Monday Motivation ... Have you planned your week?

Again it was another busy week and weekend in our house and by Sunday night I was struggling to keep my eyes open.
Even though it was a busy week, I managed to keep to the training plan that I had decided on at the beginning of last week ... sort of ...

My training last week looked like this ..

Monday .. easy 6km run, gauging how many niggles I picked up after my long run the Saturday before.  Other than tiredish legs not too bad!

Tuesday .. No running today as I really should do a strength session.  Tuesday is also a work day for me.  Well if you call what I do work!

Wednesday .. First up a 3km fast-ish run in the morning.  Follow this up with another 3km run with Mr 7 as he learns to ride his bike.  Of course he picked got the whole riding thing down on this run and I was doing what would safely be called interval training!  Lots of fast running to keep up with him!

Thursday .. Another slow 3km run as I had planned a yoga session .. I didn't do yoga.

Friday .. Rest day before Saturday's long run. 

Saturday .. Longest run that I have done for years.  Well, since my last half marathon anyway.  10km and I was really happy with my pace and how I pulled up after!  Yay me!

I would really have like to have included the strength training and yoga session as I know it will help my running and help strengthen my hamstring which is finally settling down.  But they are first to get dropped off when I get busy and a bit tired.  I will try harder this week.

I have planned this week's training already and at this point it looks like I should be able to stick with it!  Barring of course, unforeseen ... 

Have you planned your training this week and scheduled those appointments with yourself?  Is it a realistic plan that you can stick to, or are you being a bit ambitious?   

Menu Planning Monday ...

It's that time of the week again!  Did you climb back on the diet and exercise wagon again this morning .. you know, after falling off over the weekend? 

Monday is usually the day that everyone plans to start their new healthy eating plan and exercise regime .. or chase that wagon down and get back on!!

I am fortunate enough to now have Mondays off so Monday is my day to catch up on what was missed over the weekend.  It's also now my grocery shopping day.  I love it because we get to start the week with a fridge and pantry stocked with fresh fruit and veg.
Before I head out to do the shopping I sit down, usually with a coffee, and plan what will be on the dinner menu during the week.  

I've been doing this now for years and maybe it all seems a bit anal or obsessive, but it saves me going crazy at 4.30 in the afternoon wondering what to have for dinner.  I just have to get out the ingredients and go! 
If I didn't do this I can assure you that I will not be that motivated to think of a quick, healthy meal for the family .. it will be the fastest, laziest thing I can think of!  The bonus .. I've always got a healthy choice on hand for dinner.  And, it saves money as I'm not racing off to the grocery store every afernoon trying to find a quick option, which many times end up being more expensive than planning and shopping beforehand. 

If you are really strapped for time, do some of the prep for your meals on Sunday afternoon / night.  I know many people who chop their veg or prepare the base of their meals on Sunday.  I think it's a great idea if you have the time or the inclination!  I struggle with the latter ...   

Another great idea if you are so inclined is to have the weekly dinner menu written out / printed out where everyone can see it.  That way everyone knows what's for dinner and there is not the constant questioning "What's for dinner Mum?".  I get this question at least every 15 minutes from afternoon snack time .. even if I have answered it, it clearly goes in one ear and straight back out the other! 

There are heaps of "menu planners" available for download on the internet and if you want to use one, it's up to you which one you think will work best.  I've tried a few over the years ... printing them out and laminating them then putting them on the fridge.
Usually now I just try to remember it!  Not always successful however!

While I'm planning the menu for the week along with the grocery shop I plan what I'll be cooking for the kids snacks during the week. 

This is what's for dinner in our house this week ...

Do you plan your dinners for the week? 

Does this help you to stick with your healthy eating plan?

 

Getting back into the swing ...

Well we've managed to make it half way through the first week after school holidays and I can already see the tiredness in Master 6's eyes. Mine aren't far behind but that's another story!

As much as I miss the kids ( well, I do sometimes ) I do look forward to being able to get back into a routine and feel a bit more organised and in control.  No, I'm not a control freak, really I'm not! 
On holidays we tend to fly a bit by the seat of our pants, but I think this helps me to appreciate more the structure and routine that we have during term, especially when it comes to my eating and exercise.

Dinners, lunches and snacks are a little bit out the window during holidays which leads me to include a few extra things that I wouldn't normally include in my regular diet.

I usually plan the meals for the week then head out to do a grocery shop either on Sunday afternoon or squeeze it in somewhere on Monday .. I have been known to order online and have it delivered too! This way I am sure that I have everything I need to get dinner prepped and done without running around in the evenings. 

Another reason I plan my meals and snacks is so that I don't get lazy and eat too much of the things that I shouldn't. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely not perfect!
I don't always get it right and I don't always stick to the menu but it's there to keep me on track as much as I can.  And I know I've always got a healthy, nutritious snack when I need it.

So, these past few days I've been getting myself into routine again as I know this is key for me to not straying too far off track.  I don't want to have to do too much hard work to get back in shape when the weather starts heating up again!

This is what is on the menu at our house this week ...

Do you plan your weekly menu?  What's on your menu this week?

Have you planned your week?

Lots of exercise gurus talk about writing down your workouts in your diary .. an appointment with yourself.
I know that I'm not the only one who has to plan their workout around various "obstacles" so I do like this idea .. planning your week so that you know what's going on when.

This quote really brings some clarity to why you should be planning your workouts ...

"Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now."  

Alan Lakein



You want the end result don't you?  Plan it, do something about it now!

If you're not a planner, would you be willing to give it a go?

Have a great week!

Vicki x

Monday's Motivation ...

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential" Liane Cardes

This is quite often the most overlooked ingredient when it comes to achieving your goals and getting the best results.  

I could put it another way ... consistency, consistency, consistency ...

Consistent effort in training will have you well on your way to getting the results you want.

Consistent efforts in keeping your diet clean and nutritious will get you the results you want.

Getting into a routine with your training is going to help with keeping your training consistent.  Build it into your life and your lifestyle.

Plan your diet each week .. or day .. so that you are allowing yourself to be successful. 

If there is one thing that you keep telling yourself ...

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

Stay focused, Stay Strong

Fit Mum x   

Do you have SMART goals?

There's only 6 weeks until spring, which means that it will be time to bare our arms and legs a bit more as the weather gets warmer. This has started me thinking again as I have still not yet decided whether or not I will be setting a new goal to work towards.      

What do I want to achieve?
Am I going to be super committed to achieving this goal?
How am I going to measure my goal?
How will I know when I have achieved my goal?
Do you feel the same way sometimes too?  Too many questions!!

In an effort to give me a bit of focus with my training, and balance my life, I am going to spend the next few days thinking and breaking down my thoughts into something that might actually resemble a plan.  You've probably seen this before, but it really is a great way to put some focus and clarity into your thinking and planning to achieve your next goal or working your way to your next big event.  

S. M. A. R. T  Is your goal SMART?  I'm going to work through this acronym to help me plan how to move forward with my training and focus.  You can do the same .. grab yourself a nice notebook ( I'm a bit of a stationery tragic, so I always choose those pretty ones that I'm really keen to write in .. ) and start writing down your thoughts.  Base them around the SMART principle and you are on your way to creating a plan to achieve your next goal!

So what is SMART? 

Specific   .. this means just that be specific with what you want.  No wishy washy nonsense like "Oh, maybe I need to lose a few kilos and tone up a bit".  Does that sound strong, assertive, positive? Your goal needs to state exactly what you want to achieve, be, feel .. make sure it's in the present tense so you are able to keep telling yourself what you are achieving NOW!  

Measurable  .. how are you going to know you are on track to achieving your goal or that you have reached it.  Take some starting measurements ie weight, girth measurements, body fat, take a picture, time trials, fitness tests ... Retake these measurements on a regular basis ( no, not DAILY! ) so that you can track your progress.  Changes in the direction of your goal are super motivating and you will know you are on the right track.

Achievable ... make sure that your goal is achievable within the time frame that you have decided upon.  If you only have 6 weeks, don't expect to lose 20kg .. unless of course you have been weighing yourself holding one of your children .. in which case, put them down now!  

Realistic ...  this one is kind of the same as the above.  Keep it real!  Setting unrealistic goals is setting yourself up for failure .. don't do this to yourself, you have much more respect for yourself than that!

Time frame ...  decide on your time frame, be it 6 weeks, 12 weeks or 6 months.  You need to plan your training and nutrition into manageable chunks .. for example, set yourself a weekly or monthly goal.  You might decide you need to lose 1 - 1.5kg each week to achieve your goal .. plan your training and nutrition each week so that you are fully prepared to excel.   


Once you have written this down into your new notebook ( I am assuming you have edited everything a few times just to get it right! ) make another list on a fresh page of the tools that you will need and use to achieve your goal.  These are a few tools that might come in handy ... 

• Calorie counter ( ie calorie king. com.au, myfitnesspal etc )
• Nutrition and training diary
• Support people ie friends, family, trainer
• Starting point info .. weight, measurements, pictures
• Gym bag, towel, water bottle
• Exercise wear, shoes ... good bra ( sorry girls, it just has to be said )
• Meal options .. note down 3 or 4 different options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks so that you can have a little variety.  Make sure that you always have at least 2 of these choices on hand in the pantry.

I thought I might also list down some of the other stuff that I find comes in handy from time to time as I'm training or trying to build back my motivation!

• A motto / quote for when times when it gets a bit tough.  Something positive that you feel that really reaches out to you.  It has to pump you up and get you going again.
• I've mentioned it before .. a notebook to record everything in .. not just food and exercise, but how you feel at what times and on what days. 
• Notes to yourself to remind you of what you are here to do ... sticky notes work well on the fridge, computer, or bathroom mirror.  Even a business card size note that you can keep in your purse, gym bag etc that you can look to for inspiration and a reminder.
• Recipe binder / folder ... when you find a recipe that is simple, quick, healthy and you love it then keep it here.  Refer to this often when you are planning your week's meals.

I'm going to wrap it up here.  This is where I need to put my thinking cap on and come up with some SMART goals for myself!  I hope that some of this gets you thinking and helps you decide and plan what you want to achieve with your health and fitness ( and business, career etc ) in the next few months.

Let me know how you go with deciding on your new goals and plans, I would love to hear about them!  I'll certainly let you know how I'm going with mine!

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum x