December 23, 2015

Once the flurry of social, work and end-of-year activities are over and Christmas celebrations have been enjoyed, it’s time to get back on track. If you’ve had a busy December, waiting for January to come is likely to set you even further back from achieving your goals.

Start again now.

Start by saying No to yet another “treat”.

If you’re being honest with yourself, will another treat make you feel happy or guilty? Is eating the treat necessary to avoid hurting someone else’s feelings? Is it worth sabotaging goals that are important to you? Think carefully about whether the treat is really worth the taste pleasure.

Plan a healthy meal.

After the rush of Christmas, it’s possible that you’ve been eating whatever is offered or available with little thought, so actively planning – and following through on the plan – can help remind your body and mind of the healthy habits you were aiming to create.

Pull on your runners.

This can happen at any time, of course, but going for a walk can help alleviate feeling over-indulged and lethargic. This simple activity doesn’t need to be strenuous; just going through the motions even on a short walk around the block can break the inactivity habit and re-energise your brain as well as your body.

Re-write your goal.

It’s easy during busy times to forget the importance of your personal goals. Re-writing them reminds you of what you’d like to achieve and of what you need to do to ensure they’re achieved.

Set appointments in your diary.

Mobile phones are an excellent tool for helping you get back on track. Apps, alarms, calendars and reminders can all be utilised to help you remember and avoid procrastination.

Go shopping.

Yeah, yeah, that’s the last thing you need after Christmas, right? The good thing is that many stores have their Boxing Day sales, so you can pick up some bargains in active-wear stores that help to motivate you to get moving. We all want to look good and it’s so nice to wear clothes that make you feel as well as look good. Going shopping also helps you to get moving, so it’s a win-win.

Often getting back on track is easy once you make up your mind. Being proactive is the key: make up your mind that the time is right and just do it.