Beat the holiday bulge!
Have you been on holiday recently (or had time off) and slipped from your routine? It's so easy when you're away to put on some extra pounds. I mean c'mon you're on holiday! Who wants to be slogging away at the gym all day or watching what they eat?
That's all well and good but now you've come back you've noticed that you've brought something a little extra with you in addition to your holiday tan! An extra bit of loose bulge around your middle!
I'm all for balance and think that life should be enjoyed. It's ok to fall off the wagon now and again and not watch every morsel of food entering your mouth but now you're back it's time to get a hold of the reins and get back on track!
To get you motivated here are some pointers to shift your thinking and get you going again. I know what it's like to lose momentum completely and woudn't want that for you! Take my tips and if you have any questions pop them in the coments section below. And oh... Welcome back ;)
Are you ready? Let's do it!
1. Get your head in gear
Your holiday was good. You still want to be there. The last thing that you want to think about is getting back into a routine! But the truth is you have to and the quicker you do the better it will be for you in the longrun! There is no point in moping about being back. I know it's tempting to get the September blues but CHANGE your thinking! It doesn't have to be doom and gloom. You can get motivated again and you can achieve great results and feel good about yourself. That alone will cheer you up. So start thinking differently. Think about all the benefits of feeling healthy and looking good, even in autumn. Set some new goals. Do you have any events coming up? If there's nothing that's imminent then aim for Christmas. It's closer than you think (Four months away - enough time to get your body ready to fit into your favourite dress). Have a goal to reach for so that you can start looking forward and so that you don't get caught out when Christmas does finally arrive. See next point below on how to set a goal.
2. Set a goal
Goals are a powerful way of getting you to focus. Without goals we tend to wander aimlessly through life and stumble on our destiny rather than shaping it ourselves. We use the excuse of not having enough time or other resources but usually our problem is not that we don't have enough resources but that we are not resourceful enough. Think about it. If there was something that you really, really wanted, you'd find a way to do it. There are times in our lives when we are lazer sharp because it's important to us. So set a clear goal. Describe to yourself why it's important to you, then write down an action plan of how you will achieve it. Take Christmas for example. What will you do to reach your goal, whether health related or otherwise? You have plenty of time to plan and prepare how you want to look, feel and be when the time comes. Don't wait till the last minute to get prepared! The good thing about goals is that they get you to forward think. What's the next thing you can look forward to? What is the next thing you can prepare for? Forward thinking means you'll be ready when the time comes. Which brings me onto my next point...
3. Make a plan
I can't say enouh about planning. If fail to plan then you plan to fail. Without a plan you have no structure to go by. It might happen or, it might not. You may get things done but then again you may not, and you have nothing to measure it by! Planning everything from your weekly shop, to your gym routine, is fundemental to getting the job done much quicker and much more efficiently. When it comes to exercise and healthy eating, planning is crucial so that you have no excuse to not do it. Anything from putting your gym clothes out the night before to planning your workouts or booking your classes at the gym in advance. Planning sets it in your mind and puts it in your mental diary so that you are more likely to do it.
4. Prepare
It's great to have a plan but no use if that nicely written plan or to do list sits on the kitchen table. You must prepare. Preparation comes in many forms. You can prepare yourself mentally, pysically and emotionally. You can also prepare practically and socially. Don't underestimate preparation time. It could be the difference between sucess and failure.
Here are some ways that you can plan for a healthier daily routine:
1. Weekly grocery shop - Don't leave it till you run out of everything. Get stocked up with all you'll need so you won't grab unhealthy options
2. Prepare meals in advance - so you're not caught out when you're tired or time-short
4. Get your gym clothes ready from the night before - Makes life easier and tells your brain you're ready to go!
5. Put it in your diary - Make an appointment with yourself and don't cancel!
6. Plan your run or workout - Decide in advance what route you'll take, which class you'll choose which muscles you'll work, rather than just pitch up and faf around undecided
7. Tell your family what you're doing - Making friends and family members aware will mean that they won't disrupt you and can they can encurage you and keep you accountable
Can you think of other ways to prepare? Mention them in the comments section below.
5. Make it a habit
Whatever you do that is good you want to make it a habit. It's easy to form bad habits but we are able to form good ones too. Habit forming is a psychological process that consists of three stages, the cue, the behaviour and the outcome. It's usually the outcome that we are after and the cues trigger the behaviour that produce the outcome. So think about the outcome that you want and create cues to trigger the right behaviour. If want to go to the gym regularly you can create a reward type outcome like treating yourself to a healthy smoothie or a skinny latte after you go to the gym. Going to the gym then becomes part of the reward process of your habit.
I was recently asked to be quoted in the October's issue of the Women's Running magazine on how we form habits. Take a look below. My comments are in Section 2 - Set Clear Goals and Section 7 - Create the Right Cues and bullet points 2 and 8 on the right hand panel of page 2.
I recently wrote in Women's Running Magazine - October Issue
(Section 2 - Set Clear Goals. Section 7 - Create the Right Cues.
Bullet Points 2 and 8 on the right hand panel of page 2.)
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