Running

Thank you Jenny Craig for sponsoring this post. -- Get serious about losing weight with Jenny Craig! What's your New Years Resolution? I don't usually make just one resolution. As a busy mom, I try to set a lot of different goals for the year. I have career goals, blogging goals and travel goals. I also have a lot of health-related goals for the year. Besides it being the start of a new year, today is also my birthday. Every new year and new birthday feel like the perfect time to set new goals and challenge myself to be better. I'm a super busy mom who works full-time, blogs full-time and also has to find the time to manage all the other things in my life. Unfortunately, my health often takes a back seat to all of the other challenges. But with the start of a new year and a new birthday, I want to do better, to be my best, so here are my top 5 health goals for 2017. 1. I Will be a Good Role Model for My Kids One major reason I want to live a healthier life is to be a good role model for my kids. My parents did a good job when it came to fitness, but food was a struggle. When my parents were dieting, my home was full of all the healthy stuff. But when they were off their plan, my home suddenly became a smorgasbord of all the bad (but oh so delicious) things. As a kid, it was super confusing to have periods of feast (twinkies, cookies and ice cream, oh my) and periods of famine (grilled chicken and steamed broccoli anyone?). Needless to say, my early relationship with food was confusing. Since my kids are old enough to tell me what they want to eat, I consistently try to instill the importance of nutrition. I explain to them that all food is OK, but some foods are a 'sometimes' food. I don't want to put value on foods as good or bad, but I do want them to understand some foods are better for their health than others. We've also tried to introduce them to super healthy foods, but that has been a struggle because my son is an ultra picky eater. My major goal for this year is to model healthy eating and continue to show my kids how important fitness is to their lives. My hubby and I also want to do a better job of incorporating healthy family meals so we can all eat together. Currently, we eat when our kids go to bed, so we want to work toward daily meals together so we can model healthy eating and also spend quality time together around the dinner table. 2. I Will Live More in the Present Moment A video posted by Stacey || Posh In Progress (@poshinprogress) on Nov 27, 2016 at 1:07pm PST I'm terrible at living in the present; I'm constantly thinking about the future. This year, I want to focus on being more mindful and present in the moment. As a busy mom to two kids under 5, I'm constantly thinking about what else I have to accomplish to get through my days. I feel like I'm constantly missing out on the present, so I'm going to try really hard to be more mindful and live in the moment. I've already started working on this goal this first week of the new year. At least 2-3 times a day, I've been taking the time to go for a walk outside. Since I work in an office for my day job, I often don't get outside or stand up nearly often enough. I also hardly ever take a formal lunch break. To try to be more present, these walks give me a chance to reconnect with myself and take stock of how my day is going. It helps me to slow down and enjoy the world around me. 3. I Will Eat More Balanced Mindfulness and being present go hand-in-hand. Both are really important for improving my overall health. People who practice mindfulness are better able to stick to a healthy eating plan and also eat more slowly. I notoriously eat too quickly. Oftentimes, I'm just stuffing something in my face before I have to run to do the next thing for my kids. One reason I'm excited about starting the Jenny Craig program is because they focus on a holistic approach to weight loss. They incorporate a food, mind and body approach. Since each person is assigned a personal consultant, I am assured a dedicated consultant who will provide me with the one-on-one support I need. She will help to identify my challenges and goals while helping me to create a unique weekly meal and activity plan. Earlier this week, I met my consultant, Kristin. She was so warm and welcoming. We talked through my goals for the program and I specifically mentioned my desire to be more mindful and also positive role modeling for my kids. A big part of eating more healthfully is becoming more aware of the present and things that can sabotage healthy eating. Kristin talked through her own experience with the program and I can already tell I'm going to love the one on one support that the Jenny Craig program provides. Although I eat healthy most of the time, I've been slacking on getting the quantity of fruits and vegetables I should. This past year, I'd be lucky to get one of each per day. Another thing I love about the Jenny Craig plan is that they encourage the addition of fruits and non-starchy vegetables to keep me full longer with fewer calories. Each day, they require at least 2-3 servings of vegetables and they also incorporate 1-2 servings of fruit. I find the pre-planned daily menu so helpful to ensure I'm getting all the fruits and vegetables I should. I'm also excited to learn some new healthy eating strategies from my consultant to help with portion control and finding creative ways to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my everyday eating. With more than 100 premium menu items created by professional chefs, I'm really excited to try all of their foods. I've already tried several of their meals and so far, I'm pleasantly surprised at how good everything tastes. I also love that they incorporate moderation right from the start. I can have crunchy little lemon cookies for dessert after I enjoy a healthy serving of spaghetti and meatballs. The serving sizes are perfect for learning proper portions and moderation. 4. I Will Work Out at Least Four Days a Week A photo posted by Stacey || Posh In Progress (@poshinprogress) on Jul 23, 2016 at 8:26am PDT My parents did an excellent job of incorporating fitness into their lives. As I kid, I can vividly remember my mom going to jazzercise, aerobics, and both of my parents going to the YMCA to work out. As early as middle school, I started going to the Y with them to lift weights and do cardio. Although I've had periods where my fitness isn't quite where it should be, I always find my way back to a solid gym routine. For 2017, I want to get back to going to the gym four days a week. In 2016, I was lucky to make it three times a week. This year, I'm shooting for four. I've figured out a good weekend system, so the goal for this year is to find two days during the week when I can fit in a solid hour at the gym. I want to get back to running and weightlifting. I'm looking forward to chatting with my Jenny Craig consultant about finding more ways to incorporate good habits, like exercise, into my daily routine. 5. I Will Run a Half Marathon Despite my best efforts, I still hate running. Time and effort haven't changed that. But after running my first race and 10K, I'm hooked on the process. I like having something to train for and I do like the competition involved in running and race. Plus, it is motivating to have a goal to work toward. I'm planning to run another race this year and I want it to be a half marathon. With my very busy summer travel plans, I plan to look for one for next fall. Maybe I can even talk my hubby into running it with me. What are your health-related goals for the year? Are you also a busy mom who has a tough time fitting it all in? If you're already stalling on your resolution, here's an article about reaching your goals sooner. Members following the Jenny Craig program, on average, lose 1-2 lbs. per week. I received promotional consideration. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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