Stay on track through the holidays with these tips

“I’ve been off track since the Halloween candy and I can’t seem to get myself straight” she told me when I asked her what she’s struggling with the most right now.

“And I’m worried because the holidays are right around the corner, so if I don’t get my act together it’ll be downhill for the rest of 2020.”

Oh the slippery slope of the holidays!

This client and I ended up having the best conversation that took a direction even I didn’t anticipate. Once we dissected her mindset, we discovered some super powerful ways that she could shift herself right now, and immediately start moving towards success again.

See...sometimes all it takes is a simple mindset shift to get you out of a rut and feeling better.

With the holidays around the corner, I thought it would be cool to share some of my best tips to help you arrive at 2021 happier, healthier, and more fit than ever.

Tip #1 Mindset

FEEL how good it will feel when you wake up on New Year’s Day 2021 feeling strong, tight, lean, energized and proud of yourself. 

The power of visualization became clear to me when I first saw Lindsey Vonn performing her mental imagery exercise before races. She closes her eyes and uses mental imagery to navigate her course, making the physical movements she anticipates for the race. It’s powerful stuff.

In fact, how you see your life in your mind’s eye impacts what actually happens for you.

Right now, close your eyes and “see” what your day looks like tomorrow.

What did you see? What did you visualize?

Rather than unconsciously seeing random or anticipated events, you can selectively create your reality by visualizing what you want to actually happen.

Take a few minutes every day to visualize yourself waking up on Friday, January 1st 2021 looking and feeling exactly what you desire.

Do you want to feel strong? Fit? Lean? Skinny? Thick? Muscular? Energized?

In order for this technique to really work, it’s important to take it a step beyond visualization.

Close your eyes and feel into how happy you’ll be when you wake up on Friday, January 1st.

FEEL how it impacts your mood. Let yourself experience what your day will be like because you woke up proud and happy with yourself.

Who will you be when you wake up on New Year’s Day feeling good about the actions you took over the previous few weeks?

How will your life be different on January 1st of 2021 because you took action now to create your reality?

It’s not enough to just see it...be sure to FEEL it.

Tip #2 Strategy

Create a plan for the next six weeks

Grab some paper and a pen and sit down. Take 10 minutes and map out a realistic workout plan for the next few weeks.

What works great for me is to use the calendar software on my computer and print out blank months. Then, fill in your exact workouts for specific dates.

Take the time to really think through your schedule and the events coming up, so that you set yourself up for success.

For example, if Monday’s tend to be stressful and busy for you, set your first workout for the week on Tuesday’s. Will Tuesday be a strength workout or cardio? Then, what other days are ideal for workouts? Can you fit one in on the weekends?

If you need some general direction for a holiday plan, I suggest the following as minimums:

• 2-3 strength workouts
• 2-3 cardio workouts
• 1 joy workout (something that makes your soul happy like dance, yoga, or jogging)

Tip #3 Accountability

Figure out your personal “accountability code”

Let’s face it, most of us aren’t great at keeping ourselves accountable. It’s a very common element of being human, so don’t feel bad about it.

Over the years I’ve learned that if I don’t have someone else I feel accountable to, I’ll flounder. This is one of the reasons why I offer live workouts because it makes me show up!

You might be really good at keeping yourself accountable in some aspects of your life, and struggle in other areas.

Take the time and assess your personal accountability code. Do you need someone to keep you accountable for workouts? Or do you need a buddy in order to stay on track with your nutrition? Does journaling keep you on track? Or sharing your wins with a family member?

Set yourself up for success by establishing some kind of non-negotiable accountability for the next few weeks.

Remember, it’s normal to struggle at times with staying on track with your goals.

It simply means you’re human! Rather than denying it or feeling ashamed, own it and set yourself up for success by establishing a way to stay on track.

I'd love to hear from you. Share your questions and comments in the section below.