I send my congratulations to those of you who have made commitments to change parts of you life, to eat better, and to care for yourself. But have you made the right choice for you, or did you go along with what everyone else did for New Years?
I hear these resolutions quite often: Lose 10 pounds, jog each day, stop eating sugar, and get out of debt. You are truly unique, so I hope you’ve designed your intentions for 2012 to fully suit who you are.
What if jogging is not the right style of physical activity that fits your build? Perhaps you are destined to be dancing salsa every weekend!
Did you join a grueling weight loss program that is set to suck the fun out of your meals each time you defrost a package of low fat food? Or are you ready to embrace an approach to eating where you melt in your chair, savor each bite, and know that there is a specific health intention behind each food you eat?
I love to teach people like you how to craft meals that will provide sustained energy, keep you from getting sick, keep your digestive tract happy, and keep you happy at the same time. And while we’re at it, let’s make the meal gluten-free (if you don’t eat wheat), unprocessed (so there’s no fractionated food that takes you nutritionally backward), and organic (so your body doesn’t have to cleanse pesticides after each meal).
This sounds great!
I also know that it’s easy to slide back into old habits within a couple weeks of setting them, and this is why support is so important.
I just hired a new business coach for 2012, because I also find it easy to fall back into the familiar comfort of my habits. At the start of 2011, I made a similar commitment, and invested in a Mastermind group where I knew I would receive the support I needed to do things differently. Since then, I’ve made a lot of changes that once looked huge.
I want to leave you with 5 ideas as you embark upon your New Year goals.
1. Begin with small changes. I learned from the book The Compound Effect, that if we try to do too much at once (like jogging 2 hours each day), we usually won’t stick with it. Consider adding a small time commitment to your new desire, like sectioning off just 15 or 30 minutes for it per day.
2. If your aim is to eat fewer sweets, slide into this by having fresh or dried fruit if you crave sugar. Lately, I’ve been eating honey patties that are covered in unsweetened dark chocolate.
3. I’ve got my “winter insulation” on right now, too. If your clothes are also a little snug, rest assured that you’ll lose those couple pounds through the chilly winter, as long as you continue to eat well. In the meantime, this will be a good test of your commitment to loving who you are.
4. Stay connected with people. Laugh with them, cook with them, and if you are in Olympia and need something to do together, consider coming to one of my new wintertime cooking classes.
5. Don’t make these changes alone. Tell a friend what you’re up to, publically let your facebook friends know about your goals, or hire someone to be there with you.
We’re about a week into 2012, and it’s going to be one amazing year!
© 2011 Ava Waits
