As 2017 comes to a close, I want to take some time to reflect on everything I’ve covered this year. Since launching this website in mid-April, I’ve written 37 articles covering a wide range of topics related to training, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle. It’s been such a joy for me to use my passion for writing as part of my fitness work, and I’m grateful to everyone who has read and shared my posts.
My two most popular posts this year told the stories of two different phases of my ongoing fitness journey. The first post, How I Lost 30lbs Without Counting Calories, revealed the habits that allowed me to lose weight with minimal stress while living in San Francisco in 2014 and 2015. The second post, 6 Things I Learned From a Year of Online Training With Bryan Krahn, explained some lessons I learned in 2016 and 2017 when I hired a coach to help me get in my best shape ever. I hope some of my experiences can provide insight and clarity on issues you may be dealing with as you chase your own goals.
My objective is to provide clear, simple, actionable tips and inspiration to help you navigate the confusing and contradictory world of health and fitness advice. With that in mind, this week I’ve put together a year-end guide for you. I reviewed my 2017 posts and organized them by topic. Many of you probably have New Year’s resolutions related to health and fitness. However, it’s likely that you aren’t 100% sure what steps you need to take to realize those goals. Skim through this post, look for the articles relevant to you, bookmark them for later, and share with others. I hope this guide can help answer some of your questions and give you the resources needed to take the first steps toward a fitter and healthier 2018.
Note – hyperlink text does not appear in another color. Hover over the text to find links to each post
Healthy eating
Year after year, weight loss is the most common New Year’s resolution. If you want to lose weight, take control of your eating. Calories must be managed to create a deficit. This requires you to cook more, manage portions, choose more nutrient-dense foods, and combat destructive eating habits like emotional eating. These are all great skills to master even if you are happy with your physique.
- Cooking more of your own meals is an important step in making healthier food choices. Check out these articles for tips on how to become a better home cook:
- It’s not always possible to prepare your own food. This post provided strategies for eating out at restaurants when you are on a diet.
- One of the easiest ways you can improve the quality of your diet, regardless of whether you want to lose weight, is to eat more vegetables. In this post, I explain how I overcame my dislike of vegetables and transformed them into a centerpiece of my diet.
- Finally, for many people healthier eating means taking control of destructive eating habits such as emotional and stress eating. Check out these posts for tips on combating these challenging obstacles:
Training
It’s no secret that I think everyone should perform some kind of regular resistance training. Strength training builds strong muscles and bones and makes our bodies more efficient. However, it can be confusing, overwhelming, and intimidating to get started with lifting weights. Check out some of these resources if you want help establishing a new routine or improving your current routine.
- If you are a woman still on the fence about getting in the weight room (or you know someone who is), check out this post for some underrated benefits of lifting weights and getting strong.
- If you need some help setting up a basic workout plan:
- If you are working to improve your performance on squats and deadlifts:
- If you are looking to add some variety to your strength training routine:
- If you need help figuring out the best cardio regimen for your goals:
- If you want more information on how to train around pain and injuries:
Consistency and Routine
Many New Year’s resolutions fail because people are too ambitious right out of the gate. If you aren’t in the habit of coming to the gym every day or prepping all of your meals, you should set more realistic initial goals. First work to build better systems and develop consistent routines. Real change is made by developing sustainable healthy habits. Start where you are and take one small step forward every day.
- If you struggle to make time for exercise or find yourself regularly skipping workouts, check out this post.
- If you frequently travel and have a hard time staying healthy on the road:
- If you struggle to have healthy food available when you need it:
- This post on seasons of lifting provides ideas and inspirations for organizing a year’s worth of training. This is a great strategy to ensure your fitness goals mesh well with your life outside of the gym.
Mindset and More
Mindset is the secret sauce to achievement. You can have all the practical knowledge in the world, but if you don’t surround yourself with good people, practice patience, believe in yourself, and choose goals that resonate with your values, you will never truly succeed.
- If you are considering an extreme diet or challenge to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions, please read these two pieces and consider a different approach:
- If you want to get some clarity on your goals and what’s truly important to you, check out part 1 and part 2 of “What Does Fitness Do For You?”
- Check out these posts for ideas on how changing the way you think can help you lose weight and get in better shape:
- This post explains how surrounding yourself with supportive and like-minded people can help you experience more success and fulfillment.
That’s a wrap on 2017. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or ideas for a future blog post. If you are interested in working with me, please fill out an application for my online training program here. Thank you all for your continued support!