Why Wait Till New Years to Get Into the Best Shape of Your Life?

The holiday season is now fully upon us.  Nearly 8 weeks of fun and frivolity supposedly. Many of us are still recovering from the post-Halloween hangover of candy and treats.  This time of year is supposed to be a joyous time filled with the anticipation of family gatherings, gifts, and holiday work parties.  But with all of the positive things that come during these last few months, there can also be a darker, more insidious side.

For most of us, November can bring us colder, inclement weather which makes it much harder to get outside and stay active.  The seasonal change can also bring those shorter days with much less daylight, which can lead to seasonal depression, with all of the negatives that come from that, like lack of motivation, overeating, etc.

The end of the year can also be a stressful time as holiday plans are mixed with end of the year reflection on our goals.  Remember those things you planned to do last New Years Day?  How many of those have you accomplished?  This soul searching can be painful for many.  Did you gain weight or not lose the weight you promised yourself last January that you were going to lose?  Did you not start the fitness plan or activity you had talked about during the holidays?  Did you say that 2017 was going to be your year and as it draws to a close, do you feel like you have let yourself down?

With that said, why coast through the next few months to finish out 2017, when you can get a jump on 2018 and began getting yourself into the best shape of your life.  There is no reason to wait until January 1st to begin making a change in your life and getting into the best possible shape you can.  We don't need the beginning of the year to start making effective changes.  We don't need the start of a new month to begin eating more mindfully.  And to go even one more step, you don't have to start your fitness journey on a Monday!

Let's take a look at why RIGHT NOW is the best time to start putting your plan into motion.

Small Changes Instead of Big Changes

In the months before New Years Day, if you're like most people you think about ALL of the things in your life that you are going to change.  This is the time when we say to ourselves and anyone who will listen, that we are going to start saving more, eating cleaner than ever, begin a CrossFit or BJJ program, write that novel we've always wanted to, and maybe learn how to play the guitar in our spare time after we get back from volunteering at the local Non Profit.  The reality is that all of these things are great things to want to do, but at the end of the day, how many of them will you do or even start?

The key is to look at your life and lifestyle and see what small changes can make the most impact.  Small changes that have a great impact will ultimately snowball and become the seeds of big changes.  If you are used to eating fast food three times a day and then suddenly decide to become a vegan without much planning or research, you may quickly find that the change is too drastic and unable to be sustained.  And by not following through with the plan, you may develop bad feelings that maybe you've failed. Small, sustainable changes, can help build confidence and a feeling of success that you can continue to push towards your goals.

For more on small changes and how you can implement simple things into your lifestyle, check out this article from BJJ Fanatics!

Momentum Shift

If you look at your diet and fitness goals in the most simplest terms, one can look at every choice we make as moving us one step towards our goal or one step away from our goal.  As November has just begun, that means each one of us has two months or nearly 60 days filled with decisions that move you close and closer to your goal.  Or you can spend the next two months "talking about" and "thinking about" the new lifestyle changes you are waiting to make on the official start of 2018, New Years Day.

Why wait?  Start now.  Take your life in a complete 180 degrees and instead of waiting, ask yourself today, what steps can you take to begin shifting the momentum towards a happier, healthier version of yourself.

Another roadblock that we can often put in our own way is to think that we will wait until we are motivated to take action and begin to eat better or start a workout program.  The reality is that motivation is a cheap commodity that doesn't stick around very long.  If you asked any professional athlete or person who was excellent at any skill or craft, they would tell you that there are many days when they are not motivated to practice their craft, whether it be jiu jitsu or wood working, or anything else you can think of.

Discipline, on the other hand is what we should be focused on instead of motivation.  Discipline is what gets you to the mats or to the gym when you are sore, tired, or generally not motivated.  The top athletes are not motivated every day, but they are disciplined every single day making decisions that continually move them towards their goals.

 The key is not to sit around and waste time.  Don't wait for the new year to begin.  Don't wait for the new month to begin or even the new week.  Start today.  An imperfect plan put into motion today is much better than the perfect plan set into motion months from now to paraphrase the famous quote from General George Patton.

Social media can be a great source of inspiration and community that can help move you toward your goals.  To learn more about the power of the interwebs in your fitness and lifestyle changes, check out this article from BJJ Fanatics!

Empty Gyms and BJJ Mats

This time of year is notorious for BJJ academies to lose people for a variety reasons.  People find themselves caught up in the holiday hype, stress and celebrating.  If getting in shape or starting BJJ is something you've always wanted, NOW is the perfect time with many fitness centers running specials to try to get additional members this time of year before the New Years crowd shows up.  Why not take advantage of these slows times?

 If you've always wanted to start BJJ or any activity such as a martial art, don't wait and say to yourself that you will spend time trying to get into shape.  Get out there and start enjoying the benefits of the jiu jitsu lifestyle.  Just calling the academies in your town and scheduling an introductory class or discussion is a simple decision that is going to move you towards your goals.  Oftentimes we have the idea that we have to think about our black belts on day 1.  On the contrary, it's better to think small.  Start by thinking in terms of your first class, your first week and then after a few months, you can start thinking about that first stripe and from there you will have developed the momentum you need to move you towards your goals.

In Conclusion

To wrap up, if you're ready to make a change in your life, don't wait.  Start now.  If BJJ is something you've always wanted to do, or maybe you've trained in the past and want to get back to it--DO IT.  Do not wait.  There is no magic secret to getting more accomplished at an activity like jiu jitsu.  You just have to start and not stop.

If you want to eat cleaner, take a look at your current diet plan and start making some small changes.  If you eat a lot of fast food, that would be a good thing to begin to decrease as soon as possible.  Start eating at home more often, or making meals to go for work or travel.  This simple change can go a long way to trimming calories, saturated fats and other unhealthy additives from your diet.

If you want to start a fitness plan, start simple.  You don't need to spend hours in the gym each day.  Fifteen to twenty minutes of weight training three times a week is plenty to get you in the best shape you've been in a while.

Don't try to change everything, but do change something.  One thing.  And do it today.

Another great option you have is taking advantage of the knowledge of former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter and competitive grappler Tom DeBlass' in his "12 Weeks to Ripped" program which spells out the nutritional and fitness advice that has gotten him in the best shape of his career and at 35 years old, has him not slowing down a bit as he lines up super fights and matches in his run for the next ADCC World Championships in 2019.  You can get his program here at the unheard of price of $119 for the complete set from BJJ Fanatics.  You will also be included in a private Facebook group which has Tom DeBlass answering questions and sharing advice on a daily basis! Don't miss it!