by Jenn Partridge

Remember how my last article dealt with the frustrations we all face while changing our bodies, and how impatience leads us to the vicious cycle of being good all month, seeing no progress, and then shoving a full container of ice cream down our throats? Well, I’d like to offer you a few ways to avoid that vicious cycle — along with the self loathing that comes along with it.

Let’s face it, we all want to look like the figure competitors we see at shows and in magazines, but looking like that takes a lot of work, and the reality of it all is that we can’t stop working and start taking care of ourselves full time.

So, what can we do? My suggestion is to take baby steps.

Instead of throwing out the pasta, bread, cakes, cookies, and candies in your kitchen and replacing them with egg whites, cottage,cheese, and rice cakes, give yourself just one goal a week.

Breaking It Down

• Week One: Stop drinking soda — regular and diet, and instead, drink 32-64 ounces of water a day.

• Week Two: If you like your coffee with cream and sugar, cut your cream and sugar intake by half. Instead of three teaspoons of sugar, try one and a half; and switch to light cream.

• Week Three: Make a  conscious effort to eat 3-4 ounces of protein with every meal.

• Week Four: Swap regular potatoes for sweet potatoes and white bread for whole wheat.

By taking those few baby steps, we’ve started ourselves down the path to a healthier life — and I guarantee that within just one month, you’ll feel healthier and even sleep better! Now that you’re sleeping better, you can use all of that new-found energy to go to the gym, take a walk, or join a martial arts class. The possibilities are endless.

Setting Goals

I suggest keeping a full gym bag in your car at all times, that way you can go to the gym right after work and the couch won’t look so inviting. Once that bag’s packed, all you need to do is set some fitness goals. Start small, and trust me on this one, making them too big makes this an overwhelming and daunting task to complete.

• Week One: Write down a goal, tape it to the mirror and do it!  Beginner? Here’s a good one to start with: “I WILL WALK 3 DAYS THIS WEEK.”

• Week Two: Find a local gym (my health insurance covers 24 Hr. Fitness, so it’s a good idea to check with your insurance company), or hit up some yard sales for some home gym equipment.

• Week Three: Find a workout buddy. Right now I’m splitting the hour with my personal trainer with a friend, and it doesn’t just save us both money, but it’s more fun, too!

• Week Four: Reward yourself for a job well done! Get some new shoes, a new outfit, or a new book. Make your reward work for you and not against you.

These pre-set goals should help us avoid stress not add to it, so let’s discuss the day to day stresses of our lives for a minute.

Stressed? How to Deal.

We all have jobs, family members, or significant others who make us crazy. Some may drive us to eat, and others may even drive us to drink. In the short run, the food and the alcohol make us feel better, but in the long, they make us tired, cranky, and overweight.

Physical activity is the best stress reliever that I know of. Between you and me, after teaching 8th grade all day, I can’t wait to run out the door to lift weights or hit the training floor at MMA!

Now that we’ve mapped out the path to a healthier and happier life, we need to stick to what we’ve planned for ourselves. Starting now, gradually replace the soda and the cookies with water, green tea, fresh fruit, and veggies; make some real fitness goals, and hit that gym to relive your stress instead of raiding the fridge.

Your mind and body will thank you for it.

About Jenn Partridge

Jenn is an 8th grade English teacher in Florida, who grew up in the Northeast. She is a novice figure competitor,who currently holds a brown belt in Bruce Lee’s martial art of Jeet Kune Do and she strives to live her life for herself and no one else.