I can’t believe we’re already halfway through January, y’all. It feels like we *just* kicked off the New Year! This time of year, it can be a struggle to get back on track after a couple of months of all things holiday. Between the cold weather and the fact that many of us traded in healthy eating for baked goods (just me?), we can all be a bit slow-moving in the first month or so of the year.
I recently wrote a blog post on how I get over the mental slump after the holidays so I thought I’d also talk a bit about how I physically get back on track in January. Since November and December are my two busiest months of the year when it comes to my business, I often have to let exercise go to the wayside or opt for a quick and easy meal over something a bit healthier — and I always feel it come January.
Here’s how I get back on track and keep myself physically (and mentally) healthy this time of year, plus a few things I can’t live without. I hope they help you too!
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Plan Ahead
Before the holidays even arrive each year, I try to think ahead to January. What are some of the habits I know I’ll want to have in place in the New Year? Whether that’s meal planning or exercising regularly, I try to maintain some semblance of this during December so I won’t be in total shock come January.
For me, I’d just started hitting a groove when it comes to working out before the holidays this year, and I knew I didn’t want to lose my momentum, so I made sure to stick to 2-3 workouts a week. Sure, I had to make some cancellations here and there, but now I’m up to exercising (in some way) 5x a week and I KNOW it’s partially because I never let myself stop. Trust me, your future self will thank you if you push through during the holiday season!
Jot Down Your Plan
I’m a big believer that in order to achieve our goals, it’s super helpful to write them out. Take one of your journaling sessions toward the end of December and dedicate it to your health and wellness plan come January. These aren’t the same as your resolutions, just an idea of some healthy habits you want to have in place when the New Year arrives so you can feel your best.
Give yourself grace and be realistic, but also set up some firm goals for yourself. Like I mentioned above, this year, I knew I wanted to make some effort to move 5x a week (in addition to my daily walks). Will this happen every day? Heck no. But writing it down has helped me bring this goal to life and I’m feeling great because of it!
Focus on Progress Over Perfection
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION. I will preach this to my grave! You don’t have to be perfect at your goals to be successful. I know there will be many days I don’t work out or end up ordering takeout instead of cooking at home, but as long as I’m striving toward my goals, I’ll be happy. I’m definitely guilty of setting high goals for myself and then totally giving up when I fall short, so this mindset has honestly helped me reach so many more goals than I would’ve otherwise.
Take It One Day at a Time
When I think ahead to the rest of the year, and the thought of reaching my goals regularly the whole time, I get super overwhelmed. Overwhelmed Brighton = shut down. So I truly take it day by day. I don’t even think ahead to the end of the week. I just focus on the day ahead and how I want to achieve whatever my goal is that day. This helps me figure out where I am going to fit in my workout (or cooking or reading… whatever your goal might be) so I’m more likely to succeed.
The biggest thing for me when I’m working to get back on track is focusing on how I’ll feel afterward. Yes, going to work out can be challenging (for me at least), but I always know I’ll feel better when I’m done. The same goes for making a home-cooked meal, staying within my budget, spending time in the Word, etc. It’s not always easy to do these things, but the end result is so worth it.
Product Details: Varley Pullover (also linked here and here) // Align Leggings // Sneakers
