Just Don’t Do It…

“Don’t do what?” you say? Quit.

End of rope

From October to January, things tend to get nuts. That’s actually why this whole Friday Quickie thing got started. The increased obligations and end-of-the-year rush are, at times, overwhelming. The indulging is everywhere, and everything seems to be vying for our time. Some of the holiday hoopla is fun. Some of it is not. If you’re feeling the pressure, I have a message for you: “Hold on!” Resist the urge to throw in the towel because life is throwing too much at you. Don’t let go of those little habits that help keep you healthy the rest of the year.

Keep your workouts (however short), your healthy breakfast (however imperfect), your positive thinking (however trying), your deep breathing (if just ten breaths), your time for movement and your health—all to the best of your ability. Don’t let go of it all because of a few setbacks. I assure you, it is far easier to hold onto the end of your rope than it is to let go of the rope now and later struggle to get a hold of it again. I understand the temptation to “start fresh in January.” But that’s 25 days away. You can do a lot of damage in 25 days. So don’t give up.

I invite you to value your small choices. For example, it’s been a year since I kicked my daily pop habit. (Yay for me.) Recently, feeling a little blue, I was about to indulge in a significant amount of bubbly sweetness with my lunch. “Why not? I deserved it.” “I’m not trying to lose weight.” “I haven’t had pop since the movies” … blah, blah, blah. And then I remembered, my teeth will not be happy about this decision and I will probably feel a pretty mean sugar crash just about the time of day my kids are their most trying. So I tipped my decision the other way and tried to go without the pop. I paused and moved to my homemade seltzer instead. Did I feel deprived? A little. Unsatisfied? Not really. In fact, halfway through my lunch I had forgotten. It was one small decision BUT IT MATTERS. Because, after ten years of Blakely Fit, I’ve noticed a trend: Little habits make a big difference.

So maybe you derailed at Thanksgiving? Maybe you wish you didn’t eat that pastry your vendor left in the conference room? Maybe you haven’t finished your workout as planned? So what—just don’t quit! Taking a ten-minute walk, passing over an extra piece of candy or getting an extra hour of sleep will serve you exceedingly well in this holiday frenzy. Don’t let little setbacks derail you; you’re too smart to throw in the towel. Hold on to what is important: your health, your livelihood and your loved ones. All your small decisions in the end WILL make a difference in your continued success. Just DON’T quit!

Healthy? Maybe. Fun? Definitely.

A few girlfriends and I celebrated a 40th birthday at King Spa and Sauna in Niles, IL. I highly recommend it. It is a unique, international and visceral experience. This enormous facility has same gender pools (no swimsuits ladies), saunas, heat rooms, communal relaxation, nap room, meditation room, body treatments, fresh food and a movie theater. Take a look at the website here! Enjoy!

King Spa Pool

King Spa and Sauna

Gals at King Spa

Foundation for Health: Mom

compressedDSC_4787This year consider thanking Mom for the healthy habits she instilled in you. It has been said, “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” Well, mothers can and often do provide a foundation for our activity level, body image, hygiene and dietary habits. When done well, this is a powerful and extraordinary gift.

Healthy habits that your mom may have gifted into your life:

  • insistence that you eat your fruits, vegetables or milk
  • breast fed you as an infant
  • insisted you wear your seat belt
  • got you off the couch and outside for play time
  • drove you to all of your sport practices
  • limited “screen time” (although we didn’t call it that back then)
  • attended your meets/competitions/games
  • made sure you at breakfast every morning
  • cooked for the family
  • encouraged you to not waste food
  • encouraged you to respect your body
  • asked you to stand up straight
  • told you you were beautiful
  • insisted you wash your hands
  • made you clean under your finger nails
  • made you floss
  • took you and your friends to outdoor spaces for fun
  • led by example by participating in exercise or sports herself
  • led by example by quitting smoking
  • led by example by eating her vegetables, fruit or milk
  • led by example by following the advice of her doctor
  • took you to your annual physicals as a child
  • had your immunizations up to date
  • played outside with you
  • rode bikes with you
  • went for walks with you
  • swam with you
  • taught you to swim
  • taught you to ride a bike
  • taught you a sport or physical activity
  • took you camping
  • helped your father or siblings be healthier
  • took exercise classes with you
  • did her best to help you when you tried to lose weight
  • planned family trips that included activity or outdoor time
  • supported you in finding solutions to your medical concerns
  • led you and the family by by being a healthy example

This is by no means a complete list, but it does give you an idea. Moms do so much for us that this part of their job may have been overlooked. As a fitness expert, I encourage you to think about these gifts as we celebrate and appreciate our mothers and ourselves Sunday.