Just Do It! Or...maybe not

We've all heard Nike's famous phrase "JUST DO IT!" It sounds so motivating and high energy-ish. But in reality, while it may (or may not...) be a helpful phrase when making a split-moment decision, if you want to enact real change in your life, then you'll need more than a motivational phrase.

In reality, "Just do it" might inspire you to try something once, but to enact anything that will produce long term change, you'll need more.

Today in my study (thanks Girls Gone Strong) I came across the words Plan, Prepare and Practice. It strikes me that these three words are at the heart of enacting change or establishing new habits. Want to start an exercise routine? Well, try out these three words: Plan: Write on your calendar what you will do, which day and at what time (ie. run for 15 minutes, 6:00 am Wednesday, January 25). Prepare: The night of January 24th, set out your workout clothes, pack your pre-workout snack (if you think you'll need it), and fill up your bottle of water. Practice: Show up at your workout location. Even if you can't do the full plan, practice the routine. Maybe you had planned on doing a 25 minute run, but had to work late. Rather than give up on the plan altogether - PRACTICE - practice doing the run even if you only have 10 minutes. You may not have performed the plan exactly the way you intended, but you practiced the routine, which is going to carry you a long ways to developing the habit. This is ultimately what matters most - not whether you ran 25 minutes vs 10 that day.

Want to improve your nutrition by eating more vegetables each day? Plan: Decide which vegetables you want to add and to which meals (maybe you'll add green pepper slices at breakfast, carrot sticks at lunch and some zucchini slices at dinner. Prepare: Go to the grocery store and pick up the veggies you've indicated. Wash them up, cut them (if appropriate) and store them so that they are ready to go. Practice: A

t each meal, be sure to have at least one of the vegetables you chose before you eat anything else. By doing this you will establish habits that are sustainable because they come with systems that help to sustain them.

Plan. Prepare. Practice. Happy resolution keeping!