Written by Gail Mitch, Health & Lifestyle Expert, CPT, GFI, YTT200, PN L1
Photography by Paul Buceta
Hair & Makeup by Monica Kalra
Finding it tough to believe we’re halfway through 2024 and well into summer? Finding it tougher to accept you’re nowhere near achieving the goals you set out at the beginning of the year? You’re not alone. At this point, many people have long let go of their New Year’s resolutions for habits and patterns that are familiar and comfortable. You’re also not at an entire loss, though. Not achieving everything you intended midway through the year does not mean you don’t actually want to accomplish things, or that you can’t. You simply need to make lifestyle changes to achieve the kind of long-term health and great quality of life you’re looking for. And I’m going to show you how.
Usually when you start working toward a new goal, you go all in 100 percent, making changes in multiple areas of your life simultaneously. This might be through a 30-day Challenge, a super-restrictive diet, or an extreme workout plan that has you feeling “perfect” for a week or two, or maybe even a month. But then, it starts to slip and the idea of “all or nothing” turns into “nothing”, again. You may even find yourself worse off than before you started. Does this sound familiar?
Here is a better way that will not only help you to achieve your goals, but allow you to easily maintain them for the long haul. So next year, you’ll be making progressive goals, not listing the same ones.
You deserve to become the woman you are meant to be. Regardless of the changes you want to make or the goals you want to reach. You deserve all of it. But, I’m not going to sugarcoat it—change is hard. And that’s ok. You can do hard things and be better for it.
You will never regret the time, energy, and money that you spend on your physical, mental, and emotional health. I hope you use the second half of 2024 to commit to yourself, and use these tactics to rock your life the rest of the year.
To begin, think of that health goal you long to achieve. Really think about it. How would achieving it make you feel? How would it change your life? What deep desire would it fulfill? The start of 2024 was probably not even the first time you set out to succeed with it, without long-term success. Am I right? Now, I want you to focus on four key strategies that will help you really rock your life this summer:
1. Create standards for yourself
In her book, Forever Strong, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon discusses the importance of having standards for yourself for long-term success and consistency. A standard is a baseline non-negotiable criterion that you set for yourself. These standards are consistent practices and behaviors you commit to maintaining that reflect your values and lifestyle choices. For example, your standards may include exercise four days a week, eating 120 grams of protein each day, or getting a set amount of sleep each night. Setting goals can be helpful, especially if you set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound), however, keeping standards for yourself within your daily routine is crucial for maintaining results beyond the short-term window of reaching the goal itself.
2. Be curious about the journey
Instead of getting frustrated, dig in and let your curiosity take over. For example, when trying to lose body fat you will see the scale go up and down daily (even if the overall trend is going down). Many people see the scale go up and freak out, feeling like a failure, and they throw in the towel right then and there. Instead, get curious! Examine all the reasons why the scale may have gone up, such as having extra sodium or sugar the day before, experiencing different stages of your menstrual cycle, doing a heavy lifting session, having poor sleep, extra stress, and so much more. When you use curiosity, you take the emotional roller coaster out of the equation, learn about your body and how it reacts to different factors, and course correct.
3. Pause before acting
Typically, people act first and think later. Instead, pause and ask yourself this question, “Am I choosing to stay in my comfort zone where I have always been, or can I choose to get uncomfortable and grow into the woman I am working towards becoming?” This question is powerful! Sometimes you will need to ask yourself 100 times a day—and that is okay. That’s part of the journey. By pausing before you act, you bring yourself into the present moment with awareness instead of operating from autopilot. Living on autopilot or mindlessness often keeps you stuck. Next time you find yourself falling into old pattens, learn to take pauses throughout your day to make sure your actions align with your standards.
4. Find joy in the process
It is a privilege to get to work on yourself and you must remember that first and foremost. It is a privilege to choose the foods you eat and the way in which you move your body. It is a luxury to get to choose how you spend your time, your money, and your energy. It is so important to remind yourself of these concepts when working towards any goals or changes in your life. And remember to have fun with it. There will be hard days, but you can find a reason to smile or laugh at yourself, even if it is while you are doing squats!
You are worth every bit of effort it takes to make and keep the changes you are working toward, and you will never regret the time, energy, and money that you spend on your physical, mental, and emotional health. I hope you use the second half of 2024 to commit to yourself, and use these tactics to rock your life the rest of the year. Remember, the world needs your magic at any time!
