How to Socialize Without Sabotage

5 Ways to Stick to Your Goals When Eating Out

We’ve all been there. You’ve had a great week. Crushed all of your workouts. Meal prepped. Tracked your macros. Then the weekend rolls around. Or a birthday. Or an office party. Or the ice cream truck. Usually the choice seems to be either abstain or go all in. But what if you could stay on top of your goals and enjoy yourself at the same time?

Health and fitness goals should be thought of in a long-term, sustainable sense. If you are working out and eating healthy the majority of the time a few meals out should not deter your gains (or losses). Here are a few tips to help guide you next time you are out to dinner or in the mood to treat yourself:

#1) Plan Accordingly. If you know you are going to be in a situation where you can’t control the food being served be mindful of what you do with the remainder of your day: drink tons of water; reduce carb and sugar intake at all other meals; get a workout in; eat a snack BEFORE you go out (to prevent a starvation-induced binge scenario). I’d also suggest pre-booking a workout for the next morning. Not only will it guarantee that your next day starts on the right foot – it will also encourage you to go to bed at a reasonable time (i.e. less alcohol consumed / less chances of a late night snack / less calories ingested overall)

#2) Protein + Veg. A simple choice no matter where you are is to stick to protein and vegetables. You may not be in control of how the food is prepped or what types of oil things are cooked in but if you stick to a source of protein and fill up on veggies you are pretty much good to go. 

#3) Avoid Trigger Foods. For me it’s the bread basket. No chance am I having one “bite” of bread. And if I eat the bread I will probably also end up eating dessert. And I will DEFINITELY wake up the next day with a stomach ache. But if I can avoid the bread, odds are I will end up ordering something decently healthy as my main and ditch the dessert entirely. Whatever your trigger is: french fries, wine, carbs – avoid. 

#4) Pick Your Poison. As stated above: you don’t want to have the wine, the bread AND the dessert. But you also want to enjoy yourself. So pick one. Enjoy it. Move on.

#5) Leave the Guilt at the Door. Meals out should be enjoyed. You should never associate guilt with food. Trust that one meal will not derail a weeks worth of hard work. Make sure you SAVOUR every bite / sip / scoop and at your next meal get right back on track. Life is short. You can have your cake and your abs too.

Written By: Danielle Bossin Hardy 

Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Holistic Nutritionist 
Instagram: @deliciouslyfitdanielle

Available for appointments at Yorkville

Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions Past January!

Congratulations! You have just completed the first month of your New Year’s Resolutions. Now that January is over, how do you maintain your success moving forward? How do you hold yourself accountable for you goals? 

Continue reading for tips on how to turn your resolutions into habits!

Tip #1: Practice!

On average, it takes 66 days to form a habit. That’s TWO months of incorporating your resolution into your daily routine to make it into a habit. Think of the things you do every morning after waking up. For example: You wash your face, make coffee, brush your teeth, then head out for the day. These things have become so engrained in your daily routine that you don’t even have to consciously think of doing them. What is it that made these tasks into unconscious habits? PRACTICE! At the beginning of your journey, you’ll have to consciously make an effort to act in line with your resolutions, but after a few months, these behaviours will become second nature. If you feel like giving up, keep pushing through - you’re on the right track to success!

Tip #2: Recognize your Progress

No matter how big or small your goals are, it’s important to recognize the steps you’ve taken to achieve them. Try writing down small steps that you can take every day to achieve your ultimate goal. Whether it’s going to bed earlier at night, getting off one subway stop earlier so you can walk a few extra blocks, or packing a healthy lunch at work one day, every step is progress in the right direction. Documenting smaller goals towards your ultimate target is a great way to recognize your progress! Recognize when you’ve taken steps towards your goal, and celebrate these accomplishments!

Tip #3:  Accountability

Writing down your goals is a great way to hold yourself accountable. Try this trick: Take a piece of paper and write down each of your goals, then write when you want to reach them by. Tape this piece of paper somewhere you’ll see them every day. Frequently re-reading your goals will provide you with a reminder of what you're aspiring to do, and motivate you to continue! The more you read your goals and tell yourself that you will succeed, the more likely this will become! Another way to hold yourself accountable is by telling a friend or family member about your goals. You can even commit to a goal with a friend! Working towards goals with another person can increase your motivation to achieve them, and it's a fun way to to so!

Tip #4:  Support

Talking to family and friends about your goals is not only great for accountability, but it also provides an avenue for support. On the road to success, there are always barriers and hurdles to overcome, so a strong support system can ease this process. Depending on your goal, joining a support group can also be a great help! Be kind to yourself if you hit a roadblock, or if things aren’t going as quickly as you’d hoped. Achieving goals is a process, and overcoming barriers is part of the journey!

Written by: Niko Mullings, Strength and Conditioning Specialist 

Instagram: @nikomullings

Available for Appointments at our Yorkville location Sunday - Wednesday