Take a moment and think of how many times you’ve sacrificed your personal goals to please someone else… My guess is, too many times.

How many times have you skipped the gym, indulged in alcohol, said yes to less desirable food because you fell to peer pressures. Because the people you surround yourself with, pressure you into being “social” or “fitting in”. This to me, is one of the biggest things that sets you apart from reaching your fitness goals. Or any personal goals for that matter. its too easy to blame others for sabotaging our progress, or what we want for ourselves. You had to have cake, it was someone’s birthday. You had to drink that beer, they opened it and brought it to you. It’s very funny the way social pressures work. Someone has been pressuring towards you all night to drink this or eat that. To break your diet and give your goals a “break”. But,  when you say no every time, you! Are the jerk. You are the one being difficult and anti social. Does this sound like your summer??

 I personally have experienced some of the most intense peer pressure situations on the path to my own fitness goals, that anyone can imagine. Doesn’t it always seem like you set a goal for yourself and something or someone “gets in your way” ? So you collapse and fall to the pressures and are forced to start all over it seems.  People who say no to pressures and yes to their personal goals are that much more likely to succeed. Reasons and excuses can sometimes all sound alike. But, there are ways that we can kind of have our SLICE of cake and eat it too

So, how do we go about staying motivated and inspired while enjoying what life has to offer? Especially during these months of new years resolutions and promises  A few ways that I would recommend are:

1.Surrounding yourself with people who are like minded or else are going to encourage you during the tough time when we just want to sit at home in our pyjamas and watch Netflix with a bowl of iced cream. Including people, makes your fitness journey a lot more enjoyable. Celebrating together is a lot more fulfilling.

2.Dont beat yourself up! If you happen to indulge a little here and there, give yourself a break. Regroup and get back on the game plan. We are only human and life is meant to be enjoyed (in moderation)

4.Make a short term goal and stick to it. Decide to make it a point to get out and get active 3x a week. Or, maybe the double doubles take a little vacation from our daily routines, or possibly adding one more day into your gym routine. Pushing a little extra can go along way.

3.Take your work out outdoors, or to a new gym. There are plenty of exercises that you can even perform in your own home when the winter chill is too much to handle. Here’s a mini  circuit that you can easily do in a small space before work, during a lunch break or while the kids take an afternoon nap to get the heart rate elevated and the full body moving.

-10 push ups

-10 sit ups

-10 jumping jacks

-10 walking lunges per leg

-10 burpees

*Perform the circuit 3x, resting for 1-2 mins between rounds. 

5.Dont forget why you started on this journey and remember that you are more important than cake or Full Fat latte’s J

Now, by no means am I suggesting anyone completely isolate themselves from parties and events.  I’m merely suggesting that you use your discretion and put in effort where it’s needed. But, at the same time, be conscious and mindful of what you want to achieve for yourself along the way. If it means constantly sacrificing your goals to please others time and time again, you know the pattern needs to change. Otherwise, you won’t and will remain the same. If the people you surround yourself with support you, they will understand and Allow you to continue on your drive. They will be there when the timing is right for the both of you. Every time you say yes to an unnecessary distraction, you’re saying no to your future goals and your happiness. So do yourself a favour. organize your life around your goals, and watch them come true.. and have some freakin fun!!