For the past several months I’ve been on the run helping clients with their goals and meal preparation.  Which in return has created more success in my business, but I’ve been neglecting myself when it comes to exercise and nutrition.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still watching what I eat and making occasional time to exercise, but since I’ve put more time into my business and less consistent time at the gym, those few extra pounds have made their way on.  You know the kind that make your jeans a bit tighter and shirts snug.  (At first I blamed my new dryer.)  Tis the season to make New Year’s Resolutions, and I have a few to share, along with the plan of how I am achieving them.

Just because I’m a bit heavier doesn’t mean I feel guilty.  Yes I’ll admit, there were times when I put on my jeans there were some thoughts of feeling bad or blame.  But when I got real with myself I discovered that it was I that made the decision to avoid the gym, so therefore putting on some weight was a side effect for a slower metabolism.  Also, guilt, or feeling shame, or being upset with oneself is not going to solve the jeans being tight.  What’s going to help is being consistent with exercise and making a conscious choice to eat certain foods in moderation, or choose to not eat them at all.  You know what I mean.  For example, those delicious chocolate covered pretzels; I swear those things eat themselves.  (Viscous pretzel eating pretzel world out there.)  Seriously I knew after the third pretzel that the sensation from the food was already gone, but I continued to eat another 5-6 of them.  I was not being conscious when it came to eating and realized later I was on auto-pilot.

So what’s the plan for a healthier, lighter and more fitting New Year?  Three commitments.  One, I decide when I catch myself being judgmental I will be aware of my self judgement, then take a breath and say something positive about myself.  This takes practice, but being aware of that critical talk and in turn saying something positive about yourself is a great tool to reduce self-sabotaging talk. Number two, I am committed to some form of exercise, a minimum of three times a week for 30-40 minutes.  Then increase from there.  Keep it simple Santa.  Of course if thoughts pop into my mind about, being too busy or, not in the mood, I can revert back to tool number one.  Then number three, I am being more conscious when I eat.  I am more aware of the types of food I eat and what feels best for my body.  As simple as these tools and tips are I am confident they will be a great stepping stone to get back on the track of healthy living.  You can even apply these tools into other areas of life.  My belief is that as long as I am being present to my actions, to what is happening inside me, and around me, any steps I take will get me closer to my goals.  Wish you all the best for 2017!  Happy New Year!