10 Ways I'm Finishing The Year Strong

Location: Santana Row, San Jose, CA

Thanksgiving has come and gone, can you believe it? Before we know it it’ll be Christmas and then a whole new year to look forward to. This time of year feels always a little bitter sweet for me because I reflect on how quickly the year went by, what I’ve accomplished, what I didn’t and what I still need to work on. Usually we start the year with a bunch of resolutions that we promise to keep but if you’re like me, sometimes I don’t last a month. Dissapointing.

This year I decided that instead of waiting for the new year to instill new habits, I’m going to start the day after Thanksgiving. While everyone is out at the mall shopping for Black Friday deals, I will be starting a new tradition of listing 10 ways I am going to finish the year off strong.

Sleep at 10pm and wake up at 5:30am daily
This will take time to get used to. I LOVE my sleep but I am tired of being woken up by my kids and being in a groggy fog for the first hour of being awake. I find that when I start my day off frantically, it sets the tone for my day. Things will start going wrong, and the smallest things will start to annoy me. I want to wake up before them, get ready, have my coffee and have some alone time to plan and reflect on my day before I put my whole focus on them.
Set intentions for the day
You know how that saying goes, “Thoughts become actions, Actions become habits.” Setting my intentions for the day will help me shift my mindset from stressed and irritated to relaxed and positive. There is so much to be thankful for and I want to be consciously aware of what those are so that I don’t sweat the small stuff.
Run consistently and train for my first 10k
Running has been one of those things that I really don’t like doing while I’m doing it, but love how I feel once I’m done. I’ve also seen huge changes in my body and mind since I started running. I’ve run two 5k marathons this year and my goal is to do my first 10k in May 2017!
Take Cycle Classes
There is no other workout that I love more than cycle classes. I typically hate to exercise but cycle classes (the Soul Cycle type) get me super excited. They are pricey but I want to think of it as an investment in my health and fitness.
Low sodium diet to maintain blood pressure
This will be hard for me because I am a snackaholic and chips are my poison (Lays BBQ to be exact). I can’t quit cold turkey but I need to slowly cut it out of my diet because I’ve noticed that my blood pressure is slowly starting to creep back up. Not good. But I do need to live so this is a must for me.
Stop eating after dinner
Again, this goes back to my snack issues.
Eat vegetables at every meal
I go through phases where I will eat super healthy for weeks and then get bored of the food and will start craving certain foods that are high in carbohydrates, fat and sodium. My goal is to have a more balanced diet and make sure that I eat vegetables at every meal. Whether its spinach in my omelette, red peppers in my pasta sauce, or celery mixed in my tuna.
Have fruit instead of dessert
I never used to have a sweet tooth until I got pregnant with Emilia. Now I crave sweets especially after a meal. Replacing ice cream with an orange after dinner will not be easy.
Drink 1 gallon of water a day
This one is the easiest for me to do, I just need to remember to do it. When I don’t get enough water, I definitely feel it. I’m more tired, lack energy and are more hungry and crave fatty foods. I have a bottle that I’ll be carrying with me wherever I go.
Read more and spend less time on social media
I am most excited to do this. I have a ton of books that I’ve been wanting to read but haven’t had the time to read them. Instead of going on social media before bed (i.e. endlessly scrolling through Instagram), I want to read a book, an actual book, instead.