The New Year is here and with it, comes new hopes, dreams, and of course, those fitness and health-related resolutions. Every year, thousands upon thousands vow that this year will be the year that they finally get in shape. Most start strong. By week two or three, the momentum is gone. I’ll admit that I have been guilty of this practice in the past. Luckily this year will be different because I am approaching things differently. Before you roll your eyes, let me tell you that I actually started testing this method out at the end of September 2015 and so far, I have stuck to it.

For me, it all started with a planner and some pretty fitness and health-related stickers.

This year, I will be continuing to use my Limelife Planner in Layout C and some stickers I picked up from Libbie and Co. and The Planner Junkie.

At the beginning of my fitness journey for 2016, I started with a page dedicated to my vision for this year. Well, my vision in regards to my health and fitness. Weight loss, though an important part, is not the sole focus. I want to be stronger, not just thinner. I want to have more energy and combat my depression. For me, it’s about making lifelong, lifestyle changes.

At the top of the page, I list my goals and underneath, I list some specific changes I will make to accomplish those large goals. Think of these specifics as an action plan. 

In the notes pages before the monthly calendar, I keep track of my progress for that month. Since I am trying to get to a healthier weight, I am keeping track of my weight, along with other measurements because those, non-scale related, victories are important.

At the end of the month, I like to reflect on my progress. I record my successes and this section is not about numbers. It’s about the habits I changed. Maybe I worked out more than 15 days out of the month. Maybe I consumed at least one serving of fruit everyday. In the “Work on Next Month” section, I like to take some time to reset for the upcoming month. For January, there were many nights that I had an unhealthy late night snack and this is something I would like to decrease in February. I find that by doing this reflection, I start each month with a clearer focus and new motivation.

Now, for the day to day, I am able to keep track of my workouts and meals with layout C.

Here’s where the stickers come in handy. I like to alternate between cardio and strength training workouts, so I use the sneaker stickers to mark the days I will be on the elliptical. I keep track of my water intake and my servings of fruits, vegetable, protein and carbohydrates for each day based off of the 21-Day Fix program. In the meal tracker section, I write down the specifics of what I ate and also where I sometimes note the meals for the next day.

I also remind myself of when I need to take measurements with the scale stickers or the heart stickers. I usually place these in the monthly calendar view at the start of the month and on the specific day in the weekly spread ahead of time. Once the sticker is down, there’s no way to change the date for measurements. I found that by doing this, I know the day is coming up and hold myself accountable to take the measurements on that day. No more “forgetting.” 

All this may sound strict and undoable, but it doesn’t have to. I don’t workout everyday. I aim for at least 4 workouts per week. I try to change up my workouts so I don’t get bored. I find Pinterest really helpful for new workout ideas. If you need some ideas, check out my “Workout Ideas” board. I also have a sweet tooth and each week I allow myself a “treat,” which I mark with the cupcake sticker. No way am I giving up my Starbucks lattes or Milano cookies. I don’t believe in setting unrealistic restrictions. I do find that meal planning helps me ensure that I eat well-balanced meals throughout the week. Keep an eye out for my upcoming blog post dedicated to this topic on the Limelife Planners blog.

It is never too late to get started on living a healthier and more active lifestyle. I hope that you picked up some ideas from my process. Everyone has different approaches to fitness and health, so give yourself some time to figure out what works best for you. If you need more inspiration or details on my journey, check out my Instagram (@sadias_ruminations). I leave you with this final piece of advice I found on Pinterest: Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Mind. Body. Spirit.

This blog post was written by Sadia Chowdhury for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Sadia visit her on Instagram @sadias_ruminations. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.