Planning

I just returned from a Pilates Summit in Austin, TX this afternoon. It was a full and fabulous weekend - more on that in a future blog! Now that I am home - it would be really easy to relax, watch some tv and recoup.

Instead, I stopped by the grocery store on the way home to get some healthy food to prep for this week. It was a quick trip - and I picked up some broccoli, greens and chicken. We ate. some fabulous meals and indulged a bit in Texas so now I want to start my week eating clean and healthy.

I roasted my veggies, sautéed some greens and cooked the seasoned ground chicken in a skillet. All three of these took less than half and hour to prep. Now I can start my busy week with easy, ready made options instead of continuing the convenience grab and go food.

I also unpacked my suitcase and started a load of laundry. I am one of the those people that does not feel settled when my suitcase is still half packed and my laundry is in a pile from a trip. I was able to get the laundry going while my food was cooking.

None of these were big tasks or took a lot of time but they are tasks the will set me up for success this week. Tomorrow I can hit the ground running knowing I have healthy food and clean workout clothes.

I find it’s these little tasks that make a big difference in how my day or week goes. Another little task that makes a big difference is laying out my workout clothes the night before. It does not take long to find an outfit, socks, and shoes but it is one less road block in the morning to me getting going and getting out the door. I also feel a sense of accountability when my clothes are waiting for me to workout! As silly as that may sound - I’ve made a plan and I am more likely to follow through when I take this first step!

I often counsel nutrition clients to prep healthy snacks or veggies for the week. When you are starving the effort of making something healthy can be a deterrent versus buying something quick. A little bit of planning goes a long way towards our success!

I am now relaxing from my trip and all told my planning for the week took only a small amount of my time today. I feel ready to succeed and ready for a busy active, healthy week back.

What small steps or plans can you make to set yoursself up for success?