So now that the holidays are upon us - I think it's time I make some very specific holiday goals. Can you even believe that Thanksgiving is only 15 days away?!? Time just flies faster and faster the older you get. But anyway - this is the time of year that people gain an average of 7-10 pounds....how crazy is that? People lower their inhibitions because of all the holiday parties and they use these next two months as an excuse not to care. And so many people think "I'll just make a New Year's resolution and start the new year with a bang....and I'll get rid of all this weight once and for all!!" Can I please ask a question without sounding rude? Ask yourself honestly - how many times have you made that same resolution? How many times have you been successful?
What if - instead of making a New Year's resolution every year to "diet" and lose all that weight....what if you just decided to change your lifestyle NOW? You can still enjoy holiday treats and food in moderation! I live by the 80/20 rule. I try to eat clean and follow correct portion sizes 80% of the time and I let myself have treats now and again. But I also work really hard the rest of the time and make fitness and exercise a huge priority too. It's not hard to create those habits - trust me! If you would have told the old me that I would be waking up at 5am to work out every day and eating clean with tons of veggies - I would have laughed in your face (as I was downing a 20 oz diet coke and eating an entire bag of chex mix.)
So what are my holiday specific goals? Remember - goals should be specific, measurable, and attainable. And you must have a plan in place for how you're going to reach those goals.
1. Maintain current weight. After just finishing the 3 Day Refresh *click link for details on that*, I got back down to my goal weight. Whenever I get a little bit lax in the kitchen, those pesky five pounds come back. During the next two months - I want to keep particularly aware of that fluctuation and keep it in check so that I can maintain my current weight. How do I plan to do that? I'll be following the 21 Day Fix meal plan and using the color coded portion controlled containers. I find that when I'm following this program I feel the best, feel the fullest and most satisfied, and it keeps me in check. I also plan to work out 6 days a week, allowing myself a rest day if I need it. I usually don't like rest days because it's not good for me emotionally (working out is my therapy) - but I want to have it there in case I need it physically.
2. Have one plate at Thanksgiving dinner. This does seem like a really hard one because, let's face it, Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the whole year. I love turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, and pumpkin pie. But when I'm eating, I'm going to eat slow - enjoy every bite...and make sure to remind myself how great I'll feel after stopping at just one plate. I will let myself enjoy one small dessert this day as well. I think its important not to cut everything out all the time. Words to live by - everything in moderation. I'm also going to make a dish of mashed sweet potatoes so I can have that as an option besides regular mashed potatoes filled with butter and milk! It's the small things, right?
3. Limit alcohol intake. This would have been a hard one for the old me because I really enjoy drinking socially. But to be honest, I hardly ever even have a glass of wine anymore. I don't particularly like the way alcohol affects me mentally, so I've come to the realization that it's just not good for me personally. However, with the holidays and holiday parties - this might bring more temptation to do so. On Thanksgiving I'll allow myself 2 glasses of wine and at my family Christmas parties I'll allow myself 2 glasses as well. I know that any more than that just won't be worth the costs to me physically and mentally. I work so hard to be healthy - and I don't really want to ruin it with empty calories and a headache!
4. Focus on others. This one seems like a very general goal, yes. So how can I make it specific? Over the next few months, I want my focus to be on being thankful and showing my gratitude and appreciation for all the special people in my life. And going beyond that, I want to go out of my comfort zone and talk to strangers I meet. Everyone has their stories and you never know how you might make someone's day just by talking to them. They may have noone else to talk to that day. I also want to take the girls to visit some nursing homes & assisted living homes. I want to visit the elderly - especially those who might not have any family or friends that ever visit them. For a lot of us, the holidays are a fun and special time filled with family and friends. For others, it's a very sad and lonely time when people are reminded of things they have lost and mistakes they have made. What if we focused more on filling those needs instead of all the gift buying? I'm totally in for that.
5. Do my Bible study every morning. I recently starting doing a new personal Bible story in the morning before I work out. I am dedicating myself to learning more about Jesus and to spend time with Him every single day. Nothing should be more important than that, so that's why I've decided to spend my time first thing every morning in the Word. I want this to be something that I continue to do forever and I thought that now is the perfect time to start, especially since the holidays are coming and we are reminded of the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.
If there are goals you want to reach, whether it be personal, fitness, or health related - do yourself a huge favor and don't wait! You will always be able to use the excuse "I'm too busy". We all can use that excuse. It comes down to priorities, choices, and overcoming those excuses. And holidays come around every year. Do you really want to start over EVERY year? Make healthy habits now that will last a lifetime. You are only as busy as you make yourself. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and no matter how many times you tell yourself that's not true - it really is.
If you want to learn how to get on track with a healthy lifestyle and have no idea where to start or just need some tips....please contact me by email or message me on facebook and I would love to help you. This is my passion and I want to share it with as many people as I can.
