So. It’s February, and your resolution zest might be waning . . . or even more likely, gone by the wayside altogether. It’s so common. I know, you were fired up for change, but then life got rolling again post-holidays and so many things got in your way . . . work, kids back to school and schedules, horrendous viruses. Life.

And it’s soooo haaaard. I can hear your voice from here. The planning is tedious. You’re tired. It takes time to grocery shop. You need to have a beer/glass of wine/cocktail to relax in the evening. And what’s that you say? You weren’t seeing results, anyway.

Stop there. What?

If you started January 1, you’ve been at this, tops, 4 weeks. Can you get truly satisfying, life-altering results in 4 week’s time? Rude awakening alert: Likely NO.

Can you make small changes? Start whittling away at bad habits and creating new ones? Yes, yes yes! But will you be feeling svelt and buff and ready for prime-time swimsuit season after 4 weeks? No freakin’ way. No matter what Men’s Health & Women’s Health & Oxygen & Self & Cosmo & Redbook & all the other mags out there tell you, the answer is no. No 20 lbs. in 4 weeks. No fab thighs with 3x/week stretchy-band leg workouts. No six-days to a six-pack. Nope. Sorry, Charlie.

So you probably are itching to “switch it up,” or throw in the towel. No and no. Not a good idea. The only way this stuff works is when you STICK WITH THE PROGRAM. Now, that doesn’t mean you don’t evaluate as you go along, see what’s working and what’s not, and tweak accordingly. That does mean that you give things a good 6 weeks to start to move . . . taking into account data as you go. Is your weight moving up or down? What about measurements? How are your clothes fitting? Can you see any changes in the mirror? Has anyone else? How is your hunger throughout the day? Are you energetic? Do you have cravings? How does your body feel overall? Are you enjoying your workouts? Are they challenging? Do they leave you wasted tired? Energized?

Here’s the hard truth. This is tough work. It’s tedious. It’s boring. It’s SO not sexy and exciting . . . and your job right now is to double down and keep that nose to the grindstone. A wise woman once said, “It’s all good when it’s all good,” meaning – it’s easy to stick with a program when life is humming along smoothly . . . but let’s get real. How long does that go on? There are hiccups on almost a daily basis in everyone’s lives . . . the real key to success is learning how to be flexible, adaptable, and ready to roll with them. It is possible. You might not be 100% perfectly compliant, but you can live through a lot of crap and for the most part, still stick to your program. And THAT, Sweeties, is how you get those results you want.

It’s cold right now, but before you know it, it’ll be tank top & shorts weather . . . do you want more wine? Or do you want to feel strong, confident and proud of yourself? I bet I know the answer.

You got this!

Spill it: Everyone’s got something: What are you struggling with the most right now? How do you keep yourself motivated to stay on track?

© 2014, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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We are on the verge of the new year, Sweeties. The holiday merriment has been going on for weeks, we’re ready for resolve, right? I am SO for the cleaning up of acts, of goals, of seeking triumph over diet and exercise “demons,” etc. but I’m going to put on my coaching hat right now and admonish you to

EXERCISE CAUTION

What the heck am I talking about? Well, sweeping changes are dramatic. They pump you up and make you feel thrilled when you think about them, right? “I will finally lose 20 lbs. this year!” “I will be in the best shape of my life!” “I will kick chips to the curb!” “I will cut sugar from my diet!” “No more white food in 2014!” Any of this sound remotely familiar? I think at one point or another, we’ve all vowed for sweeping change, and we have all failed. And that, my friends, is the rub. Epic doesn’t pan out, most of the time. And as someone who’s LIVED epic change, I can assure you, most of the time, it’s OVERRATED.

Epic change is overrated: When it comes to goals, simple & measurable win the day.
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What’s gonna get you there this year? Think small, consistent and sustainable. Nope. It’s not sexy, it’s SMART. And as I’ve learned in my life, sexy doesn’t get you very far, but SMART wins the day.

What are SMART goals? They are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-Sensitive.

Specific: When it comes to goals, vague’s the enemy. Specificity sets forth actions and empowers you to achieve your goals. It helps you establish priorities, manage time. Specificity locks an image in your mind, and when you can see something clearly, you are MUCH more likely to attain it.

Measurable: By hours, pounds, inches or bunches, you need to be able to see exactly how you’re measuring up against your goals.

Attainable: It’s imperative that you set big goals that make your heart race, but it is also crucial to make sure that they are attainable. 10 lbs. in 2 weeks is not attainable. 1 lb. per week for the next 4 weeks is an attainable goal . . . that can help you reach that 20 lb. goal, slowly but surely.

Realistic: Be honest with yourself. Can you REALLY attain this? Look back on your past goals and resolutions . . . which ones did you stick with and why? Which did you abandon and why? If you can’t cook and don’t have time to shop for food, are you honestly going to prep all your meals at home in the month of January? Probably not. Shoot for 2 meals per week. Set yourself up for success, not failure.

Time-Bound: Good goals have deadlines. Think of a work- or school-related goal: You start working on it because you know there’s a due date. You continue to work on it because you don’t want to get behind. As the deadline approaches, you keep up your work because you don’t want to miss your deadline. This is your personal assignment. Set a deadline. Meet the deadline. Get an A.

Here’s your homework. Think on this as you go about your business in the next 24 hours, then set aside 30 minutes for yourself to draft a mission statement for yourself. Then break it down into SMART goals. What’re you going to do in the next week? Month? 6 months? Year? How will you know you’ve gotten there? What are you going to do to achieve the results you seek (hint: CELEBRATE with something goooood)? After you’ve done that, make it look pretty. And keep it with you. Pin it up. Fold another copy in your pocket. Stash one in your bedside drawer. Keep referring to it to remind you what you’re doing. When faced with that bag of chips in the pantry/the snooze button/candy in the checkout aisle at the grocery, wheel out your SMART goals and ask yourself: “Does this get me closer to my goals?” If not, then STOP.

Ask yourself: "Does this get me closer to my goals?" If not, then STOP.
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Every day: New day, same goals. Lather, rinse, repeat. Small steps in a long journey are the only thing that’ll surely get you there.

New day. Same goals. Lather, rinse, repeat.
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And if you need help? I’m here! Join the newbies who’re signing on for 2014 now. Current clients of my Thrive Guide coaching are getting results and you can too . . . my accountability and support tools and services are KEY for success in meeting your goals. ThriveGuide at Yahoo dot com is the hotline to Sarah!

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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