prioritising my health

At the end of September it dawned on me… the end of the decade was fast approaching. And suddenly I had a sense of urgency, the feeling that I needed to make the last few months really count.

See, I’m not a big fan of new years resolutions (read more on that here), and I wanted to finish off strong, so I decided to get into action immediately.

Now, to be clear, I’m always working on something. But this time I decided to do something I teach but really struggle to practice myself, that is, to focus on just one thing.

I’ll be honest, this idea terrifies me because I have so much I want to do. But I decided to play it by the book and focus. Like, laser focus on the one thing I wanted more than anything else.

It took soul searching, but finally, I called it and committed to making my health my priority. Because here’s the thing, I wasn’t feeling my best mentally or physically and that impacts every single area of my life. Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve felt great and I thought, if not now then when?

So I did what anyone with a declaration does these days, I posted about it on social media. Not because Instagram needs another image of a sweaty thirty-something, but because I knew if I put it out there that my pride would force me to do the work, and with that, the results would follow.

So here is what’s happened over the last 28 days since I made the commitment to exercise daily for at least 30 minutes.

I’ve stuck to it

I’m now 28 days in and I’m tracking well. I missed one day but heck, I’m letting it go. After all, I can’t change the past. And I won’t let a slip up derail me because there will always be something that comes up and success in any area of life is determined by our ability to keep going.

I’ve upped the ante

A deeper look into my motivations unveiled that my physical appearance was bothering me more than I let on. Simply put, I wanted to shift a few kilos, as well as get back into exercising regularly.

So, I’ve been diligent with my diet as well. I have a ‘perfect day’ meal plan that I’ve been sticking to religiously except for my pre-planned ‘cheat’ meals.

I’ve got support

I’ve gotten a huge amount of support from family, friends and clients, which is great.

But most importantly, my accountability partner, Kate, keeps me clear on my goals and why it’s important. Having a framework to check-in with each other holds us both accountable and make it a much less lonely journey.

My whole family is benefiting

On the weekend my 14-year-old stepson sought my guidance on how to do workout, which if you know any teenagers, is remarkable because he usually doesn’t want to talk to anyone. But seriously, being able to model healthy behaviours to him is a massive motivator for me.

Also, my husband has caught on too. He’s exercising more and we are supporting each other to find the time to do it. We’re also eating better and sleeping more which has improved the overall mood in my household.

The results

  • I’m feeling great

Having time to myself each day is allowing me to be a more present mum, wife and coach, which is awesome. I’m also sleeping better than I have in a long time.

  • I’m enjoying myself

I have no shame dancing around my lounge room or laughing out loud as I listen to a podcast on my walk. Having these little moments of fun literally brightens my day.

  • I’ve lost weight and gotten fitter

My clothes fit better and my fitness has definitely improved. And I’m feeling more confident as a result.

  • I feel liberated

Perhaps most importantly, I feel liberated. It’s as though the lingering guilt ‘hangover’ has been lifted. I’m not wasting my energy thinking about making changes, I’m just doing it and that feels freeing and exciting.

  • I am more productive

I’ve been getting more done in all areas of my life. By having more structure and clarity to my day, and I’ve removed lots of the decision making, such as what to eat (see meal plan) or what to wear (workout gear only ATM). The effect of this has been to increase my efficiency and my effectiveness, so I am achieving things in other area of my life too.

What’s next

If you’re not already, follow me on Instagram to see my daily journey. Plus I’ll give you an update in the new year so you can see how I went, and what I achieved.

And if you’re working on a goal, share it in the comments and let us know how you’re tracking.