3 Tips to Dazzle December

Ah, the beginning of a new month, the last month of the year.  I rather like December because despite the weather being cold and dreary, the attitude is happy and cheery.  Christmas is coming and the world lights up with joy just a little more than usual.  Well, I do anyway, so maybe it’s just rose-colored glasses…

Either way, for a lot of folks, December gets tough.  It’s always a busy month due to the aforementioned holiday season.  Regular daily activities that are no problem during the rest of the year become quite a struggle from December 1 to about January 5.  I get it; we want to enjoy the joy!  So, many times, we kind of just toss caution to the wind, say f**k it, and slack on activity and good eating all month.  Because after all, “NEW YEAR, NEW YOU” starts in a few weeks!  But here’s the deal, y’all – you can relish all the wonders of the season while still keeping “it” together.

And here’s how to do it:

1 Mindset goal

1 Fitness goal

1 Nutrition goal

Simple?  Yes.  Easy?  Maybe not.  Worth it?  Definitely.

Each day, each week, and for the month, think about 3 intentions.

1 Mindset Goal – This can be as simple as, “I am going to write myself a love letter today.”  It can be choosing to make a note of each self-deprecating thought for the day and writing a rebuttal to it.  It can be big picture, like consciously focusing on all the good in your life each time you want to complain about the whole month.

1 Fitness Goal – This is a bit more self-explanatory, but let’s take a different angle.  This goal for this month should get away from weight and/or size change or maintenance.  Think about this one in terms of what you can do and how to do it.  Is work really busy this time of year and you just can’t seem to fit in your usual hour-long workout three times a week?  OK, then maybe your intention for December is to do a 30-minute workout two times a week at home and go for an hour-long walk with your dog/significant other/family each Saturday and Sunday.  It can be writing down your workouts in your planner for the week, scheduling the days and times, and sticking to those appointments.  Daily, it can be all about putting forth your best effort during your scheduled workout.

1 Nutrition Goal – Possibly the most difficult of the three this particular month, but not unattainable.  Because setting attainable goals is where it’s at!  The biggest emphasis here is not to think about your eating for the month in terms of restriction or overindulging.  Stay somewhere in the middle ground, just like you do for the rest of the year.  Weekly, this can mean planning out your menu for the week, including any special events or eating out.  Daily, it can mean packing all your snacks for the day so you can resist the office goodies temptations.  Or it can be making sure to hydrate properly all day, every day.  And overall, it can be learning to enjoy those few bites of your favorites all month long, while not giving up and going overboard.

There you have it.  3 steps to your best holiday month ever!  You’ll have to commit and recommit to each intention every day and week throughout the month, but as you do, it will continue to get easier.  Take a few hours to really think about how you can do this, and you’ll be sure to dazzle December and rock right into the New Year!

Article by…Kourtney Thomas of KT Fitness