the next few months. The holidays are so jam packed with food, family and more food.
SO true! I enjoy it, of course… but then I start to feel so sick. Staying on top of it just makes the most sense!
Love the idea of writing down your goal. What did you use to write on the shower wall?
I used my kids’ bath crayons. LOL!
I try not to buy the treats I like. If it is not in the house then I can not eat it. My weakness is the drive thru when I am out. I have been doing a lot better eating healthier this year.
Drive thrus are hard to give up!
I’m definitely less likely to cheat on my diet if I am prepared with healthy options ready to go! I really do tend to let myself enjoy the holidays though. Maybe this year I’ll try to do a little better and not have to struggle in January with the guilt. 😉
It’s all about the prep! I say go to the parties full on GOOD foods, enjoy water before anything else and be good to you!
These are great tips! I especially like the tip to double up recipes once a week. We eat out too much on crazy days so this would help cut that down.
It really does!
Wonderful tips! Especially make a plan and schedule. I recently went back to college and my “do what I want when I want” care-free days have come to an end. I need to plan and schedule everything now.
I love having a plan! Even if I deviate sometimes, it is nice to know what needs to get done.
Great tips. It can be very well applied for all year round overall health! Get your mind in line, get your body in line with healthy conscious choices and find the support. I’m interested in joining, as I believe the support is a HUGE part of helping most of us be at our healthiest.
So true! Staying on track, all year, starts with a plan and a desire to put that plan into action.
I would love the holidays be a relaxing experience, so would love to keep planning to the minimum and take it as it comes. This I feel would make it more exciting.
Just one planned step at a time, and you are bound to have a wonderful holiday season!
This is such a great post. You have some great tips. I love the tip about posting the list in a visible place. Excellent idea!!
If you see the goal, you keep reaching for it, right?
Great tips! I love the idea of writing down everything you want to do the next day before sleep. Some nights I think of wanting to do something or call someone and I completely forget about it the day after. Planning a schedule would definitely help me remember.
I feel like when it’s written down it’s so much more palpable- makes it easier to stick to.
Good advice! Who doesn’t love to experience on holiday to relax? We want it all. Thanks that I found this excellent ideas.
Thanks!
I don’t like the feeling of overeating during the Holidays and I also try to avoid anything that has too much fat on it. It’s good to have a fitness plan before, during and after so that you can get your weight back on track.
I am so there, too. I feel like I LOVE ALL THE FOOD, but then I feel so sick. Having a plan in place this year is where it’s at!
I can’t believe it is already time to start thinking abut this! I am a big believer of lists.
Amen to that!
All good tips but ‘write it down’ is my favorite. I always think I am going to remember but then I always forget things I want to do for the holidays.
OMG- HOLIDAY BRAIN is the worst!
Planning always helps. I write my goals in my planner as well as it motivates me & pushes me to go for it every time I see it. But at the same time I really don’t care about the results as I know I will reach the path if my focus is perfect!
All about focus- you sound like you know what’s up!
I used to fret about the holidays and all the things I thought I needed to do. One day, I stopped and decided I was going to simplify and use that time to relax with my family in an easy, unchallenged way. It made all the difference. 🙂
Love that!