"And last place goes to.....your health?!?" Wrong.

I love fitness and I love healthy eating, but I have noticed one thing. The two go together. You cannot possibly have one without the other. So when I fail to make time for one, I definitely don't make time for the other.

This week, I spent my normal morning workout time trying to "get ahead" of the workloads I had. While I did get ahead, I set my body and mind behind. I worked out only once, and I was lethargic from my poor food choices throughout the week. The worst part? "Getting ahead" didn't make me feel better because I didn't have that work/life balance.

You know where I failed? I didn't have a plan. I believed that if I worked hard to get everything else done, I would have time left for me to plan my workouts and plan my meals. I could not have been more wrong about that. Instead it left me stressed, cranky, and lethargic.

I know we all have responsibilities and I am not saying that we should ignore those. What I am saying is that we should make time for what is important to us. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to feel great every day? If so, make time for it.

This past week was a learning experience. Here are some tips I have used in the past to help me create a plan for myself. 

1. Plan your workouts at the beginning of the week. Put it in your calendar or in your workout journal. Write it down and make an appointment with yourself. Write down the specific time and workout you intend to do, and chances are - you will do it. I have found that the mornings are the best time for me to workout, because that is when my kids and husband are sleeping and I am not making excuses in the evening because I want to spend time with them. Do what works for you and your schedule. Any type of exercise is better than no exercise. Use your house and the outdoors - you don't need to join a gym.
2. Go to bed earlier. I cannot stress how important this one is! I speak from personal experience. All week, I got about 6 hours of sleep a night. Do you think I wanted to get out of bed in the morning? Heck no! I didn't and as a result, I did not work out. Tell yourself and your family when you plan to go to bed and do it. Write it down if you have to. Sleep is necessary. Trust me, I know if you have kids - you may have to make an exception every now and then (middle of the night bad dreams, etc.), but stick to your plan when those exceptions don't occur.
3. Pack your lunch and workout clothes the night before. I love this one, mostly because when I do it I do not feel rushed in the mornings after my workout. I pack healthier meals and know that I am ready for my workout. Nothing is stopping me from reaching my goals, and my excuses for "no time" in the morning are now obsolete.
4. Say NO more often. This is a big one. I am a planner, and I am not that spontaneous. That is okay! You know why? My health and the health of my family both come first and foremost. If I take care of myself, I take great care of my family. We keep our routines and everyone is happy. I am not saying you can't break the rules every now and then and have a little fun, but do it within reason and not at the expense of your own health or rest.
5. Relax! I forget about this one more often than I care to admit. It is good to just sit down and zone out with a good book or snuggles with your kiddos or signifcant other. Our bodies were not built to be results-producing machines 24/7. We need to relax and we need to accept that it is okay to do that. When we rest, we give our bodies a chance to appreciate a good workout or those busy times during the week.

Remember - goal setting is important and so is making time for yourself. If you falter from your plan, don't beat yourself up and quit. Learn from it and hop back in the saddle. That is what I intend to do this week.

Here is to a healthy and productive week!