Sticking to it and don't look back

In this new year most of us make resolutions. We either make them and don’t keep them or make them and keep them. This year Caron and I wanted to make a resolution we would stick with and we decided to focus on clean eating and exercising because our lifestyle was slowing us down and we weren’t living fully.  It’s been a huge shift for both of us. In the past, we made most of our meals from scratch and always ate healthy, but our downfall was portion size and snacks ie. cookies, chocolate, salty treats etc.  Our rewards for a job well done was always desserts.

Speaking for myself I’ve wanted to get back into shape and clean up my diet for a while now but as a business owner there were always other needs to be met.  That resolve just kept being put on the back burner,  and it was easy to do because I justified that I simply didn’t have time.

Starting January 3rd Caron and I embarked on a health quest.  We followed a 28 day challenge complete with exercises for each day and a meal plan, we found in a health magazine.  Prior to this day I had started eating healthier and cutting out snacks about 6 days before. There was no focus on portion control and I exercised maybe 2-3 times during that initial prep week.  The day before we went out to buy groceries and plan out our week.  Day 1, I was gung-ho and ready to go. Early on into week one and two I realized how out of shape I was compared to the exercises that the magazine suggested.   I’m guilty of being a perfectionist by nature, so of course I thought I could do everything perfectly (side note I’ve been in great shape and much more toned, in the past). You forget how lazy you’ve become and how complacent your body has been. The second day of the challenge fell on my birthday and instead of saying “no way I cant eat anything”, I ordered a half portion of a wonderful breakfast at a great local restaurant (The Village in Estevan for those local folks in Victoria,  who may be reading this). Then had two divine slicesof chocolate cake for dinner and walked for exercise.

All this to say the past 29 days have been grueling, uncomfortable and a huge mental psychological shift for both of us. We are continuing on for at least another 4 weeks and hope to keep going after that.

Do I suddenly have more time,  this time around? No not at all but I’ve had to shift some priorities around and focus on committing to this goal I’ve set before me. My body is getting stronger, I’m feeling better and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

How did we cope? These products were our essentials:  lip balms for long brisk walks, candles and sea salt soaks for soothing baths, face moisturizer and toner for recovery time.   So grateful for sisters that motivate you and awesome coaching tips from Michelle Maynard. If your really curious about my personal fitness Instagram you can check it out @westcoastwilderness on Instagram.

What are you most proud of at this moment or this month?