Manic Monday ~ Plenty of Prep

November 14, 2016

Thanksgiving? Christmas? The weather has tricked us! With the weather being so nice we still find that outdoor obligations are calling our names! Week by week we end up outside tidying up the fallen leaves, cleaning off our patio furniture so we can enjoy watching the kids play outside, and finding many little tasks that should be done before our first snow of the season. All of this has taken our minds far from the holidays that are just around the corner. I have to remind myself what I have been writing about: preparation! So, this past week I have made more effort to prepare for the upcoming events of big celebrations. 

For me to succeed, I have to be in the control seat (for healthy living that is). No one force feeds me, I feed myself. No one pulls me out of bed to get moving, I do that myself. No one "twists my arm" so much that it feels like it's do or die ( you know, trying that rich chocolate fudge Aunt Mary made). I, you,.....we.....are the only navigators of our bodies. Just think about it. No one, NO ONE can make you eat terribly or stay sedentary. It's on YOU. It's a BIG responsibility. Are YOU up to it? If you are willing....start NOW! Have a plan. Get ready for the next 45-60 days of barriers that may be thrown your way.  

Let's take Thanksgiving as an example. I usually make the pumpkin pies. I make several rich pies. I also make 2 lighter pies. Don't get me wrong, I love a rich piece of pie and occasionally I will delight in a piece. But, It's when I'm in what I call "the safe zone." If I am mentally prepared and in control, I can consume some of theses dandies in MODERATION. It's when I'm not prepared or in control that I tell myself that I'm not in the " safe zone." This means that I get started eating...I can't reel it in. I go back for more.....and then more. I might have been known to eat an entire pie within a couple hours time. Folks, don't go there. If you have, you know how miserable you feel a few hours or even days after. So, safe zone. And since I plan on being in the safe zone, I am going to back it up by furnishing a few healthier food options in case I become "weak." I will make my lighter recipe pies and supply a beautifully displayed veggie tray that will look delicious (checkout Pinterest ideas)! Plan ahead with these food items as stores have incredible sales starting this week.

Start your prepping now. Maybe you want to get on the right track Thanksgiving morning and head over to the gym for a good hour exercise session. I have to remind you that MVP is available to you at any hour of the day, no excuses. This would be the perfect week to get into the gym and start the ball rolling...a routine. Do this before the very busy season grabs ahold of you. Come Thanksgiving morning, you will have less of a fight to get a workout in because you have a little routine under your belt. And this routine could be the factor that keeps you balanced even through the Christmas season. So it's crucial to prep now.  

As you gear up for this holiday season, keep this motto in mind:

"PLAN to PROSPER!"

Have a GREAT week!

Rachel Zimmerman, Certified Personal Trainer and Life Coach

ACE/NSCA

Wife, Mother, and Friend