Why I (maybe you too) Suck at the Holidays....

Just 90 days after giving birth to my daughter, I planned on attending my year high school reunion. With my profession, I was in a better shape in my late 20s than I could ever imagine as a high school senior.

I made a plan for those 3 months to exercise {safely of course!} and eat clean. I wanted to look and feel good when I saw my high school classmates, most of them for the first time since we graduated.

I wore a pre-baby outfit comfortably, I hit my goal. My three month postpartum self felt victorious.

Thanksgiving came and went immediately followed by Christmas and New Year's.

Well, in January my clothes felt tighter. I finally stepped on a scale and realized I weighed more on that day than the day I came home from the hospital!!

Whoops!

How did this happen? I was so strict with my plan for those 90 days. The next day on Thanksgiving I remember telling myself, I hit my goal so pass that second piece of pie which pretty much became my motto for the next 6 weeks.

The answer: I was living reactively versus intentionally.

Reactive: No intentions or plan; Determined by our surroundings

After hitting my original goal, I did not set any intentions for the holidays. I called it a "free for all" as a reward for being so disciplined for 3 months.

What's most important gets lost depending on what's literally pulling on us demanding our attention immediately. Kids want to decorate cookies. Friends want to have a few cocktails. The word "no" becomes increasingly difficult to say.

Intentional: Setting the tone; Preventing future problem

I wrote a plan and stuck by it. I scheduled my workouts. I planned out my meals.


During the Holidays, routines, scheduled workouts, and healthy eating gets thrown out the door. We react to our friends and family, their togetherness and the plethora of food that surrounds us.

I love this time of year. It's my absolute favorite so I understand the "but it's Christmas, Courtney!" The past few years, I am getting better at enjoying myself and remembering my goals and hard work from the previous 10.5 months. It's a balance all planned out ahead of time.

How many cheat meals this week?

Are you going to have dessert after every family meal?

How many times are you going to workout?

Do you have your workouts scheduled?

How many adult beverages each week?


I'm not saying the days will go perfect, because they will not, but there will be purpose behind your action. Somewhere or someone in the back of your head will be there to remind you that you really do not need that second Christmas cookie.

So what are your plans for this Holiday Season?

"There is enormous magic in the tiny word do. When we tell ourselves, "I'll do it," we unleash tremendous power. That act forges in us a chain of personal responsibility that ups our game: a desire to excel plus a sense of duty plus complete aliveness plus total dedication to getting done what has to be done. That equals commitment" - John Maxwell Intentional Living 

Need help staying on track? Email to receive a copy of our Holiday Goal Sheet. 

Discipline

"We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals" -  M. Russell Ballard

The discussion of children and "crying it out" came up the other day while training a client.  When RLP was born, I decided right away, that although I hated to hear her cry, I wanted her to learn to sleep in her crib. I simply placed her in her crib, set a timer, and waited see if she fell asleep.

And she did.

It was difficult at first (huge understatement). I wanted to grab that sweet baby and put her in bed with me, but each night got easier.

My client looked at me and said, "You are way too disciplined"

I have not stopped thinking about that word since our conversation. As a child, growing up, I always thought of the word defined here:

the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.

As I got older and into personal training, I immediately think of this definition:

the controlled behavior resulting from discipline.

Discipline.

It's why I set my alarm at 6AM on Sunday, my only day to sleep in with my family. However, it's my only real day to get in more than 30 minutes at the gym.

It's why I really do enjoy that protein shake while my significant other eats pizza.

It's why I muster up the energy to grill chicken or make an omelet when I am just down right "too tired" to cook.

I love sleep.

I love pizza.

And I really do not need to cook.

However, my long term goals...my purpose of staying fit, maintaining my current body fat %, and let's face it, just being a fitness badass trump all of the above.

Motivation is when you see a picture of either your old self or a fitness model and you say, "I want to look like that!" so  I am going to start working out, eating right...

Discipline is used when that motivation decides to disappear. And it will.

Motivation comes in waves, discipline helps us stay the course.

 When you know your goals, really know them, and want them more than that extra hour of sleep or a few pieces of pizza, that is when you will become successful in your fitness and wellness journey.

Use pictures.

Recite quotes.

Write your goals in a place you see every.single.day.

So when that motivation decides to leave you on a Monday morning at 5AM, when you swore up and down that you were going to start today, you'll have those reminders, those reasons or that purpose that will beat out those daily excuses.

Success in Goal Setting

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine"- John C Maxwell

Boot Camp Challenge and numerous other workout programs are short term goal programs, meaning 30-60 days.  Most individuals join a workout program and focus just on their long terms goals of "I want to lose weight" or "I want to be stronger"

In order to be set up for success, instead of concentrating on the long term, we first shift the focus to your short term goals also known as your action steps. Most of our campers don't even know where to start.

Is your goal:

Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant/Realistic Time Based

"I want to be healthy" - Not specific, measurable or time based

"I want to lose 100lbs"- It might be realistic, but is it attainable in 30 days?

Say your long term goal out loud, better yet write it down!

Once you have your long term goal, directly under it, we put the SMART action steps needed to reach it.  

A client, Mari recently came to me and said she wanted to work on her "stomach" this summer.

We broke it down...3 things will help that area, nutrition, core work and cardio.

Instead of just writing down, "I want my stomach flat" and leaving it as that, she continued to write her action steps:

1) Improve 5K time to under 30 minutes by practicing intervals 2x a week
2) Food Journal everyday
3) Core work- 100 V-Ups/10 minutes of plank per week

✅ Specific

✅ Measurable

✅ Attainable

✅ Relevant

✅ Time Based

Lose body fat? Focus on that "pinched" area that is high
Lose weight? What specific steps are you taking in nutrition/cardio/strength
Toned legs? Work more on leg strengthening exercises 

Add it to your daily or weekly routine:

Small, Smart Choices + Consistency + Time = Radical Difference

If we start off too big with our long term goals, we might get discouraged and think it's impossible to reach. By starting with small, daily and manageable goals, we set ourselves up for SUCCESS.

* This summer our campers will earn their T-Shirts and will be writing their goal on the front of an index card. On the back, they will write their specific action steps. Once the goal is reached, they will be rewarded with a sweet T-Shirt :) #earnednotgiven *