DAY 1: HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2018!

And what a year it's been!  If you're looking for some life-altering tips or advice here today on DAY 1, you may want to tune in because we are going to take this step by step.

 And the first step is...DON'T TAKE ON TOO MUCH, TOO SOON!

Every new year we tend to set New Year's Resolutions and goals for ourselves that leave us disappointed as we begin to drop each one gradually.  Why do we gradually let our goals fall by the wayside?  Because we don't incorporate them gradually! Does anyone see a "keyword" here?

When we take on too much too soon we set ourselves up for failure because going from one extreme to the other can be overwhelming.  We are creatures of habit and research shows that it takes a minimum of 21 days to form a habit. So not only do we need to give ourselves time to adjust (consistency is key) but we also need to give ourselves a break. 

Instead of thinking, o.k. it's a new year so I'm gonna lose 50 lbs in 3 days, start going to church every week, make more money, find a new boyfriend, and wash my car every single day...think of one thing at a time and focus on that first. And of that, think in shorter, smaller terms for example; Instead of, "I'm changing my eating habits so I'm giving up every single thing that contains sugar right now today!"  Try this.  For the next 2 weeks, I'm going to use 1 tsp of sugar in my coffee instead of 2.

Once you've accomplished and conquered the first 2 weeks without the 2nd tsp of sugar you can cut it down to a half of a tsp and THEN work on modifying another sugary food.  And so on.  Soon you'll find yourself looking for recipes that call for foods with no added sugars and you'll become a pro! And if you're a true coffee lover like me, you'll appreciate the taste of coffee without having to mask it with added sugar.  But like everything else, you're taste buds also need a chance to adjust.

That's just one example but I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. 

Whether it's food, exercise or anything else that requires change, in order to make it a way of life it has to feel like second nature, not like a chore.

For more advice on specific, personal goals shoot me an email and feel free to share info on my blog.

The very best in health, fitness, and happiness in 2018! And a happy 1st day of 31!!