Let's Get Geared Up!

 

As we begin a new year we are naturally led to thoughts of new year’s resolutions and fresh starts. One important focus is your personal health habits. Good health habits can bless you not only your health but can also increase your energy, clear thinking and ability to better accomplish the other goals you have set for yourself this year.

So as we begin together again let’s spend this first week preparing and focusing on what we will accomplish together.

1. If you have not already done so join myfitnesspal.com and begin journaling your daily food and water intake and exercise. This is a tool I hope you will continue to use long after we have completed this competition. 

2. Contact your partner and communicate about how you will support and help each other through this competition. If you live nearby you might want to exercise together. You can encourage each other with texts, e-mails and phone calls. You can review each other’s food journals and share recipes and ideas. 

3. Print up and use the daily sheet (I’ve e-mailed it to you)  if you need it to keep track of your efforts. 

4. Stock Your Kitchen with Healthy Foods

A first step in eating right is getting prepared. Go through your fridge and pantry and toss the super-unhealthy stuff you want to eat less of. Then, get ready to cook up healthy meals by stocking your pantry with healthy-cooking essentials.

5. Hide Tempting Foods

One study found that keeping unhealthy food hidden can help you eat less of it: when secretaries were given candies in clear dishes to place on their desktops, they helped themselves to candy 71 percent more often than a similar group that was given the same candy in opaque dishes so that the candy wasn't visible. At home, stash tempting treats inside a cabinet where you can't see them-or better yet, get rid of them altogether and keep the apples-and other healthy eats-out on the counter. 

6. Plan Your Exercise and get equipped

If you wait for the mood to strike or for a lull in your day, you might not get in an optimal amount of exercise so make a plan ahead of time. If you like to exercise at the gym renew your membership if needed and check the schedule of classes. Plan now for what ones you plan to attend. If you prefer to exercise out of the gym start thinking about what is available as far as biking, running, skating etc. Begin to formulate your plan,

7. Spiff up your equipment Do you have what you need? A good water bottle that has markings to track your intake, measuring spoons and cups and a good food scale, exercise bands, good quality walking/running shoes (Did you know athletic shoes are only made to last 350-500 miles? They often still LOOK great but the cushioning is shot and they are no longer safeguarding your feet and joints) swim goggles that don’t leak, work out bands, floor pad etc. I’m not going to REQUIRE you to purchase anything but good equipment can inspire effective work outs so take an inventory of what you might need.  One of my favorite tools is my personal scale that measures not only weight but percentage of body fat. 

OK ladies let’s get geared up. You can earn your 35 weekly bonus points this week by looking at the list above and taking care of what you need to be totally focused on 8 weeks of healthy living