Fit Tip #4 Vacation Sabotage

As we are in the month of June and it is officially summer, people are going away for vacation, for the weekend, preparing for 4th of July festivities, the question becomes how do I stay on my diet? How do I enjoy myself without sabotaging my progress and keep up with my routines? I have answers and they begin with many of the things I have discussed previously. First if you make a commitment to making this a lifestyle and not a diet or quick fix then vacation is not a metaphor for free-for-all. Also look at pay attention to your words and intentions, do you feel vacation you should be able to eat whatever you want, do whatever you want? And what is the logic behind that? Does it support your overall intentions for your life? Do you consider eating well, healthfully and exercising punishment or a privilege? Something you do because you care about your body? Something you do because it gives you more energy, makes you feel good and supports your vision for your life?

I'm throwing it back at you because that's where all the responsibility is. Change your mindset and your weekend is not when you're "bad", change you mindset and vacation is not a buttery, fried food extravaganza. You eat well because it supports your body, your health and tastes good. Within the context of this is a lifestyle and not a diet, you can have fried food once in a while. You can have that creme brulee or piece of cheesecake. Pay attention though is it everyday? Every meal? Because if it is there is something else going on. Something you are pushing down with food. Yeah you could say it's cause it tastes good and I'll tell you sugar is one of the most addictive substances. Since you are an adult you can make a choice to change your taste buds, train your palate as well as your body.

So you're going on vacation and you don't have a gym where you're going, what do you do? You can do abs anywhere. The core exercises I gave you earlier can be done in a hotel room, poolside just about anywhere. Also bring a jump rope with you if you don't have access to a gym to get on the elliptical, treadmill or don't have access to a trail to run. A jump rope is really easy to pack, takes up no room and really gets your heart rate up. It can be done in a small space and it will help tone your arms. Other exercises you can do are lunges and squats, push ups, modified or full body. None of these require equipment all they require is your commitment and a willingness to have the vision of the body you want. If you wish to add resistance you can bring resistance bands with you, either with handles or without. These are also very lightweight and don't take up a lot of room. You can add bicep curls to your lunges or squats, you can do a standing bent over row, triceps kickbacks, overhead press. In other words there is no excuse to not continue your program.

If you make the time to exercise during your vacation and make healthful eating choices, there is no reason to sabotage your program. You can indulge in some of your pleasurable foods, balance is the key. Have that delicious buttery whatever for dinner just make sure to balance that with a scrumptious salad for lunch and yummy fruit for a snack etc. Or have the grand slam for breakfast just choose healthfully for the rest of the day. Plan your meals and your exercise time, just like you plan your tanning time! If you don't want to feel like you're spending your whole vacation working out, cut it back to 20 or 30 minutes, just pack it in. Don't rest, give yourself a circuit training workout and do jumping jacks or jump rope in between your sets. You can keep your commitment to yourself just make it non-negotiable, make it an appointment with your best self and honor it.

Fit Tip # 3 Make the Gym Non-Negotiable

This is a very simple tip. You have to back the gym part of your life, it cannot be a negotiable aspect. No less than eating or having water (more on that soon to come) are necessary for your survival. You have to make it as easy for yourself as possible. I always say the best time to exercise is when you will. That's it, be honest with yourself about when you're most likely to exercise and stick to it. Make a commitment to how many times a week you will exercise and then pick times that work for you. Schedule it into your day. You can even schedule what you will do when you go to the gym a week or two in advance or more.

Take the "feeling" out of it. I rarely "feel" like working out before I do it but I love it while I'm doing it and afterward, but it's non-negotiable. If you are a morning person than by all means work out in the morning. I, personally, am not a morning exerciser, I am usually training other people myself but I am simply significantly weaker in the morning. But I am an afternoon/early evening exerciser. Don't judge yourself about when you should work out. You should work out when you can and are able, and when you will! Just make sure that you create time in your life for it. If you have kids figure out a way incorporate your fitness into their activities (tips on how to do that are coming). If you work late or a lot find a time in your day that is for working out and stay committed to it. Know what your weakness are and plan accordingly.

Enroll other people into keeping you on track, hire a trainer, make workout dates with people, get to know people in your gym, trainers, salespeople, managers make it a place you go to and are held accountable. If you want to socialize that's fine, talk while you work out. I'm a big fan of talking but only if exercising is going on, remember why you're there. Make sure your gym bag is packed the night before or wear your workout clothes to the gym. Keep clothes at your office or at the gym. Inspire others to join you with your commitment! Make it easy on yourself! But definitely make it non-negotiable!

Lifestyle: Make a Commitment!

One of the most important things you can do when embarking on a fitness program or lifestyle is make a commitment. Make a commitment to yourself and to making this a lifelong journey. It's good to make a clear decision and a choice about what you really want. This can always be modified later on but it's important to be honest with yourself. Whether its for health or aesthetic reasons its imperative that you know why you're making this change in your life. Figure out what your goals are and what are the results you're looking for. I think it's wonderful when people tell me it's for both aesthetic and health reasons, mostly because it rings true. If you're willing to be honest with me you're more likely to be honest with yourself as well. If its only for aesthetic reasons thats okay too because you'll get health benefits from being more in shape either way you slice it.

Once you make a commitment, you have parameters to work within, one being able to identify what your goals are and the other being your willingness to attain them. Shifting your priorities to dedicate hours of your life to working out, paying attention to your body, eating healthfully and making choices that support the vision of yourself and the life you want to be leading is major one and not to be treated lightly. Nor do I want it to be something one obsesses over but just like learning a new language or a new skill it will take a consistent effort. Get honest about what it will take to achieve your goals and start right away not the next day or next Monday. It means doing what you can do today that supports your goals.

This means making reasonable demands on yourself. Give yourself specific realistic targets while also challenging your body and your normal parameters. If you set goals you can achieve but challenge you this will increase your self confidence and give you more incentive to continue. Your foundation is your commitment. If you accept responsibility for your fitness, when you are inclined to make a choice that doesn't support your overall intentions (and you will) you will have your commitment to ground you. I try to focus on it being a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix or an obligation. It's a choice you make and it includes the reality that you will falter upon occasion and make decisions that don't support your intention and that's the truth Ruth. But if this is a lifestyle lifelong commitment there is room for a cookie and sometimes you won't make it to the gym but that won't mean that you have fallen off the proverbial wagon and all is lost. I assure you that with in the context of the commitment to yourself you will find it easier to adhere to your goals.
YOU ARE WORTH THE COMMITMENT YOU MAKE TO YOURSELF.