Hello Fit Bodies! How did your first week of 2012 go? Can you believe it’s all behind you already? I know. SO I wanna check in on you and your goals. Amongst your list of resolutions I bet you had one of these on your list;
- Get Fit!
- Lose Weight
- Eat Healthy
Am I right? Am I close? Of course you did! As humans we are constantly seeking improvement and so yearn to better ourselves every year. So every year we go through the same rigmorole of setting up these noble achievements to strive for only to abandon them come March in lieu of spring-time frolic and fun. Then we pull our bikini’s out in June and kick ourselves in our flabby booties muttering unpleasantries to our sorry reflections in the mirror. Mind you, only after recovering from the mild shock the that the reality of this situation induces. Will you ever stick to your New Year’s Goals? Yes!! This year is going to be different.
There are hundreds of articles and posts floating around right now from Fitness Magazines, Health Gurus and Bloggers about everything from goal setting, to meal plans to making resolutions stick. So I’m gonna through a little spice in the mix and give you a healthy dose of reality. Ready?
Whatever you have chosen to accomplish this year… you will fall of the wagon. Probably more than once. You will curse yourself and maybe your life. You will give up. You will make mistakes. You may stumble, fall and possibly make an ass of yourself.
That is ok. Guess what? Nobody said you had to be perfect. Perfect isn’t always good. In fact, perfect can be downright boring. How could you possibly measure your success if you didn’t come up against any obstacles or make any mistakes?
You are human and you are learning. You have made a bright, shiny, new decision to Shake it Up! To incorporate something new into your life, something unfamiliar, challenging and ultimately terrifying. Yeah, change is scary. It induces the fight or flight reaction deep within our core because, as human beings, we instinctively seek comfort. To really change means stepping out side of that comfort zone.
I’ll tell you something else…
You will get back up.
You will stay on track. No matter what.
You will surprise yourself.
You are stronger than you can imagine.
You will succeed.
I can’t tell you how, or what to do. There is no one “right way.” What I can do, is give you some tips and guidelines along the way. I can share my favorite workouts, meals, products and apps. I can offer motivation and support throughout your journey. Here at RSVP we can create a community and hold each other accountable. I’ll be here every Friday to lead you through it… how does that sound?
This year really WILL be different!
So, my new fierce fitness buddies… I want to leave you with a few things to think about in regards to your health, fitness and weightloss goals.
First things first: Find your WHY!
Sure you want to lose 10 pounds, you want a six pack. Who cares? Who doesn’t? WHY? Connect your goal to something real, something meaningful that drives you and gives you purpose. Something bigger than the obvious aesthetics. Dig Deep. Then Dig Deeper. Write it down and tape it to your bathroom mirror. Post pictures of what or who inspires you on your fridge. set it as your wallpaper on your computer and smart phone. Your WHY should be ever present. Get creative! Lady Gaga puts a giant diamond in her glass whenever she is drinking something to remind her that she is worthy and deserving of wealth, beauty and abundance in her life. Uh… I think it’s working.
Nobody likes a Calorie Nazi and Sober Suzy can be a downer.
Look I’ve been both of these people. And I am telling you, from experience, you will rub your friends and colleagues the wrong way if you are constantly yammering on about calories and nutritional stats, turning down invitations to dinner parties and declining every treat sent your way with a turned-up nose. While it is important and absolutely necessary for your success to set up guidelines and restrictions and make some major changes in your routine, you are going to be invited to birthdays, holiday parties, weddings and work events that could potentially derail your diet if you lack a good amount of will power. But don’t cut off your social life! The whole reason you are doing this to enrich your life, so you can live a better life. Not so you can become a martyr and a hermit. Just don’t talk about your diet, or how fattening the hor d’oeuvres in your best friends hand is. Check the menu before you get to the party or restaurant, chose an option that fits into your plan, stick to your decision and don’t make a big deal about it. If someone offers to buy you a drink, and you’ve cut out alcohol, say thank you and ask for a selzter with lime. If they question you, casually remark that you are cutting down, or you may choose have a drink later. And if you eat a cookie… you better enjoy it. Because if you don’t, you’ll eat 20 more by the end of the week. You haven’t failed. You just ate a cookie. Work a little harder tomorrow.
Your Loved Ones Like You Just the Way You Are.
They do. They
really do. Fat, thin, tall, short, curly, straight, it doesn’t matter. They know you for who you are. And they
do not want you to change. This sounds nice doesn’t it? … but remember when I told you that people seek comfort and that change is scary?! Well, it’s hard to be the one that’s changing, but it’s also scary and uncomfortable for those who are witnessing your transformation. This is quite possibly one of the most difficult challenges when you set out on the path towards self-improvement… and change. People will question you, test you, try to derail you. They’ll be thinking:
“Why is she doing this? Who will he become? Will I still matter?” And then even more deep-seeded issues come up for them:
“I wish I could do that. I wonder if she’s judging me. Does he think he’s better than us?”
Some of your friends will get angry and even jealous. Your parents will be so confused. You are eating differently and you are making strange new choices. You might become unavailable at times when you would usually be free because you have carved out “You Time” to work out or take a class. Some activities, like bar-hopping and pizza night, will become off-limits and eventually no longer be of any interest to you. Everyone around you will seemingly be freaking out. Because they don’t like change. And they’ll make it hard on you because they love you so much the way you are and also because deep down, they know how good it is for you, how difficult the journey must be and how much they wish they could do the same.
Stick to it. Be the change. You might inspire someone close to you. Or even a whole community! While, inside you may be in overhaul-construction zone mode, just try to be just as “normal” and present for your loved ones on the outside. They will adjust much better to the slow reveal.
Accountability is Key.
Ok, ok, I know I sound like I’m saying you should keep everything to yourself. BUT you need a partner, a buddy, a pal. Preferably someone who is going through the same things you are. Someone you trust, respect, who challenges and supports you and will hold you accountable to your goals. This might mean actively seeking out a new friend. Scary?! How about exciting!! Your resolution, your brand new, shiny decision is going to open up a whole new world of possibilties to try new things and make new friends. This is one of the best parts. While all your loved ones look on through one narrow eye in silent worry, these new commrads will accept you as your are, right now. They totally understand and they don’t know you any differently. These are the people you can count calories and reps with. Embrace them. Everyone else will be there when you come out on the other side. Your life will be richer and more diverse. I promise.
Some places to look for support:
- Team Beachbody – Jey, Caley and I are all Beachbody Coaches and this has created an immense an invaluable network of accountability, inspiration and support for us. If you are interested in joining this community send us a message and one of us will get back to you to talk about it one on one.
- My Fitness Pal App – Jey swears by this little bugger. I just started using it and I will weigh-in on what I think by the end of the month. Check it out, it’s free! Add us as friends!! We can see if you met your caloric goal and how much you worked out. Talk about motiviation! I definitely do not want Jey seeing that I went 500 calories over my daily limit on a Friday night.
- RSVP – Duh. We are all here for you! Email us with questions. Post your story. Tweet us. Find us on Facebook! As Jey says “Your life is limitless when you share and shine.” And it’s true.
Do you have any tips on how to find support? Questions about overcoming obsticles? A success story to share? Post it here. I would love to hear from you!
Cheers to your Health!
xxO Shay
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