Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Setting Goals and GETTING Results

It's the beginning of the year and the #1 thing people do is set their RESOLUTIONS! But what often happens is that in about 3 weeks...the resolution fades away. Setting goals and sticking to the work required to reach your goals is HARD WORK! And it takes constant dedication to your goals to stay on track. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you stick with your goals and GET RESULTS!

1) Set Real and obtainable goals: 

Be realistic in your goals. Start with smaller goals that are obtainable rather than larger daunting goals. Like, lose 10 pounds by March. Instead of: lose 100 pounds by March. It isn't going to happen safely or without medical intervention. You have to be realistic with yourself or else you are just setting yourself up to fail. And no one wants to do that. Another great goal to think about is to slowly increase how many days you are exercising. If on average you exercised 2 days a week, like clock work, bump it up to 3-4 for a challenge. But automatically jumping to 7 days a week might be too much of a leap and can lead to getting burned out pretty quickly. Be realistic in your goals.

2) Make It Exciting:

When you start a new exercise routine, make it fun and exciting! Start a new workout program so that you have something new and different to do than what you have done before! Doing the same old boring stuff means you can get bored sooner and more likely to stop. Try a new workout that challenges you. The Beachbody On Demand All Access Pass is perfect for anyone that needs to change up their program frequently! Hammer and Chisel21 Day Fix Extreme, a Cycle class, hot yoga! There are so many things out there to up the anti in your workouts! And make it fun! Also make an end goal for what you are doing to. Like sign up for a specific race that looks awesome, or be able to do 10 military style pushups. Challenge yourself but make it fun and exciting.

3) Set A Time Limit

Give yourself a deadline on when you have to reach your goals by so that you are pushing yourself every single day. It gives you something to look forward to to make sure you stay on track and you can literally see what you have and haven't been doing to make sure you reach your goal.

4) Reward Yourself

Plan a fun reward for yourself for when you reach your goal. Don't make it food related but something you have wanted for a while. New workout clothing. New equipment for your home gym. Necklace. Anything that makes what you are doing all the more worth it!

5) Don't Give Up On Yourself

The only one that can stop you from doing what you need to do is yourself. Yes life happens, but you are the one who determines if you workout or eat healthy for the day. Don't let other people, circumstances or obstacles stop you from doing what you need to do every single day to get you one step closer to your goals!  If you want to change you have to WORK FOR IT! Take ownership for what you want to accomplish and don't stop until you reach it! 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Sunday, January 1, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR


Hope everyone has a safe and healthy New YEAR!

Collin, my second son, is still in the hospital so we will be spending the 3rd day there today. But...I did get to have some fun with my oldest this morning! We got in a GREAT little pajama dance party!


Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Friday, December 30, 2016

How To Get A Baby On A Schedule

I will be the first to admit that I AM NOT A PERFECT MOM! I have ginger snaps quite often, thanks to my red headed short fuse. But I will say, that my kids are on a schedule. #2 and #3 seemed to fall into their brother's schedule. They love their schedules. They BEG to go to mommy quiet time every day and we know the signs when they are ready/beyond ready for bed. That is why, my kids are on a schedule! #1 when he was a baby, did not have a schedule until he was about 9 months old, when I realized that I needed some quiet time. Before that we were just flying by the seat of our pants trying to make everything work but once I got him on a regular schedule and routine our lives got much more calm and less crazy!

A typical school day in our house now looks like this:
Everyone up around 6:30am.
Breakfast by 6:40am
Get #1 ready for school at 7:00am
Bus by 7:15am
Back to the house for my breakfast and morning activities
Mommy quiet time by 11:30am
Get #1 from bus stop and wake baby from mommy quiet time 2:45pm
7pm reading time
7:30 get ready for bed
 all kids go to bed by 8pm

Even on the weekends #1 follows the same schedule. If you ever ask me to do play dates, they will always happen in the mornings. I desperately try not to schedule anything during the hours of 11am-3pm. If my kids don't have their naps/time away from me/me away from them. We ALL will but heads!

So how did I get even my newborn on this schedule? 

Consistency! Consistency is the Key to setting a schedule. In the beginning even when others were taking care of the boys I still tried to keep her on the same schedule. Making sure we were trying to sleep by 11am for the afternoon nap. She would always have a nap before then, but I made sure she was awake then back to sleep by 11am. Then making sure she was up by 3pm everyday. I have to have her on a schedule since I teach private music lessons out of my home 3 days a week. And she needs to be up and fed and happy for when I pass her off to my hubs while I teach.

Tips To Set A Baby's Schedule: 

  • Make sure you are consistent everyday with your schedule. They will pick up on it. Make it a priority in your household and for everyone to be on the same page
  • Know it takes a few weeks for the baby to pick up on the regular routine. It does not happen overnight
  • Be forgiving. Sometimes during growth spurts or other times, the schedule just won't happen. Or you have an appointment during the "no appointment time". Be flexible and forgiving.
  • Pick 2 times in the day that you HAVE to be consistent with. Mommy quiet time and bed time are our, must have, every day. The other times in the day are more flexible. But I have to have my mommy quiet time to get my workout in, lunch and work done. And night time. Well, if we don't get the kids in bed by 8pm it is bewitching hour and man, my kids can get pretty crazy!
  • Talk to your baby and explain what you are trying to accomplish. Yes they are just a baby but telling them and trying to help them understand gets you used to explaining the rules to your kids. Even as they get older, you are going to have to explain it for the 1,000th time. 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Healthy Lunch in 10 Minutes or Less


Did you run out of time to precook your chicken or rice before the start of the week? Check out my easy go to items that help me stay on top of my nutrition even when I do prepare ahead of time.

Oh and are you following me on Youtube? I have been adding in more videos every week! Go Subscribe!


Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Clean Eating TIPS For Beginners

You have heard me talk about it so many times. I eat clean healthy balanced meals. But what does it really mean?

What Is Clean Eating?
  1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked.
  2. Eat unprocessed lean meats that have not had anything added. This includes fresh chicken and fish and even lean, humanely raised beef and game.
  3. Enjoying whole grains instead of the processed or refined.
  4. Eating smaller, more frequent meals about every 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
Some people even take it to another level of eating clean like: avoiding flour, sugar, dairy or other food groups. Anyone can start to eat clean by just focusing on the basic guidelines listed above. There is no right or wrong way to eat clean—just the right way for you to feel good and get your desired results.
How to Start Eating Clean
Not everyone can afford to dump the majority of food in their kitchen and start from scratch. DON'T! Start your clean-eating adventure the easy way!

When you make your shopping list each week, select one or two items to switch with clean items. For example, if you need bread this week, make it a point to find “clean” bread (100% whole grain, no added sugar and identifiable ingredients such as whole wheat flour, salt and yeast). If you ran out of white rice, pick up a package of brown rice this week. It doesn’t have to be difficult to make the transition to clean foods—it does not happen overnight!  With this slow and steady approach, you don’t have to spend hours at the store reading labels either. Start small: You are also more likely to stick with it if you don’t shock yourself with a sudden change. This is not a quick fix this is for a lifestyle change. A NEW way of eating. And it can take some time to learn the ins and outs! 

Clean Eating for Beginners
  • Start slow and within your budget. Don’t worry about drastic changes you don't have to eat “perfect.”
  • You don't have to eat only organic food. Live within your budget and decide which foods you want to eat organic and stick with it. For me, I choose to eat organic meats when I can. And mostly organic fruit.  
  • Teach yourself to properly read labels. Focus on the ingredient list not necessarily on the nutrition list. Select foods with fewer ingredients—and ingredients that you recognize as real food.
  • Understand that you will make mistakes. The important thing is not giving up. 
  • Don’t stress over minor things. Keep the bigger concepts in mind and always work to improve. It’s about choosing the healthiest choice—not depriving yourself.
  • If you do have something that doesn’t mean your definition of “clean,” don’t throw in the towel. Make your next meal clean. That’s the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change. 
  • Live the rule of 80/20. It's ok to have some indulgences every now and then. 20% of the time is a good rule of thumb. This lifestyle change isn't sustainable if you don't allow yourself to have some chocolate, or a candy bar every now and again. But the key is in moderation. only 20% of the time. 
WANT TO GET EVEN MORE TIPS ON CLEAN EATING? CLICK HERE TO GET MY FREE CLEAN EATING GUIDE

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! Don't forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!
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