Welcome to 2025

Happy New Year! 🎉

Welcome to the first blog of the year! I want to start by sending my warmest wishes to all my readers and followers—may this year bring you blessings, growth, and endless opportunities to thrive. I’m excited to embark on this journey with you, and I hope you’ll stick with me throughout the entire year as we navigate new goals, challenges, and triumphs together.

As we kick off the year, my aim for this blog remains the same as last year: to offer an honest, transparent look into my training, share valuable tips, and provide information that will help YOU along your own journey. Whether you're someone who’s just starting out or a seasoned pro, there’s always something to learn, and I’m thrilled to have you here.

Now, let’s talk about something we all experience at the start of a new year: the pressure to make big changes, set bold resolutions, and transform ourselves.

It’s exciting, right? We’re ready to crush it, conquer new goals, and be our best selves. But let’s be real for a moment—when life gets in the way (and let’s face it, it will), we often find ourselves falling off track. The gyms are packed in January, but by Valentine’s Day, most people have already let go of the promises they made to themselves.

Why does this happen? It’s not because we’re not capable of sticking with our goals. It’s because making a change is HARD. And let’s face it—hard is a word that a lot of people shy away from. It signifies challenge, discomfort, and even fear, and it’s perfectly normal for our minds and bodies to want to avoid it.

But here’s the thing: Hard doesn’t have to mean impossible.

What if this year, we committed to doing one hard thing each month? Imagine how much growth we could experience by tackling challenges head-on, no matter how tough they seem. We’re not aiming for perfection—we’re aiming for progress. And by the end of the year, we’ll be surprised by just how much we’ve accomplished.

For me, I’m starting the year by tackling one of my own challenges: cutting down on sugar. Now, I know this might sound like a small thing, especially when I’m often seen as a “poster child” for healthy eating. But the truth is, I’m human, and like many of you, once I start eating sugar, it’s like a never-ending cycle of cravings. It’s tough to break free from, and that’s exactly why I’ve decided to take it on as my first hard challenge of the year.

This isn’t just about cutting sugar for the sake of it. It’s about recognizing where I can improve and making a commitment to myself. I’ll be sharing more about this journey in my Hard Challenge Series, so stay tuned for updates, tips, and insights on how I’m managing this and what I’m learning along the way.

So, let’s do this together. Choose one hard thing for yourself this month—whether it’s cutting out a bad habit, trying a new workout, or learning something new. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but every step you take will bring you closer to a better version of yourself.

I can’t wait to see where this year takes us. Let’s make it a year of growth, hard work, and transformation! 💪

TRAINING DIARY - Staying active During the Holidays

I’m not here to bore you with a day-by-day breakdown of what I did or didn’t do since my last training diary post. Instead, I want to share what I experienced and how I made sure I stayed active and showed up for myself every single day, even during the chaos of the holiday season.

For many people, the holidays mean slowing down, training less, and maybe stepping away from routine for a bit. There are more social outings, family gatherings, and often, a general sense of wanting to relax and take a break from the demands of the year. It’s completely normal to feel like your energy is running low and that your body just wants to shut down for a while. Believe me, I felt it too.

But here’s the promise I made to myself: I committed to keeping my daily step average above 12,000 steps and ensuring that I did some form of movement every single day—whether it was a walk, a workout, or just staying active in some way. And guess what? I kept that promise.

Since December 7th, I’ve had:

• 12 running days

• Walked most days (even on my running days)

• 17 other activities including strength training, classes, yoga, and more
  

All of this was done in winter weather here in the northern hemisphere—where some days were easier than others, but the real driver wasn’t motivation. Honestly, it was discipline. It was the promise I made to myself that no matter what, I would show up every day and move my body. Not just some days, but every day. I want to make it clear that these numbers are not meant to brag or suggest I’m better than anyone else. Rather, I’m sharing them to show you that even when you’re off routine, in unfamiliar places, and dealing with less-than-ideal weather, you can still do hard things. Life doesn’t stop, but that doesn’t mean you have to either, and these images are more than just a few mug shots. they are showing that I got out and did it.

Now, let’s talk about nutrition. To be honest, I wasn’t perfect. I indulged in all the delicious Christmas and New Year treats—because, hey, it’s the holidays, right? But tomorrow, I’m back on track. We’re doing hard things again. Training will return to its regular routine by mid-January, and I’m excited to jump back into it with full commitment.

The holidays are challenging, but they also teach us a lot about what we’re capable of. So if you’re feeling like you’ve slipped a bit from your routine, don’t stress. It happens to the best of us. What matters is showing up and moving forward, no matter what.

Here’s to a strong start to the year—let’s make it count. Stay tuned for more updates as we dive back into our regular training routines and keep pushing ourselves to do the hard things! 💪..

Happy New Year again, and I look forward to being part of your journey in 2025. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks, and let’s make this year count!

See you in the next post!