Make This A No Excuses November!

We are entering a really tough time of year for us health and fitness nuts - the dreaded holiday season.  Shouldn't the holidays be welcomed, not dreaded?  But those of us who struggle with weight or food issues know that November and December are months with countless occasions to test our iron will.  Or not-so-iron will.  Hence, I dub this:

No Excuses November!

Simply put, No Excuses November means taking one small action step, EVERY SINGLE DAY, toward one or more of your goals - with no excuses!
But life happens, right?  It's tough to commit to doing anything on a daily basis.  Busy moms with young children know that some days it's a miraculous feat just to squeeze in a shower!
I get that life is crazy, especially this time of the year.  But what if your action step is TINY.  What if that action step can change by the day?If that action will help you achieve your long or short term goal, will you do it with no excuses?

Any action, however small, will create momentum,

and move you a little closer to achieving your goal.

The key is consistent daily action and for that to happen there can be no excuses!

Will you make this month a No Excuses November?  All you need to do is:

  1. Visualize your goal.  This post is geared towards health and fitness related goals, but your goal could be ANYTHING.  In fact, one of my No Excuses November goals relates to my guitar playing.
  2. Write a list of TINY action steps that will help you achieve that goal.  Brainstorm!  I have a huge list of suggestions below, but only you know what you need to do.
  3. Decide to do one action from your list EVERY SINGLE DAY this month.

That's it.  Other than doing one action EVERY SINGLE DAY, there are no rules.  Rules are made to be broken, in my opinion.  I have an inner teenage who rebels against rules of any sort.  So I try to have gentle guidelines instead.  And guidelines would be fantastic for No Excuses November.

Keep It Simple Sweetie

Remember, don't make grand resolutions like running 5 miles every day or skipping dessert every single night, or drinking 8 glasses of water every single day.  Life happens.  Don't let guilt ruin your No Excuses November.  You can do something different every day.  You can do a huge amazing action or a simple tiny one, so long as it propels you toward meeting your goal.

Here are some examples of super simple actions you can take on a daily basis toward your goal:

  • drink 8 glasses of water
  • skip dessert once a week
  • play with your kids outside
  • take a walk
  • read about health or fitness for 10 minutes
  • check in with an accountability buddy
  • park farther away from your office or store
  • do a few push ups before dinner
  • experiment with a new healthy recipe
  • cut your restaurant dinner portion in half and bring the uneaten half home
  • buy a new pair of workout shoes
  • drink a protein shake
  • get a massage
  • buy a new workout DVD
  • make a healthy food swap (such as eating a square of dark chocolate rather than a bowl of ice cream)
  • eat breakfast if that's not your normal routine
  • use a little less cream/sugar in your coffee
  • eat an extra serving of vegetables (or even one serving if you are like me and tend to skip veggies altogether!)
  • put on the radio and dance
  • take your dog for an extra long walk
  • explore a local park
  • go window shopping (for the exercise!)
  • bring your lunch to work

I could list about a zillion possibilities but I'm sure you get the point.  Just do one of those things, or one thing that pops in your mind, EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Choose the action that most appeals to you on a particular day. Make it fun!

Your consistency will pay off.  If you take the No Excuses November challenge I'm willing to bet you will be a little healthier and a little more motivated when December rolls around.

Make sure to LIKE my Facebook fitness page to follow along!  https://www.facebook.com/IWillRunForChocolateFitnessPage

Will you make this a No Excuses November??  
FitnessJacqui GrimesComment