Healthy Holidays: PT 4

{Parts 1, 2, & 3}

Merry Motivation:

Incentives work well for not only preschool classrooms but for the bigger kids at heart, as well. An old fashioned reward system can keep you moving, keep you eating well, and keep you focused on your plan.  One key factor to staying motivated is consistency because if you slack off on whatever system you set up then your motivation will slow to a crawl. If we intensely focus on our worries we cannot keep our focus on our goals.

Twelve Non-Food Rewards to Keep You Motivated:

• Clothing/ Shoe shopping
• Manicure/Pedicure 
•  Massage (Yes, please!)
• Book
• Healthy cooking class
• Girl’s night out! (Always motivating!)
• Music
• Kitchen gadget
• Workout gadget (bic bands, sports bra, socks,)
• Facial
• New fragrance or candles
• Magazine subscription
• **Bonus** Tip jar

 **Bonus** The tip jar concept is easy to start. You simply place a monetary value on a workout and pay yourself each time you do said workout. You can add water consumption, healthy eating choices, and weight you have lost to the scheme and you will have a healthy little bonus to spend on yourself in a short period of time!

How do you reward yourself for hitting your goals?

Healthy Holidays: Part 3

{Parts 1 and 2}

Active Elf vs. Procrastinating Prancer:

If do not have an established fitness routine the best approach is to start slowly by simply moving your body by including holiday traditions that require active movement. Bundle up warmly and take a walking tour to enjoy Christmas lights or go caroling with a group of friends or family. Take the time deep clean your house before the festivities begin and make it an intense cleaning by working up a sweat. Throw on your fave Christmas music and have a dance party. Shovel the driveway and sidewalk to get your body warmed up in a hurry.

  

Consider more intense activities like ice skating, sledding, skiing or snowshoeing as your body becomes more accustomed to the new routine. Sign up for a fun run 5K and make it a new tradition for the family. 

Active Elves!

While joining a gym can be intimidating it, also, might hold the one activity that really clicks with you and keeps you moving. Most gyms offer classes of all sorts to fit every fitness level and taste. Commit to trying one new class a week in the beginning to find what makes you sweat the most and what you enjoy the best. If the gym is not an option for you then check the newspaper because many churches hold fitness classes that can be enjoyed with less intimidation than a gym might have.

Are you an active elf or a procrastinating prancer?

Procrastinating Prancer!