Author: Lauren Regula[Read Time: 4min]
I'm leading with a little tough truth here this morning.
If you wait till the New Year to start getting fit or even more fit...you will most likely fail.
You know the feeling.
Waking up on January 2nd feeling like it's finally time to get your ass in gear and work off the past SIX WEEKS of eating and drinking.
You head to the gym.
It's PACKED with people thinking the same thing and going through the same motions.
People cramming into crazy "boot camp" style workouts mistakenly thinking they can burn their way out of the 10lbs they just put on.
80% of those people will fail according to U.S. News and World Report.
Most by mid-February.
The failing isn't the worst part either...it's the mental side of defeat that is worse. It makes it infinitely harder to get moving the next time and even harder the time after that.
What if I told you there was a better way?
One that didn't require Navy SEAL level will-power or changing your diet completely or even skipping out on all the holiday fun.
Well. There is.
The key is starting TODAY.
There are SEVEN WEEKS left to enjoy your family, your friends, AND to stay fit.
It's possible with the right plan.
Just start with these:
3 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO AVOID HAVING TO MAKE A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION
1. CLAIM YOUR IDENTITY
Decide today what type of person you want to be. Are you a fit and active person or are you someone that is "on a diet" or "needs to lose weight"? Fit and active people naturally lose weight through their choices. People on diets are constantly chasing fat loss. Once they lose weight and without a new identity, they fall back into the same practices that got them into trouble in the first place. Take your time to think about who you want to be. Write it down every morning to drive it home.
2. PLAN AHEAD
Once you've tackled the hardest part with your identity shift, you need to be smart. The holidays mean busy schedules and parties. Make sure to plan your weeks and your workouts. MAKE time to move and be active. Having a gym full of great people and a coach to hold you accountable is EVERYTHING. On a daily level, plan ahead for party eating. Think about what food and drink will be at the party and eat beforehand if you need to. If you are full heading out, you won't need to stuff with peppermint bark when you get there.
3. FORGIVE YOURSELF
I can't overstate this. You are not a flawed human if you skip a workout, eat too many cookies, or have too much egg nog (do people still drink egg nog?). I promise. Chances are, you didn't even screw up your plan too much. Where you get into trouble is letting that slip up cause so much stress that the wheels fall off and suddenly you've taken down a whole cheesecake...or worse yet, a whole cheesecake four days in a row.
BONUS: START NOW
This should probably go without saying but these hacks only work if you apply them. You must decide that you don't want to be in the herd of people trying to get fit after New Years. I say this with peace and love but your odds are terrible if you wait. You can 100% succeed if you make a play now.
And there you have it!
These are the exact strategies that I use to power through the end of the year. It's not easy for me either...especially with the kids and a tough training schedule and a business to manage. I get it. But one thing I've learned over time is that the best thing about them...they'll let you have a guilt-free holiday and you'll stay fit through it all.
Nothing feels better than that.
If you'd like more help and support to get through the holidays, just CLICK HERE to join our incredible online community.
About the Author: Lauren Regula is the founder of TrAk Athletics and Strong Mom Strong Family where she focuses on helping parents and busy professional women reclaim their identity and get their body and confidence back. She also happens to be the mother of three amazing young kids and a 2x Olympian (Athens '04, Beijing '08) currently training for a comeback for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
