Maintaining not Gaining: The Future is Yours

Maintaining not Gaining:

The Future is Yours.

'Tis the last Monday of January and the final installment of the "Maintaining not Gaining" mini series! Wahoooooooooo! We're doing it! We've all held on for four weeks of good habits, cleaner eating, exercise and more water than you could ever imagine drinking. And fingers crossed, the spirit of the New Year and the boundless possibilities kept this maintenance pretty relaxed and easy. Using that energy of opportunity is our greatest ally in setting up the trend of health.

However, now we realize: there are 11 months of opportunity left. 

You may start feeling that the gild is off the lily. These four weeks weren't awful, but you have to work and sleep and watch Downtown Abbey and that stuff is a lot easier to do when you skip the gym and order takeout.

And that's okay. Maintaining is not meant to be a year long plan...because, well, it can get boring! And we will surely become complacent, and then after that, sneaky.  Maintenance is for our "in between times." 2016 has so much in store and now that we've proven we can handle the day to day with ease, now it's time to add in the excitement to make this year friggin' awesome.

I know what you're about to say, "Rachel, you told us to ditch resolutions this year! Now you want us loading up visions of grandeur again?"

Not exactly.
It's true, I find that resolutions and long-winded goal-setting that really ask to much of a person are just disasters waiting to happen. "I'm going to lose 50 pounds this year." "I will do a Marathon, though I just started running!" Or even worse, the wishy-washy, non-quantifiable resolutions, "I will start going to to the gym," or "I will ride my bike more."

No, this is not my advice!

These are wishes really. It is TOTALLY possible for a person to lose those 50 pounds, run that marathon, go to the gym consistently and ride that bike every day. But those "goals" are asking too much without smaller stepping stones of progress along the way. Those stones are what this girl is talking about. I like to refer to them as targets.

No, I am not asking you give up on those long term goals and lower your expectations. HELL NO! Always dream big, baby! But let's start here with some fun targets to hit and feel like rock stars!  These can all act as a catalyst to your Big Kahuna target. The Boss Level, if you will. It's just important to give yourself chances for success throughout the year or through the process of your dream finale. It makes the hard work that much more exciting and fulfilling!

The final task of "Maintaining not Gaining" : Find your First Target

The Big Kahuna

The world is your oyster when it comes to your first target! I suggest making it a plan for the next 1-3 months. How about signing up for some kind of activity or event? Or buy a class card at your gym/yoga studio/spin class and commit! Just some quick suggestions:

• Train for a 5k
• Sign up for your first Weightlifting or CrossFit Competition
• Buy a 5 or 10 class card at a local Yoga studio and use them ALL in 1 month!
• Purge your closets and wardrobe of the unnecessary/doesn't fit/will never wear
• When the weather breaks, do the initial prep and planting for your Spring garden

I would absolutely LOVE to hear what your first target is, so please share with us! You can comment here, email me at rachel@rachelpinkstone.com, or find me on Facebook and let me know! 

Want to know what my first target is? 

Well, then check back in soon as we start up the next topic on the blog. I will share with you my next steps as Winter rolls in and out of these parts. ;) For now: Congratulations on a job well done through these 8 weeks of Maintaining not Gaining!

You are awesome.

-Be cool, Soda Pop - 

Maintaining Not Gaining: Bouncing Back

Maintaining Not Gaining:

Bouncing Back 

It's hypnotic.

Welcome back from the mayhem of the holidays, friends! 'Tis the next installment of our 4 Part Mini-Series: Maintaining Not Gaining...and I'm sure we all had our good choices...as well as our "less awesome" decisions through the holiday festivities, feasts, fetes, and family fun. Lucky for all of us, it's an unwritten human rule that we all get to "Bounce Back" in January. We have a whole month to explore different eating plans and fitness routines. You'll be bombarded with flyers for $10 gym memberships, free yoga classes, and a whole new slew of (insert popular diet/fitness campaign) gurus just waiting to show you the light! And HEY! I say try them all! (Well, within reason...I'm happy to share in a future post my not-so-enthused feelings on things like the Master Cleanse and Fitness shakes, etc.) Really, why not use this month of "new beginnings" to get back in the saddle with your fitness routine and start up those Whole28.5 Style grocery lists!

Oh New Planner, I love you.

Or, if you're already an avid athlete, but let things slide over the holidays, open up that fancy new Day Planner I know that your mother got you for (insert appropriate holiday) and start jotting down your fitness schedule--and stick to it. I want this stuff written in pen, people!

Along with the suggestion of color coding your day planner (seriously, it's the only way I remember every thing!), here's just three reminders on how to keep yourself... 

On Track to Bounce Back:

Water, Water, Everywhere...

I know, I sound like a broken record, right? But I promise you, there is some sound method to my madness. I may be wrong, but I feel safe in saying that within the past few weeks you've absorbed more cocktails than bottles of water. Maybe there was an extra cheat meal, or higher allowances of processed food (laden with sodium) and carbs just zapping up your H20 and leaving you dehydrated. Well, water is a TOTAL quick fix! Grab the water bottles, fill 'em up, and take 'em down.
I mean it. It will make a world of difference!

Ugh, Cardio.

Okay, I'm not saying you have to sign yourself up for a marathon (but power to you if you do!), but getting your heart pumping is another easy kick start to this year. Add in a run, a row, some jump rope, or jazzercise your little heart out! Easing back into your heavy programming or conditioning work could benefit from a quick calorie burn each week, at least to start. Just to burn through those glycogen stores from the luxurious holiday dinners and pie you simply couldn't resist. Then if it's GAINZ season, you go ahead and you get your GAINZ!!!

Freshen Up.

I don't mean under your arms, I'm sure you smell divine. I mean dive back into the world of FRESH fruits and veggies. Throw in a salad with your hunk of meat. Get back in the habit of making fruit your sweet snack. December often comes filled to the brim with rich, creamy, heavy foods. Think casseroles. Seriously, think about them. Moving on! Let's lighten the load here and clean house. Hell, you can shove both fruits AND veggies in blender and probably come out with something pretty darn refreshing!


Seriously, my friends, that's all. I'm sure you have plenty of plans and spreadsheets or dream journals filled with your next steps for 2016. That's amazing! Take a deep breath and get back into the groove one step at a time. I'm not one for Resolutions. I think trying to give yourself one mammoth "goal" for a year is a recipe for disaster, but I'm a big supporter of Intentions...I'm a yoga teacher, after all. Start designing your intentions for just this month. That's all we need! The future will flourish and grow and change and be awesome. We can do this.

Because, don't forget:

You are awesome.

Keep your eyes peeled before the end of January for the last installment of

Maintaining Not Gaining!

-Be Cool, Soda Pop-