I’ve arrived in Antiperos, a tiny Greek island decorated in classic Cycladic architecture, colorful bougainvilleas and oreandaer, and tiny coves with Azure water so clear you can see the sandy bottoms. I’ve found paradise!

Hopefully, you’re enjoying a summer full of laughter, adventure and family.

Here are a few thoughts on how to zone in on your fitness goals and see results…

If you really want to achieve your fitness dreams, it’s important to re-frame your goals so you can set yourself up for success.

For example, if your goal is to “drink more water” you could re-frame that goal to be something concrete, for instance “drink 8 gallons of water every day.” 

This process helps you shift your mindset, so you’re more likely to get what you want and achieve your goal. The choice to drink a set amount of water each day is much more definable and attainable.

Reframing works because it eases performance anxiety, allows you to continually succeed, and builds momentum and confidence. It’s a snowball effect. The more you feel like you’re winning, the more you desire to achieve bigger and bigger goals.

Here are three examples of how you can re-frame your health and fitness goals any time of year…

 IF YOUR RESOLUTION IS: EAT HEALTHIER
RE-FRAME YOUR RESOLUTION TO: EAT 1 LB OF VEGGIES A DAY

Why? In order to achieve a tangible, external goal (such as losing weight), you need to shift the focus into the behaviors you want to develop to achieve that. For instance, eating 1 lb veggies a day is a behavior you can implement to help you reach your final destination.

My good friend Dr. Sara Gottfried says that, “The only variable associated with less food addiction is vegetable consumption; vegetables also provide the fiber to reset ghrelin….Ideally, consume one to two pounds of vegetables per day.”

If 1 lb of veggies seems out-of-reach right now, try packing your plate with color. When you’re eating vegetables and fruits that are packed with color, you’re filling your body up with disease-fighting plant compounds.

If you’re looking for a fun way to amp up your veggie intake, turn your eating habits into a little game, and designate each day of the week to a color. Mondays are red, Tuesdays are yellow, Wednesdays are green, and so on. So on Monday, pack a sliced red pepper or grapefruit in your bag to snack on throughout the day.

IF YOUR RESOLUTION IS: LOSE 10 POUNDS

RE-FRAME YOUR RESOLUTION TO: SHUT DOWN THE KITCHEN AFTER 7PM

As you set goals, keep in mind that small steps lead to big changes. Research studies over the last five years provide strong evidence that it’s better to think in smaller increments: losing five pounds instead of 30 or cutting one sugary drink per day instead of immediately changing 100% of your diet. The small steps lead to easier victories, which builds mental and physical strength to make additional positive changes.

A recent University of Michigan/University of Southern California study showed that by staying more closely to the present with focus on smaller goals, subjects were more likely to accomplish their bigger goals. So, even if you’d ultimately like to lose 30 pounds, you’re more likely to get there by focusing on what can be easily accomplished in the present – like drinking water instead of a soda.

In life and in weight loss, it’s easy to get hung up on the details — looking at life in terms of calories consumed, ounces gained, minutes spent on your workout, and how many months it will take to get to your goal. Rather than juggling all those details, keep yourself in the present moment and focus on what you can do right now. Rather than freak out over how far you are from your bigger goal, take a moment to reflect on the small steps that are getting you closer. You’ve made some progress, right? Be encouraged.

IF YOUR RESOLUTION IS: WORKOUT MORE
RE-FRAME YOUR RESOLUTION TO: TAKE A WALK OUTSIDE THREE TIMES A WEEK

Turn your walk into a workout and bring me along! All you need to do is click play on today’s free 40-Minute Power Walk. Save it to your phone and head outside three times a week this month. 

This is a HIIT walking workout with a series of short intervals to help you burn fat and keep your metabolism humming. 

The music has been designed to keep your walking tempo on track. And, I’ll be with you every step of the way coaching you along, and helping sustain you… especially during the interval bursts.