CrossFit Trainer Shares Tips for the New Year

Marlboro trainer Lisa D'Alessio is looking to make you SMART in the new year.

As each year comes to an end, and a new one begins, for many people this means setting new goals. The most popular resolutions surrounding health include working out more and losing weight.  Unfortunately, the common trend is to start out strong with resolutions, then taper off after a few months.  Here are a few tips to choosing health-related resolutions, along with how to stick with them.

New Year’s Resolutions should be viewed as long term goals; and therefore they should be planned as long term goals.  At Marlboro CrossFit we help and encourage our members to be setting S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S- Specific.  A specific goal has a much greater chance of being achieved than an vague/open ended goal (vague- I want upper body strength vs. specific- I want to do 10 pull-ups)

M- Measurable.  Measure your progress to stay on track.  By setting a measurable goal you will know when it has been achieved.  (i.e. goal achieved when you do 10 pull-ups)

A- Attainable.  Know where your skill level lies and set goals according to that.

R- Realistic.  Know the difference between short and long term goals.  Your 1 year goal may to be to strong 10 unassisted pull-ups, but that is not realistic for a 1 month goal.  Discuss goals with trainers to determine what may or may not be realistic.

T- Timely.  Assign a time frame to your goals.  It gives you something to work towards.  “Eventually” and “soon” are not time frames.  “By March 1st” and by “June 30th” are… get the point?

Once you have set your S.M.A.R.T. goal, it is important to stay on track.  A great way to ensure that you are committed to the goal is to set shorter-term ‘check mark’ goals. 

Example:  New Year’s Resolution (aka long term goal) is to lose 25 pounds.  How will you make this attainable?  By creating smaller goals to help you get there.. 1) get to the gym 3-4 times each week  2) hold weekly weigh-ins with yourself to remain accountable 3) create lifestyle eating habits, rather than fad diets.

This brings us to the next important point of diet.  There is a huge difference between a ‘diet’ and a change in lifestyle eating habits.  Diets are not permanent, where as changes to eating habits are.  Here are a few tips to making an easy transition.

1) Change doesn’t happen overnight.  You can’t remove everything from your diet at once and expect to stick with it.  With gradual change, you body is given the opportunity to adapt in a better way and you won’t be finding yourself lightheaded and famished are far less.

2) Cheat meals not days.  It’s common for people to assign days where they allow themselves to “cheat” when it comes to food.  While it is a good thing to moderately allow yourself those cravings, it is not the best to allow yourself an entire day of eating that way because it cause more setbacks than it’s worth.  Instead, allow yourself a certain number of cheat meals spread throughout the week.  That way it is easier to stay on track.

3) Plan ahead.  In today’s society, it is much more convenient to grab things to eat on the go.  Generally speaking, those quick meals and fast foods are not helping to reach your health goals.  Designate a day to prepare food for the week.  If you set aside some time on a Sunday to prepare meals that can be portioned and stored.

4) Rule of thumb. It is unnatural for food to sit on a self for an extended period of time and stay ‘good.’  Stick to ‘perimeter shopping.’  Meaning, try to do your food shopping on the perimeter of the store.  If you notice, this is where the produce, meats and dairy are kept.  These foods are more natural, and therefore better for you.