Let's Be Real

Hello again, I am back to blogging from my almost-two-month hiatus.  I have had a great two months "off"-- lots of unstructured training, time with family and friends, and time to plan and get excited for

My boyfriend Lucas and I enjoying Xmas!

2014.

Since this is my first post during my prep for 2014, I thought I would focus on something that affects everyone this time of year: Holiday weight gain and New Year's Resolutions.

There are lots of magazine articles and "conventional wisdom" from your Aunt or Uncle that runs sometimes, "Be careful with those cookies. You know, the average person gains 5-10 lb every holiday season and you're not getting any younger".  However, when you research the facts, you will find it's all in your head.  In one study, 24 out of 34 participants aged 23-61 perceived that they had gained weight from the day before Thanksgiving until about a week after New Year's Day, but in actuality only 4 participants gained more than 2 kg (~4.5 lb).  So while it feels like you're slowly turning into the cookie monster and you've completely jumped off the "health-food-wagon", don't feel

Delicious Holiday Goodies!!

so bad, you probably have gained little or no weight this holiday season.

All of that ^ being said, you can still make your New Year's Resolution to lose weight, but I encourage you to change your mentality a little bit...  Instead of feeling obligated to make this your resolution because you need to shed that extra holiday layer, make it a commitment to changing your lifestyle and becoming a healthier person.  Getting wrapped up in the NYR hype with the many other Americans who have also vowed to wear their "skinny jeans" this year (losing weight is the most popular resolution next to volunteering more and eating better) can make it so that you go hard the first week and crash with your over zealous workout binge.

What do I mean by lifestyle change?

Watching many of my family and friends try to lose weight, or change their health habits year after year has given me lots of insight into the different ways people approach these daunting tasks.  Some people cut themselves off and go "cold turkey" into a new lifestyle.  For some, this is a decision they made and their "iron will" allows them to stick to this promise they made to themselves. For most, this is the worst approach because you end up feeling like you're shorting yourself and cutting yourself off from the life you used to have.   The other thing I have noticed is that people set unrealistic expectations: I want to lose 15 lb in a week, I am never eating sweets again, I'm going to the gym every day from now on, etc.  Make goals that are relatively small changes from your current status quo and increase them often--this is much more realistic.

What I recommend:

-Steadily increase your activity: If you are completely sedentary right now, start by taking a 15-20 minute walk three days a week, then add in a couple of minutes of running the second week.  If you incrementally add running into your walking and slowly increase the time, you'll be running 10 miles before you know it! Slow and steady wins the race.

-Make small, manageable lifestyle changes: If you are currently a smoker, who eats like they're a 15-year old boy (aka whatever they want), and are slightly overweight...do NOT throw out all of your smokes, forbid yourself from going through a drive-thru, and force yourself to spend hours at the gym every day.  This is not realistic.  Make short term goals that you can reach and feel good about: smoke less packs per week (so that it is eventually NONE!), eat one healthy and home-cooked meal per week, go to bed half an hour earlier, etc.  Just as I mentioned above, incrementally changing your lifestyle is the easiest way for your body to adjust to a "new you".  If you are consistent with small changes, it will never seem like you made a huge change so it will be easier to deal with.  Be realistic about the short term goals you set and you will have long term success. Be REAL.

If you're curious about my New Year's Resolution... I am making the promise to myself to Be Real, not necessarily with weight loss or diet, but with life in general.  It is easy to get caught up in expectations that are far from realistic, not only in weight-loss but in training and life commitments in general.  My NYR for 2014 is to take a second to look at myself and make sure what that my expectations, priorities, and goals are realistic and healthy!

I hope you are armed with some realistic goal-setting knowledge so that when you toast at midnight tonight you can feel good about the resolution you made rather than feeling anxious or nervous!

Check back soon (or next year, hehe) for my 2014 race schedule and some exciting news for next season!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

See you in 2014!!!

@nicoletruxes