We hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and we are excited to kick off the new decade with you at SLC Strength & Conditioning. As you know, January can come with a lot of high expectations and unrealistic goals for your body, but we are here to give you some tips to help with the holiday hangover and take a healthier approach to the New Year.

Goals.

Start to dig a little deeper into what your goals are and the Why behind them. Losing a few pounds can be a reasonable goal, but Once you’re clear on the Whys behind your goals, you can better evaluate if they’re right for you. A common pitfall is to set big, dramatic goals, which can often lead to extreme measures and failure. Instead, start with a few manageable goals. Small successes over a long period of time can create healthy habits and real progress. Start small and stay consistent. Here are a few simple ones to try out:

• · Drink a glass of water when you wake up and before you go to sleep
• Add 1 cup of vegetables to your plate each meal
• · Do the finisher every time you make it to class

>>> Write down 3 long-term goals and the why behind them. Then write down 3-5 small goals you can start integrating into your everyday life for the month of January to help reach those long term goals, then start doing them.

Hydration.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated. Water is used in all cells, organs, and tissues to maintain a variety of bodily functions including: regulating temperature, removing waste, aiding in digestion, and protecting your tissues, spinal cord, and joints. Staying hydrated is one of the most important aspects of being physically healthy.

A practical way to monitor your hydration is through your urine. If it’s light in color you’re good, if it’s dark like apple juice, grab a water bottle and drink up. While the typical 8 glasses a day is a good start, it may not enough for you, especially if you are training consistently.

>>> Calculate how much water you should be drinking every day. To give you an idea, a person weighing in around 175 lbs should be drinking AT LEAST 119 fluid ounces of water every day. For reference, this is a little under one gallon of water (128 fl oz.). You can also use the calculation provided below to determine how much water you should be drinking:

• Hydration Calculation: your weight in pounds * 0.682 = # of ounces of water to drink each day at minimum
  • Example: 175 lb * 0.682 = 119 fl oz

Nutrition.

We believe in a well-balanced, non-restrictive, diet that includes a variety of foods that are both healthy and satisfying. It’s easy to fall into the trap of restricting certain foods or cutting calories, especially after an eventful holiday season. We suggest focusing more on nourishing your body rather than punishing it. Simply put, you need fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, protein ,and healthy fat in each meal.

>>> Set yourself up for success by starting your day with a protein rich, nutritious breakfast and planning ahead what you are going to eat for the day.

If you need more support with nutrition, email Kristy at training.elevated@slcstrength.com to discuss services we offer for nutrition.