Hello friends!!! I’m baaaaack! While I can’t say I enjoyed leaving sunny, warm Australia and landing in cold, snowy NYC, I am happy to be home. I want to first thank all my guest posters for helping me out while I was away. They are the absolute best! In case, you missed the posts from Nicole, Allie, Kim, Nellie and Davida, you can catch up on them here, here, here, here and here. Thanks ladies!!
So, I have a confession… I ate and drank my way around Australia like it was nobody’s business. I just absolutely let loose and enjoyed myself. I managed to stay super active and ate a very healthy breakfast and usually a healthy lunch but when it came to eating out and enjoying myself, I didn’t hesitate. So now that I’m back and the holidays are over, it’s time to buckle down and get back into a healthy routine. This time of year many people commit or recommit to a healthy lifestyle and I’m jumping on that bandwagon. Last year I dedicated the month of January to being healthy and getting back on track with Jumpstart January and I am brining it back this year!
This month I’ll be posting tips, workouts and much more to help you get on track with a healthy lifestyle. I’ll also be posting my journey back to healthy living every Friday in my Food and Fitness post.
Today I have a few tips to kick off Jumpstart January. These tips can help you start thinking about how to get on track with your health and fitness goals. Enjoy!
– Plan. Planning is essential to healthy eating and exercise. Without a plan you are much more likely to let your emotions, hunger or level of energy influence your decisions. Meal planning for the week can help you stay on a healthy eating track. Check out my Week of Healthy Meals in a Day for more info on meal planning and prep. Also, make sure you schedule your workouts in just like you would an important meeting. This is a surefire way to ensure you stick with your exercise plan.
– Get inspired and sign up for a race. Training for a race you have already paid for is great motivation to stay on track with your fitness goals. If you are new to exercise, start with something relatively easy like a fun run 5k or if you are more experienced, try pushing yourself with a triathlon. Or try something new like an adventure race!
– Set some goals and try new things. It’s no secret that I love to be active and stay fit and part of my passion comes from constantly trying new things. Try a new class at the gym or buy a new fitness DVD. Heard of a new fitness trend? Give it a try! Not only will your waistline thank you, you’ll exercise your brain and increase your anticipation by trying something new!
– Commit to healthy eating. Like many healthy living bloggers, I preach the importance of indulgence in moderation so I’m not asking you to kiss pasta, chocolate and wine goodbye forever but we all need to set the reset button at some point. In the fall I did a detox that mainly consisted of eating healthy fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. This January, why not commit to a healthy eating plan? Your body will say thank you!
– Check back here for more info this month on ways to stay healthy and fit! Also follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest & YouTube with the hashtag #JumpstartJanuary for inspiration and check-ins!
Readers, are you committing to healthy living this month? What are your fitness goals for the year?
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 7, 2014Welcome home! Though I’m sure that’s the last thing you want to hear 😉 I’m committing to eating a salad a day and so far so good! It actually feels awesome to be doing something proactive for my health instead of focusing on things to avoid. Love your tips!
FitBritt
January 7, 2014Thanks Davida! I love your perspective on being healthy-think positive not negative!
Elise @ 9toFit.com
January 7, 2014Love that picture! WELCOME BACK
FitBritt
January 7, 2014Thanks Elise! 🙂
thedoseofreality
January 7, 2014Welcome back! So insanely jealous (but also happy for you!) that you got to Australia! Just awesome! 🙂 My only fitness goal for this month is to actually get some fitness! ;)-Ashley
FitBritt
January 7, 2014Thanks Ashley! Getting some fitness is a good goal! 🙂
Shawna
January 7, 2014so glad you had an amazing time and enjoyed every minute! dying to go to Australia. my goals for January are to continue my rigorous workout regimen, keep eating healthy, not drink much, and snowboard/salsa dance as much as possible (along with my regular workouts/running). gotta find alternative ways to stay active in the cold!
FitBritt
January 7, 2014Love your goals! Staying active in the cold can be tricky but sounds like you have a good plan!
Elyse @ Lizzie Fit
January 7, 2014YES! A friend and I started our own little #jumpstartjanuary with a 30 day yoga challenge. We also plan to try some new things and of course stick to clean, healthy eats! Count me in for hashtags and updates this month 🙂
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Yay!! I love Jumpstart January! 30 day yoga challenge and clean eating sound like good goals!
Kim
January 7, 2014So exciting to have had such a nice trip to Australia!!!
My fitness goals aren’t really much different from last month but I’m looking forward to following along with your jumpstart January.
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Thanks Kim! I can’t wait to hear more about your fitness goals! 🙂
Christine @ Gotta Eat Green
January 7, 2014Welcome back! Hope you had a great time! I am committed to sticking to my workouts this month (and hopefully all this year). And of course, continue to eat clean!
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Thanks Christine! Best of luck with your goals I know you’ll do great at them! 😉
Danielle @ Fitness Frugalista
January 7, 2014Welcome back! I am definitely committing to healthy habits this month and am looking forward to #JumpstartJanuary! My goals for this year are to continue with running, get my spinning certification and start teaching classes, and also continue with strength training.
PS – your review for JM Body Revolution has me very interested in trying it out – its on super sale on amazon right now too! 🙂
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Thanks Danielle! Good luck with your spinning certification. What a great goal! I really enjoyed Body Revolution and am going to start rotating the DVDs into my regular workout schedule.
Paige@FitNotFad
January 7, 2014Love this! These are fantastic tips. Also glad you’re not asking me to kiss chocolate good bye forever….I can hold out a few days but not for very long 🙂
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Haha. Me too! 🙂
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama
January 7, 2014Welcome back Britt!! We missed you! I am so glad you took your time and had a blast with no reservations in Australia, that is what vacations are SUPPOSED to be! 🙂 You will be back on the ball before you know it!! 🙂 You are really good at planning meals and workouts!
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Thanks Nellie! I have some great inspiration from you all to help me get back on track! 🙂
Melissa Burton
January 8, 2014Welcome home and I’m so glad you had fun in Australia. I loved vicariously sipping coffee with you overlooking the Sydney Opera House more than you know.
I’m really liking the hashtag #JumpstartJanuary and your perspective on it (I hope you’ll use this post and link up with me this month).
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Thanks Melissa! I’m glad to be back! I love your link up and can’t wait to learn more about what everyone else is doing this year. You have some amazing goals!
Kimberly (Manifest Yourself)
January 8, 2014I’m SO ready. The holidays were brutal for me too…being away from home gets me completely off balance.
FitBritt
January 9, 2014I hear ya! I actually found myself eating stuff I would NEVER eat at home (like potato chips!). Just don’t tell anyone about the chocolate block I smuggled in my suitcase, ok?
Nicole
January 8, 2014My pleasure, so glad to hear that you had an awesome trip!! Yikes, coming back to New York when it’s sooo cold out must not have been fun huh??
I know exactly how you feel, because I’m feeling the same exact way! It’s so much fun to go out, drink and eat for a week or two, but then I can’t wait to get back to a nice, super healthy routine again. I think we’re so similar in our vacay styles too (not a surprise!) — I also ate really healthy breakfasts and was really active, but then at night, all hell broke loose and I drank 3 glasses of wine and ate dessert nearly every night over the holidays! Haaa, hey we have to live a little right?! 😉
FitBritt
January 9, 2014I pretty much cried when we landed in NYC! I kept threatening that I was going to hide under the bed at my in-laws house! haha.
Our vacation styles are definitely similar! You just described pretty much every night in Australia for me!
Carla
January 8, 2014Great information! I am committing to healthy living/eating this month but I’m taking it slow. When I make fast changes they don’t stick. I’m determined that by the end of 2014 I will have my eating under control and will be much healthier than I started.
FitBritt
January 9, 2014I think you have the right approach Carla!
Joi @ Rx Fitness Lady
January 9, 2014Welcome back! In addition to my fit list I posted, healthy eating is on the goal list! Great tips!
FitBritt
January 9, 2014Thanks Joi! I enjoyed reading your fit list!
Holly
January 9, 2014We are trying to work on a plan for the whole family!