Reflecting on 2015, how much personal growth did you accomplish? Did you manage to set aside time for you? Did you achieve everything you set out to last January? If you didn’t can you identify why not? Was it too much work commitment, lack of motivation or no goals to guide you?
Well as it’s January, I’m going to help you set out some personal goals, but only set them out… Achieving them is down to you. Your commitment, consistency and dedication will get you to them. So grab yourself a pen and paper and let’s begin.
You WILL need to write these down. It’s no good just having goals in your head, it doesn’t work like that. You need to be able to see and read your goal list daily. Make it a habit so you can clearly see what you want to achieve and most importantly… Take action.
I tend to use the SMART formula as it’s easy to remember when I’m breaking down goals.
Specific – Start by writing down a big goal. Something you want to achieve in 6 months time and be specific about it. Write all the finer details down, don’t miss anything out. To help you out think who, what, where, how.
Measurable – Your goals need to be measurable. How can you evaluate the extent of your goals? For example, if you want to run 10k by the summer. Start by logging the current distance you can run, the duration, your emotional and physical state at the end of your run. Workout how much you need to improve by each week and record the above again. Not only are you creating your training plan, you’re giving yourself smaller realistic goals that are achievable.
Attainable – If you’ve done the above correctly you will know if your goals are achievable or not. Your goals should scare you and excite you. Stretch and challenge your goals within your ability to achieve the outcome. Goals should be achievable to reach once they’re broken down. If they’re not, go back to be more specific.
Relevant – Is the goal worthwhile? Will it meet your needs? Using the 10k running goal example, if you’re only planning on running once per week, will this reach expectation? Will it be enough to implement the changes and improvements to take place? Will adding an extra run per week help you achieve your goal more?
Time – Are you being realistic with the time frame you’ve set out? You will need to set a deadline otherwise you’ll have the chat within your head of moving deadlines and convincing yourself it doesn’t matter if you’re a month out. 6 months is adequate time to train to run 10K, if you’re struggling to implement the training or keep to your plan, be flexible in your approach. Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate all of the individual points above.
30 Day January Detox
We have started 30 days of detox and so far so good. My energy levels have been high and it’s nice to have a focus throughout January. The new programme is an online course and consists of 3 elements;
Nutrition – You will be guided through this section daily via Facebook support group. Your exact macro targets (carbs, protein and fat) will be worked out for you with explanations of how to manage this. A set meal plan and recipes are also included.
Exercise – Daily workouts via periscope and youtube and your own activity encouraged.
Mindset – How to change your thinking, create awareness of your behaviour around food and mediation techniques to help lower your stress hormones and keep your mind focused.
January’s Best
Kale and Carrots are best this month and have huge health benefits. Carrots are so versatile, add them into a juice with fresh orange, in salads, roast them, add to soup, they’re a healthy portable snack and even use them to make a healthy carrot cake.
As for Kale its packed with iron and makes spinach appear wimpy! It’s best in soups, broths and stews but can be added to your smoothie. Beware though as it’s quite bitter so a little goes a long way. Below is a recipe by Valentine Warner that gives it a bit of umph.. Try it with Chicken or Goose
Serves 3
- 1 large hand-gathering of kale leaves
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
- Large-flaked sea salt and black pepper
- A squeeze of lemon juice
Directions
Wash the kale well, expelling any small creatures, grit and other undesirables. Chop it into 1cm wide ribbons, discarding any stems that appear stringy.
In a frying pan, toast the sesame seeds until golden, stirring often to prevent them from burning. Turn up the heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan before throwing in the kale, which will spit and crackle frantically. Stir it around, occasionally flicking in some water to keep the moisture content up.
After about 2 minutes the kale will have collapsed. Now throw in the garlic. Keep everything moving around for another 3 minutes, until the garlic is just beginning to brown. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
And Finally…
Thought Of The Week…
“If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problems and start focusing on the size of you!” – T. Harv Eker
