Change is a process not an event… and true change takes time. Changing your lifestyle and actions to live a healthy and active lifestyle takes change… and time. I have started off the year 2012 with a word focus (rather than many goals or resolutions). My 2012 word focus is peace.
Instead of focusing on the huge task and goal at hand, I am focusing on peace and taking things one day, one week, one month at a time. Baby Steps.
My good friend, Janice, is implementing a great challenge to kick start your new year: 31 days to a healthier you. I am doing a modified version of her challenge (instead of making a positive change each day and focusing on ONE specific change each week).
I don’t know about you, but when I have too much on my plate I tend to get overwhelmed. If my to do list outweighs my time or energy, I feel like I failed. Ultimately I give up. I am choosing not to give up. I am choosing peace with my health and active lifestyle goals.
Because I am unable to really kick my fitness goals into high gear (at the moment), I am focusing on the equally important behind the scenes part of a healthy lifestyle.
After talking with my good friend, Nicole, we discussed that my first priority should be kick starting my metabolism. My first goal for 2012 is to eat breakfast each day. Not a pop tart on the go, but a healthy well balanced breakfast.
Small changes. Baby steps. Taking a little more time each morning to prepare a healthy well balanced breakfast for myself and the boys. Success. I am proud to say that I have successfully eaten breakfast each day in 2012.
It amazes me how much eating breakfast (upon waking – not at 10AM) has positively effected my mood. I have found that my mood swings are no longer there (I now blame hunger pains and sugar crashes for those lion Mommy moments).
I plan on continuing my small changes throughout the year. I will make a point to continue eating breakfast each and every day. This coming week’s small change focus is hydration.
This coming week, I will be focusing on drinking water. Lots and lots of water. Half my body weight in ounces of water. Hydration.
What healthy changes are you implementing to help you reach your health and fitness goals?
Becky says
You are so right, Rachel! Baby steps forward are much more effective than burning out.
And good for you to sit down and eat first thing! I’m a mean mommy when I’m hungry too!
Suzanne says
More water!! The holidays were all about sugary yummy drinks for me and getting back into my normal hydration habit has been hard!
Baby steps is the right way for sure! Good luck with the challenges. Looking forward to ready about your progress.
Janice- The Fitness Cheerleader says
Great job Rachel! I love that word: focus! You’re right, small baby changes – one week at a time, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Kris @Krazy_Kris says
I had no idea you were a breakfast skipper! I skipped breakfasts for decades, but I’m happy to say that i’ve only skipped a handful in the last 18 months or so.
I actually get hungry in the morning now – I love me some greek yogurt, berries, and nuts. Sometimes if I’m going wild, I’ll add flax seed. Love it!
And yes… I pick one thing – in my book, it’s the “next indicated thing” and work on it for a few weeks… Then I move on. It’s amazing how well that works 🙂
@PamelaMKramer - A Renaissance Woman says
30 Day Paleo Challenge. It’s a whole new world for me. I need to get on that water!
Rachel says
I am so proud of you!! Seriously! I am very interested in trying Paleo, but like you… I think it would be a whole new world for me. I am very interested in reading more about it though 🙂
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
I have several friends who are Paleo eaters — once they got into it, it was easy and they ALL talk about how amazing they feel in comparison to before.
Eddie says
Now we know who the snesilbe one is here. Great post!
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
My biggest goal (with regard to healthy living) is to get reacquainted with activity. I did not maintain an exercise regime while I was pregnant and now I’m having a hard time fitting it in while dealing with the kidlets (and a baby on a completely unpredictable, “nurse on demand … sleep never” schedule),
But … I have GOT, got, got, got, GOT to do something. I am starting to have emotional issues again from my weight (depression type stuff) and I don’t want to deal with that negativity again.
Mike says
I enjoy the way you have presented this great information.It makes me wonder why I had not thought of it before! Thanks for sharing