Good evening. :)

 

With all of the holiday treats, parties, and temptations in December, I figured it would be the perfect time to challenge myself.

January is right around the corner, and you may already have your resolution planned out for the 1st of the year. I say we make this a December to Remember, and start living our best, healthiest life now.

There is no reason to be scared – no restrictions, no crazy diets – just a month early to start living your life to the fullest. For any of you who have made a lifestyle change, you know that it does not happen overnight. It is a gradual process with many mistakes. It is a learning experience about yourself. It is a lot of trial and error. It can be frustrating and emotionally draining, but in the end, I think it is worth it.

While I have some healthy habits of my own, I also let some slip during these cold, festive months. I haven’t been working out as much as I used to, and haven’t been preparing my meals like I should.

 

This goes hand in hand with my plans to stay fit this holiday season.

 

I encourage you to join in! I believe we all will feel 10 times better come January 1st. While we may be stuffed, cookie-ed out, and hungover, we won’t spend the first day of the new year feeling overwhelmed with how much weight we need to lose, or how many bad habits we need to change. We will already have a head start!

 

I know it can be a bit overwhelming even now – there are presents to buy, cookies to bake, and decorating to do, but there is always time to make room for a few healthy habits each day. A change today could mean a life saved next month. Make a small change, not an excuse.

 

Since living a healthy, balanced life is an ever-changing and gradual process, I prefer to take baby steps. 

 

 

My game plan is:

 

To write down 3 realistic, life-changing reasons to maintain my healthy habits, and post it somewhere I can see:

1. To feel good about myself at all times

2. To feel physically strong and mentally strong

3. To live a balanced life with minimal weight fluctuations, a healthy immune system, and a healthy mindset about food.

 

I think it is so easy to lose sight of our goals if they are not there in front of us. It can be easy to tell ourselves ‘I’ll start tomorrow’ when we want a treat at work, or “I’ll start on Monday’ when we eat too many cookies while we are baking on Saturday afternoon. I’ll probably post mine on the fridge, but post it anywhere you will see it – your planner, your cell phone, or your nightstand.

 

 

I love the feeling of accomplishing a goal. There is nothing better than working towards something, and finally achieving it. The goals I have are pretty balanced and work for mostly everyone. You can follow along with me, or you can write your own!

 

My goals for the next 30 days:

1. Get a great workout in 5 out of 7 days each week.

2. Eat balanced meals with 3 fruits and 3 veggies a day. (You know this will be tough for me! I hate veggies!)

3. Drink 80 oz of water a day (this includes water during workouts).

4. Have a small treat (around 100 calories) when needed so I don’t feel deprived. Treats mean different things to everyone. To me, they mean SWEETS.

 

I will be tracking my habits, because I definitely need the accountability during this busy season. I am a firm believer of starting the day off right. The things I do to ensure success each day?

  • Make our bed. It seems trivial, but it makes me feel more organized.
  • Workout in the morning. There are too many tempting excuses for workouts in the evening. Shopping, get-togethers, etc.
  • Meals planned ahead. I always plan some healthy snacks and meals to have on hand. This way I don’t snack on cookies!
  • Clean up. If the house is messy, I feel messy. I can’t do anything before I clean up.

These may seem small, but they make a huge difference in my attitude! Think about the things that may make transitioning to more healthy habits easier on you. Is it making the bed in the morning? Cooking ahead of time? Simple things can make a huge difference.

 

In accordance with this 30 day challenge, I’ll also be posting 25 days of workouts! That’s a workout 5 times each week until Christmas. It will give you and me lots of variety to chose from so we don’t get bored. If you have anything specific you’d like to see, or any certain workout questions, you can email me at merchant.jessica@gmail.com and I’ll make sure to cover it over the next month!

 

Let’s make this a December to Remember. Start now, not January 1st. Make a change, not an excuse.

Let’s makes sure we remember December 2009 as the month we changed our life. The month we came alive again – the month we started living our best life!

It’s time to look smoking hot on New Year’s Eve. :)