It's Fall - Time for School Year Resolutions!

Fall, with the return to school and the change in the season's, has always seemed much more like New Years to me than January.

It's a great time to get outside. The evenings are long with the last of daylight savings, parks and public spaces are less crowded, the heat of Summer is cooling down and the air is crisp and clear. After months of altered schedules, family vacations and camping trips, Bar-B-Q's and celebrations, it's time to get back on schedule and re-commit to getting fit.

Join me in making "School Years Resolutions." It will help you re-connect to meeting your goals, and at the very least, will help you establish good habits and patterns as we move into the holiday season. This way, when you make your 2012 New Years Resolutions, you'll already be off to a great start!

Resolution suggestions to get you started:

• Log your foods: If you aren't already logging your foods and your exercise, (or if you've stopped,) this is a great time to get started. Counting your calories and tracking your movements keeps you accountable for what you're consuming vs. what you're expending. At the very least, keep track in a notebook, so you have a visual reminder of exactly how much goes in vs. how much goes out. If you're on track, it's rewarding to have a record of your hard work. If you need to work harder, it shows you exactly which areas you need to work on.
• Make time to exercise: Set a specific time each day to exercise and mark it on your calendar. It's too easy to want to do it, mean to do it, but never actually do it. Setting a specific time of day to exercise pushes you to follow through, whether you feel up for it or not, and you get to cross it off your list!
• Create a meal plan:  Plan everything including healthy snacks. Then shop specifically for your meals. Knowing what you're going to eat in advance, takes the guess work out of dining, so you don't make poor choices when you're tired and hungry. Buying only what you plan to eat means that you're not tempted by unhealthy choices just because they're easy and accessible. You'll also find that you'll save money - By having only the food on hand that you plan to eat, you won't over buy, extra food won't go to waste, and you'll be less inclined to eat out because you'll know exactly what's for dinner.
• Get rid of unhealthy snack foods. Rid your cupboards of empty calories such as candies, cookies, chips, and crackers. You don't need them, you don't want them, but if you have them, you will eat them. This is not to say that you'll never treat yourself - just make  sure you want the treat. Studies show that random cravings only last about 15 minutes. Snack foods on hand are far too tempting, and encourage mindless eating. If you have a craving that you can't resist, and you've consciously decided it's worth your effort, treat yourself and make the trip out for it. 
• Find an exercise Buddy: Committing to exercise with another person, particularly someone you love to spend time with, will help you commit to an exercise routine. You're much less likely to back out of exercising when you're accountable to someone else. Choose someone who is enthusiastic and committed to your workout. You will inspire one another.
• Invest in a class: Sign up for a fitness class or sports team at your local community center. You'll learn something new and you'll build a supportive community.
• Sign up for a marathon: Having a challenge to train for, and a deadline in which to prepare, will help keep you focused and on track with your fitness goals.

Most importantly keep your resolutions attainable and fun. By setting realistic goals, you will experience success and establish long lasting habits which will ensure your long term health.

Go back a little to leap further - John Clarke

One of the hardest obstacles to overcome when making big lifestyle changes are the little regressions along the way. You know what I’m talking about. For months you’ve been exercising every day, counting your calories and watching what you eat. You’ve made great progress - many of you dropping large amounts of weight - but then you regress for a weekend, or maybe a week. The regressions come in many forms - Family reunions or celebrations, holidays, travel. Perhaps it’s burn out. You’ve been working so hard and you just want to take a break and revert back to what’s easy and familiar. Sometimes you’re just plain busy. You don’t have time to pack a lunch or log your calories. You get take out more than usual.

You gain a few pounds - So now what?

First and foremost, don’t panic! Don’t beat yourself up, don’t feel guilty and don’t give up!

It’s fine to feel frustrated. It’s o.k. to feel disappointed. Acknowledge those feelings, and then look to the big picture. You’re human, and you need to live life. You don’t always have control over the foods that are available and there are going to be times when you choose to celebrate. That generally includes eating “fun” foods.

Remember, you have tools. You didn’t come all this way by accident, you made it happen. You’ve done the work and you’ve seen results and you will continue to see results. You’ve just got to stay committed. 

The changes you’ve made these last months are habit changes. You’ve been teaching yourself to eat healthy, and to exercise regularly. Chances are you feel better. You’ve been living healthier and it feels fantastic. 

When you get off track, ask yourself how that makes you feel. Very likely not so hot. Remember, this used to be your old normal. You knew you didn’t feel good, but you probably didn’t know you could feel great. 

Use this opportunity to  give yourself credit for how far you’ve come. Acknowledge the amount of energy you now have. How good you feel. How strong you are. How committed you’ve been. Look the regression in the eye, and now get back to your new normal!