A Clean and "Green" 2017

So, it's two weeks into the New Year. By now...either you have made good effort to have a healthy lifestyle OR you are slowly slipping back into your old comfort zone. Either way, I want to offer a tool to use: a challenge. It's the dead of winter, and you have nothing to lose! I coined the term "Be Clean in 2017!" Now, (at least for the next 2 months) I want you to think "green".... Yes, GREEN! Color Meaning: Meaning of The Color Green. ... Green, the color of life, renewal, nature, and energy, is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, and environment. Doesn't the color green go hand in hand with a fresh start? A renewal? A natural way of living? AND guess what color is plastered all over our environments in approximately 60 days? GREEN! Well, maybe it's primarily plastered around those who love the Irish....St. Patrick's Day! And yes, I'm Irish! My maiden name is O'BRIEN. And my family's love for our heritage has taken us to the green fields of Ireland. And it is in that country that I discovered a different kind of beauty, a raw type of beauty. Vast landscapes, breathtaking cliffs, and clean crisp air....all of which describes the meaning of "green." There is nothing that feels better than feeling renewed and refreshed. I'm certain that the soap bar, Irish Spring, is popular because of the very same concept! Okay, back to the challenge. There is approximately 60 days to mid March, St. Patrick's Day. This is the dead of winter. This is the PERFECT time to get started on a new journey of life. The Challenge is to set a 30 day goal and a St. Patrick's Day (60 day) goal. If I want to lose 10 lbs, I may set 6 lbs for the next 30 days and 4 lbs additional by my 60 day goal. If I want to start an exercise program, I may set a 30 day goal of 3-4 cardio sessions a week for 30-40 minutes each. In 60 days I would be achieving 4-5 sessions at 40-60 minutes each. Maybe on the food side I choose a program that I know I can do for 30 days....and I bet you at the end of 30 days you will want to keep it going as you see great benefits of eating better, not to mention the fact that you will have a rhythm going. What about setting a strength goal? Maybe it's being able to perform 20, 40, or 50 push-ups by the end of 60 days? Or maybe it's sit-ups? There are endless goals to consider. Choose a few and focus strongly on those goals. My family and I register for the CASI St. Patrick's Day race each year. It's a 5k race in Davenport, Iowa. I try to run this race annually to keep me motivated on the treadmill in the dead of winter. It's a fun goal to make. Let's take the "Green" challenge together. It's up to YOU to take advantage of these tools. This is easy to read about. I'm asking you.... isn't it time to stop procrastinating? Isn't it time to have accountability? Isn't it time to renew your mind to make this journey worth taking? To change your attitude? To make the effort? To see a NEW life of feeling good, being healthy, and doing things you never thought possible because you're fit? Two thousand seventeen. It's here. It's just starting. You have a window of opportunity...right now... to make a challenging choice!! Let's do this! So for the love of the Irish... Go GREEN! Have a GREAT week! Rachel O'BRIEN Zimmerman, Certified Personal Trainer and Life Coach ACE/NSCA Wife, Mother, and Friend