It’s February! And I have one question for you. How are your 2024 goals going? The new year rolls around and everyone’s top goal always seems to get into better shape, have the best body, and be the best version of themselves. It is super easy to start the year off with ambitious fitness goals and one might wonder why that is not a priority year-round. Unfortunately, life is difficult, and schedules become busy, and health and wellness fall by the wayside. This February, I am asking you to revisit your fitness and wellness goals for the new year, so they are sustainable not only this year but for life. No matter your age, body type, or skill level everyone can make small improvements to their daily routine to be a better healthier version of themselves.
Starting Your Fitness Journey
You’ve made it! You are at the right place! This is where your journey begins. Allow yourself to enjoy this new change in your life, whether this is a change in the new year or at a pivotal moment in your life this is the perfect time to start. Starting a workout and fitness journey takes patience, this isn’t something that happens overnight. Allowing yourself to make these adjustments day by day will lead to lasting goals you are striving to reach. Today, we will go over some simple steps to help kick start you into this journey:
The first step starts with giving yourself grace and loving your body in the current state it is in. This step sounds contradictory to this journey because why would someone want to start a healthy journey if they already love their body? The answer is simple, you must love your body for allowing you and providing you with the ability to move and change. Our minds are so powerful. We are going to be working out our bodies physically, we need to be working out our minds mentally feeding them with positive thoughts and affirmations.
The next step is understanding that small changes lead to big results. Starting small will ultimately lead you to do the big things you want to achieve. This week, we are focusing on goals that are realistic to what you want to accomplish. A goal that I have for this new year is to spend more time outside. This goal is realistic and plausible. An easy change in your mindset and routine that can help you accomplish your goal. Making small incremental changes will be the building blocks to your success.
Food is fuel. As much as emphasizing the exercises you are doing has on your overall results from this journey, the food you choose to put in your body as fuel is even more important. Many people fall into the trap of dieting when they start a health journey. That is only hurting them. As an individual looking to improve my body, feeding it the proper fuel pre- and post-exercise is so important because that is what our body needs to perform and recover. Choosing to change your diet is a major goal for a lot of people, but how can we change our mindset and make a goal that makes sense to your life.
Finally, never compare. The fitness journey can be intimidating, but do not let that be the reason you don’t go for your goals. Everyone is just as worthy as the person next to them to be in the gym and everyone is fighting their own internal battle to get through the workout they are in. The gym seems like an unrelatable environment based on weight, but in reality, everyone is in the same boat fighting the same battle just trying to get through the set they are currently on. Every body is different and everyone’s goals for their health and fitness are different. Appreciate your body for everything that it does for you. It carries you through your life and all the wonderful things you do day in and day out. Confidence knowing you belong in this journey is what you need.
Your positive mindset is all you need to be successful. Many find themselves in a state of confusion as to why they are not seeing the results they want to see. This all comes down to your mental strength. Are you willing to give yourself grace and love yourself for who you are? Are you willing to stick with the small changes and not get ahead of yourself with the big ones? Are you willing to wake up early? Are you willing to fuel your body with the right nutrients? Lastly, are you willing to never compare yourself to anyone? Five simple steps. Five simple questions you need to ask yourself before entering this journey. Everyone is capable, especially you.
Community, Accountability, and Self-Belief
I have been in your shoes before and know the exact feeling of wanting to make a change within yourself. It’s hard, let me tell you, but the reward in the end and the lifetime of habits and skills you have instilled in your body will last a lifetime. This isn’t just a few weeks program that gives you all the tools and resources to be successful, shows you the results, and then you leave. If that is your intention, you are in the wrong place sister, and let me be the first to tell you. What I can tell you at this moment is that you are not doing this alone. Thousands of men and women out there are looking to make a change in their lifestyle just like you. This is a community of like-minded individuals who need to stick together with each other and lean on one another. These friends might not be physical with you, but this online platform will allow you to connect with those around you to form these relationships. What will make it even better is if you grab a friend and make this commitment together? To keep each other accountable through this program and as it continues with you through life constantly improving you physically and mentally as a person. Staying true to the steps and your goals is what will be your constant that always grounds you with or without a friend. This is for you, and you are doing it with yourself no matter what. Continue to be your biggest fan because you will always have yourself in your corner.
Starting with simple steps will jump start this journey and allow us to be one as we embark on it together. Creating small effective habits every day is the key to my success with this program. Hard unattainable goals are where people get ahead of themselves and crumble. That is not my goal. I am ready to see you thrive in this new adventure. There will be ups and there will be downs, but that is all a part of this process. Anyone who has been through this knows it is not easy, but what they can tell you is that you will be so incredibly proud of yourself when you accomplish this. In the moment, what you might think is the hard part is the easy part, you are being guided through every step of this journey step by step and day by day to ensure you will look the best you want to look and feel the best you want to feel. The hard part comes after. When the guidance is gone, and you are on your own. It is now your turn to take all the tips and tricks from this series and continue with them in your everyday life. Continue to work on those habits, and new skills, eliminate any form of nonsense, and allow yourself to keep working in silence for yourself. You will always be your own biggest fan and it is most important that you keep it that way.
Wellness encompasses a healthy body, a sound mind, and a tranquil spirit. Enjoy the journey as you strive for wellness.”
– Laurette Gagnon Beaulieu
