Weekly Challenge ...

While there are many things that I would like to include in my weekly challenges, I feel that at the moment I am going to keep my focus on the basics .. once I get these down, I'll get a bit more adventurous!

This week my challenge is going to be the same as the one that many other people face ... I've been thinking a bit about it since I wrote my Monday Motivation ... Consistency.  All too often we start out on a new exercise program or diet only to fall off the wagon in the first few days or week.  Something comes up and throws us off track .. it all then seems too hard and we don't get back on the wagon.  I'm not quite at this stage, however, I will say that my consistency has been lacking a bit lately.  Not so much with my training but with my diet ... I know, I seem to be mentioning it a lot!  

All things considered, I really do have a healthy, balanced diet .. where I do get a bit sidetracked are the weekends.  Friends over one day, family the next .. or in the case of this week .. friends over, baby showers, birthday lunches, birthday parties ... looking back I feel like I've been eating for a week!  And you know what .. I'm the one who hasn't kept an eye on it and kept myself under control.  And I'm paying the price!  

After this last week, I really must get back some consistency to my clean eating ... everyday, every meal .. maintain consistency and I will be back on track.  It's all about choice .. my choice!

On the training front ... I maintain my consistency if not the intensity that I normally train at.  Some days it might just mean I take the dog for a walk, but I am keeping up the routine.

I've taken the first step and accepted that I'm to blame for not making the right choices, when the option was there to make them.  Now I'm going to be the one to get myself back to where I want to be.   I'm going to get there by being consistent ... by eating clean and keeping up regular training.

It's all about choice .. my choice .. and I've made it!  I know I call these my weekly challenges .. but they are not weekly .. I am introducing these changes into my life one week at a time .. that way they are going to hang around and continue to be part of my life and my lifestyle!

My life, my body, my choice!
Your life, your body, your choice!

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum 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   

Monday's Motivation ..

Who inspires you?

Everyone finds inspiration from different sources for different aspects of their lives .. career, home, family, food, fashion .. and your health and fitness too.

Some people get inspired by how others look and strive to emulate that look.  If this is working for you that is great provided you are realistic with your expectations.

Personally, I find my inspiration to keep fit and training from many different people.  From elite athletes who have worked so hard to get where they are ... to the mums coming into the gym who are super consistent with their training and routine.  They work hard and have to balance work, family, training and life .. just like I do! 

This week, think about who inspires you to achieve .. remind yourself of them everyday, at every workout because I bet they are feeling and thinking the same things as you are! 

“ Allow yourself to be inspired.

Allow yourself to succeed.

Dare to excel! ”

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

 

 

Lost without a goal ..

So I've had a "rest" week after finishing the half marathon.  I have still done some training, because I know I should, and because I really do enjoy it.  It hasn't been all running, I've done a few weight training sessions and I've certainly felt those!

In the last few days I've been thinking about what my new goal should be and what type of training I should do now.  I must say that I'm kind of floundering. 

Do I want to sign up for another run?  I'm not sure if I really want to feel the pressure of following another training program, at least for a while. 

Should I start a "lean, mean, mummy machine" program?  There's a few "adjustments" that I would like to make to my body ... but how will I measure it? Weight, measurements, body fat, look?

I don't want to train because I feel I have to .. but I don't want to NOT train and feel guilty!  Without a current "goal" I'm certainly feeling a bit confused and not as focused as I would normally be.   

One thought keeps crossing my mind when I've been asked what I'm going to start training for ... 
I'm going to do something that I enjoy doing!  I think that this is going to be my new goal .. until of course I decide on another one!

What do you do when you feel a little less focused with your training?
Are you training for a specific goal .. or just because you enjoy what you are doing?

Most importantly, I hope that you are doing something you really love!

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum x