written by Andrea Peterson

Happy New Year! If your current reality consists of planning a wedding, then, no doubt, you are also setting the intention of getting physically fit for the big day.  Here are some useful tips (and apps) to help you get #weddingdayready. 

It’s time to take on 2018 with everything you’ve got, but don’t run the marathon before you’ve tied your shoes and walked out the door.

The biggest mistake we tend to make when setting New Year’s Resolutions, is setting goals that are out of our reach or extremely difficult to accomplish.

I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t push ourselves, by all means push yourself.  Go beyond what seems attainable. Arthur C. Clarke once said, “The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible.” But also it’s also good to understand how much time, training and mental stamina goes into running a marathon.

Change-up the Vocabulary 

Let’s switch out the word “resolution” or “goal” and instead, set an “intention” for the year. In case you’re wondering, ‘how does the word I use affect my actions?’ Allow me to explain.

Words play a huge role in how we feel about a situation. Think about the phrase “Nothing is impossible.” Although, the phrase is positive, both words are negative. But, if we switch it up to “Everything is possible,” the doors open wide, not only in positive word choice, but how you mentally process the phrase.

The word “intention” gives us purpose and motivation, just like a goal, but it comes without the expectation of success or failure. By using the word intention, we give ourselves something to pursue every day without the pressure of failing. We have enough pressure in life from the outside world, why not cut ourselves a bit of a break?

The journey is the most important part, not where you are going. The 26.2 mile marathon is a small spec of sand amongst the 365 days of working out, eating right and taking care of our bodies. Besides, if it were only about crossing that finish line, then we’ll miss the beautiful scenery, energy of competition, and the joy of breathing in the fresh air along the way.

Set a Long-term Intention

What I mean by this is, it’s a good idea for us to set an intention for something we want to strive for throughout the year. For ease, I’ll stick with the marathon metaphor, but it can be anything that you want and desire to pursue.

For example, if my intention is to run a marathon, I’m going to plan to accomplish it in a year’s time from now. We should allow ourselves the time to pursue that intention.

Setting an intention helps you focus on who you are, where you are at and where you want to go all while living in the present moment without the fear of potential failure. So take a moment to close your eyes and imagine the “intention” you want to strive for in the future. Imagine what you need to do to make it happen and actually see yourself doing it. Visualizing yourself in the process positively changes the energy and view you will have on actually accomplishing it.

Break it Down 

Find easy objectives to work through. It can be as simple as, “I want to walk for 10 mins each day.” Then add “I want to run a mile a week.” And then,  “I want to run a 5K in three months, 10K in six months, and a half in nine months.”

By simplifying our intentions we avoid discouragement. As I mentioned previously, no one is judging us here. This is our personal intention for 2018.  

The best part is, if you end up running that 5K in 5 months. Then you run that 5K in five months and that is perfectly fine.

Remember, Life Happens 

Life happens and that’s okay. If you meet your intention and you run that marathon, then definitely kudos and congrats. Remember, we are setting an intention, something that gives us an aim to seek. Not a final destination.

There’s an App for That

If you’re unsure where to start, as with anything these days, there is an app for that. There are several to choose from. Some will help you simply set a to-do list with easy check-off abilities and others use social media for community support. Check out these options and see which works best for you.

• Bee mindful App – Daily Mindful Encouragement $
• Runner’s World – Creating a Fitness Plan
• Coach Me , $
• Set Good Habits – Get rid of bad habits
• Quip – Organization tools

Looking for more wedding day health and fitness tips? Follow us on Instagram at @utahbridemag and #UBGFitFriday.

“Our intention creates our reality.” – Wayne Dyer

—

Andrea Peterson is a local yoga instructor. She earned her yoga certification through the Fly Yoga School on Martha’s Vineyard under the tutelage of Sherri Sidoti. She has been teaching for the past 6 years out of her home studio—both private and group classes. To learn more about her practice, follow her on Facebook.