Set Goals to Grow

It's the beginning of a new month...and you know what that means. It's time to set some goals and dream big for the new month. You can really set goals any time and any day, but there is just something about the freshness of a new month that makes it seem like anything is possible.

I get asked VERY frequently about how I stay motivated, how I set goals, and how I actually achieve them. To be honest, I am a natural list and goal maker. I love making lists and dreaming big, then crossing things off. But I do believe that you can work at becoming this type of person too, even if it is not your natural inclination. You just have to find a way that works for you!

Because the reality is, if you aren't setting goals and working towards them, you aren't growing as a person, which is SO important. We should always be transforming and learning and growing into the person God has created us to be. My mom always says, "there is no destination in life when you are finally done and 'mastered' at something, it's all about the journey." She's a teacher, so it makes sense that she would instill in me that the journey is where all the learning happens. Much of the time, the goal is not as important as the person you BECOME while on the journey to achieving that goal.

If you need help getting started on goal setting, read this post I wrote at the beginning of the year. You can set goals for different areas in your life and focus down your priorities in this way. But what I'm trying to get at here is that if you want to grow as a person, goal setting is crucial, and stretching and growing yourself every day is exciting and empowering.

I heard this quote this morning and it really fired me up: "a rubber band is useless unless it is stretched." I don't want to be useless in this life of mine. God has given me potential, just like He has given YOU all potential as well. So don't sit back on the sidelines of your life. Make things happen, go after your goals, whether they are career-focused, health-focused, financially-focused, or really anything!

And most importantly, once you vision and dream up your goals, WRITE THEM DOWN. Writing down your goals is soooooo powerful. Research shows that you are more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. And that means more growth, more empowerment, and more confidence being instilled in you that you actually CAN achieve what you set out to do.

What are some of your goals for this new month? In what areas do you want to grow and stretch? Start dreaming big and thinking OUTSIDE of the box, because you were made for MORE, and God has a lot in store for you! If you've wanted to get healthy, start now! (and I can help!). If you want to save money, make a budget and set goals for how much you want to save each month. If you want to get a promotion, meet with your boss and ask what you can start doing now to set yourself up for your dream job. If you want to write a book, write tpday, even if it is just ONE page...just get started! Whatever it is, set your goals and dreams, write them down, then watch the person you become while on the journey to achieving those goals. Trust me, it's SO worth it to live a life of growth and living into the person God created you to be!

How to Set Goals for 2018

The new year is upon us, and in just two days we will enter the freshness and newness of 2018. I don't know about you, but I LOVE anything that has to do with a fresh start, and the fact that January 1st is on a Monday?? It's my OCD-type A personality-perfectionist DREAM COME TRUE!

I love setting goals and intentions at the beginning on each month, and naturally each year too. But this year, I'm doing things a little differently. I'm following Zig Ziglar's "Wheel of Life" method to set goals for different areas of my life. The idea here is that our life is like a wheel, and all sides of the wheel need to be balanced for our life to "roll" properly. Here are the different areas illustrated in the Wheel of Life, and these are the areas I'll be setting goals for in 2018!

Now, I've heard from a lot of my blog readers and social media followers that they have a hard time setting goals. They don't understand what to shoot for or how to organize their goals, so I think this wheel will do the trick for those who want help narrowing down certain areas of their lives and setting specific goals for health, finances, personal life, spiritual life, etc.

Are you a big goal setter or does it overwhelm you? I hope this tool helps and I'd love to hear what your goals are for these areas of your life! My husband and I are planning on sitting down and chatting about our goals for 2018 over the weekend, and I'll be sharing some of them with you on the blog next week! Feel free to share some of your goals in the comments below, or contact me above and we can set some together!

And as always if you need help with your health and wellness goals, I am one click away! My 2018 Your BEST Year nutrition package sales end TODAY. That's right, TODAY. If you want to make me your personal dietitian for 8 or 16 weeks, email daily, and get a meal plan and sessions with me to make sure you stay on track with your goals, these packages are perfect for you!! And as a heads up, I am planning on keeping these packages going year round, but the prices WILL go up after today, so if you want to snag them at their discounted rate, do so now and we can book your first session and get you on track to make 2018 your BEST year yet!

December Goals & Intentions!

Oh HEYYY it's DECEMBER!!! And to kick off my favorite month of the year, we are headed up to Big Bear today for our church youth camp! I'm so excited to get away and find retreat up in the mountains. I've heard there is no service where we are going, which I am actually looking forward to! We can get so caught up in our phones and social media, so I'm excited to take a forced break from it all and focus on being there with our church family, as well as enjoy Emma's first trip to the mountains!

I love setting goals and intentions at the beginning of each month, and December is no different. December isn't a "wash" my friends, our days still matter and even though that brand new year that is so tantalizing with its "fresh start," that doesn't mean we just throw in the towel for the whole month of December and not focus on our self care or what we want to accomplish! I for one have BIG goals, and that includes some for December! How about you?

Here are my goals for the next 31 days...and if you'd like, share yours in the comments below! I love to read and cheer others on in their quest for growth!

1. Continue with my gluten-free/Paleo lifestyle. I have been eating this way for the past month, and I wrote here about how I've been feeling amazing doing it! I want to keep it up throughout the holidays and make sure that I stick to being gluten free 100% (I have a severe sensitivity), and Paleo when I can! I also want to experiment with new recipes, and finally try making bone broth in my new Instant Pot!! Anyone else have good Instant Pot recipes they'd like to share? I'd love to hear!
2. Go on walks with Emma on days we are home. We don't get out enough, and I want both Emma and I to get out in that fresh air and have some California sun on our faces! We need vitamin D, and the fresh air always makes Emma happy and helps her nap better, which makes Mama happy!
3. "Get ready" 3x/week. This may seem silly, but most mornings, I don't take the time to get ready, do my hair or make up, or get dressed in something other than leggings. I want to be more intentional in this area of my life, so I've made it a goal to get ready 3x/week by doing my hair and makeup, and being more intentional about my clothing choices. I always feel better when I do this, so why not do it more often? I'm so good about staying on top of workouts, but my self-care when it comes to appearance gets pushed to the back burner. I think as women, it's so important to feel good and part of what makes ME feel good personally is feeling put together! I'll start off with 3x/week but hopefully, this will become an every day habit!
4. Continue with my workout program in preparation for 80 day obsession. I've been doing Shift Shop and I want to continue one with that until a new program, 80 day obsession, gets released in January! I love being able to workout from home because it's helped me stay so consistent with my fitness as a new mom, because I am still accessible to Emma when she needs me!  I'm excited to continue on with Shift shop and then challenge myself with 80 day obsession once it's released on January 15th! If you'd like to do it with me, let me know! I could use the accountability!
5. Journal 5x/week. I used to be SO good about journaling, praying, and getting my thoughts down on paper. I haven't been consistent with it, and for me personally, I find that I have so much less stress and worry when I take that time in the morning to brain dump my thoughts and release them to God in prayer. Definitely going to try to do this more often in December and onward!
6. Post more recipe videos in my free FB community! I run a free Facebook group called "the Simply Nourished Community," where I share my meal plans and do LIVE cooking demos for my members! I want to post more recipes in this group and share more content that I hope will be beneficial! I've become so passionate about meal prep and experimenting with new and exciting recipes and want to share that with others who want to learn as well. It is completely free to join, so if you'd like to be a part of it, contact me here and I can add you! And let me know which recipes you'd like me to make/healthify!
7. And lastly, my goal is to enter 2018 feeling my best and make it my BEST year. This has been my mantra lately, because I have spent way too many New Years regretting letting myself go and treating my body poorly, being in a negative mindset, vowing to do better, only to fail again. I want to make this season of life the best I can. I want to feel confident in our family pictures and not shy away from taking pictures with our sweet baby on her first Christmas because I feel run down or insecure. So, I want to keep nourishing my body, mind, and soul and enter the new year feeling great! If you want to make 2018 your BEST year as well, I've put together some nutrition consulting packages for you all that will ONLY be available until December 29th! Click here to check them out and sign up to begin working together and finally reach your goals this year!

I've also decided to make these goals the background of my phone so I really remember and get reminded DAILY of the ways I want to grow. How many of you are guilty of setting goals and then losing the paper you wrote them on, or forgetting about them entirely? I'm guilty of that too! So I'm leveling up this month and going to remind myself DAILY of my goals and dreams! 

I hope you all enjoy your first weekend of December, go see some Christmas lights, listen to Christmas music, and feel cozy with your loved ones!

Hello MARCH!

I can't believe that MARCH is in the title of my post. It's already March you guys. Where is 2017 going??? In 2 months, we will be meeting our sweet baby girl, and that seriously blows my mind. I feel like after May, I can't imagine what life is going to be like. All I know is that we are so in love with this baby already, so I feel like our hearts are just going to explode when we meet her! 

Since it's a new month, I am setting some  new goals! I'll be continuing some from last month and making some new ones for this month too! I share these monthly because they keep ME accountable, plus I hope to inspire some of you to set some goals as well! I love setting goals and that feeling of accomplishment when I reach them! I highly encourage it if you feel like you are feeling a bit directionless and want to focus your efforts more on things that matter to YOU!

1. Continue tracking my spending. I tracked my spending last month and...you guys...I'm embarrassed to admit but I spent $300 LESS in February compared to January! Just from tracking and holding myself accountable! A lot of times, I wouldn't buy something because I didn't want to have to open my app and write down what I spent haha hey it worked! So I'm definitely going to continue this habit! 

2. Sell our fancy camera. Last month I wanted to learn how to use it, but my husband and I decided that it isn't realistic for us to have a Canon SLR camera at this point in our life. It's in perfect condition (we only used it for about a week on our honeymoon!) so we will be selling it. If anyone is interested, let me know! 

3. Workout 6x/week. I finished Country Heat last month, so this month I am doing 21 day fix with my March Bootcamp group! I will be subbing out some of the workouts with Core de Force and Active maternity, two other programs that I have access to  a la Beachbody on Demand! Love being able to stream all their workouts! Since the weather will start getting nicer too, I hope to go on some more walks with my husband as well! And as always, listening to my body for those rest days!

4. Keep following 21 day fix portion containers. These containers have been a lifesaver for me during this pregnancy! So I'm going to keep following them in order to balance out my meals and make sure I'm eating enough for me and for baby Emma! 

5. Finish "Entrusted" Bible study. I have been doing this Beth Moore Bible Study for months and I am committed to finishing it this month! I love spending that quiet time with Jesus in the morning, and I know I need to make it more of a priority! 

6. Print pictures to frame up in our home! I have been wanting to do this for TWO YEARS you guys. So this is the month that I am going to get this done. My husband and I want to have some pictures up in our home from our wedding, honeymoon, and vacations, and I have just been lazy about it! So here is my accountability! 

7. Follow a cleaning schedule. I am usually a very clean and tidy person, OCD-style. BUT this pregnancy has changed things for me and my energy in the afternoons is just LOW. So I am going to make a cleaning schedule and stay on top of housework before it gets out of hand! 

AND as always, I will be sharing my journey with all of these on social media. Social media has been a great way for me to stay accountable to my goals by just sharing my life and journey and inviting others to join in! If you'd like to follow along, my Instagram is @tveenverano_RD and my Facebook page is "Tveen Verano RD." I do a ton of live videos on my Facebook page too, so check it out! 

If you have some goals for the month that you want accountability for, let me know! Share them in the comments below or contact me...we can help each other stay on track! Accountability is the key to success, so let's be buddies and help each other out! 

Have a great Wednesday you guys, and happy almost-SPRING!!! 

December Goals

Weeee it's December, friends! My favorite month of the year. I absolutely love Christmas time and the anticipation of a fresh, new year! Everything just seems more magically, cozy, and warm. Don't you agree? 

I am looking forward to lots of trips to the mall, listening to Christmas music, caroling, spending time with family, friends, and church peeps, and cuddling up watching our Christmas tree with Vasken. The weather has been cold here too! Which is so nice for us So Cal peeps...I'm really enjoying wearing some fall/winter clothing! 

As is my typical custom at the first of each month, I have some goals for the upcoming month. There are many areas of my life that I want to grow in, and why not start now instead of wait till 2017? December is the new January in my opinion. 

GOALS

1. Eat at least 4 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit each day. The non-pregnant me would have had no trouble with this; I used to have over 12 servings a day of fruits and vegetables! But the pregnant me is having a really hard time with fruits and vegetables. I have a huge aversion to veggies and even fruits gross me out from time to time. Pregnancy is so funky! But I am going to try my best to find ways to sneak those veggies into my day because I know that they are good for me and my growing baby! 

2. Fitness-wise, my goal is to walk walk walk! Whether that's a short 20 min walk outside or a trip to the mall, I'm going to focus on walking and light movements!

3. Reading for fun! I read a ton of personal development and business books as I am building my own private practice, but I also want to read for fun! I have a few books on my list that I've been waiting to dive into, so that will be happening this month as well! 

4. Putting my phone on airplane mode before I get into bed. This one is HUGE for me. I used to do this all the time, but lately, I have gotten into bed and just scrolled the night away on articles or social media. So my goal is to put my phone on airplane mode BEFORE getting into bed, then read or just let myself doze off without the use of an electronic! I'm already nervous about how this will go, but I'm determined to try!

5. Entrusted Bible Study. I started Beth Moore's new study on 1 & 2 Timothy and have been slowly working my way through it. I want to be more diligent with this study and spend more intentional time with God. I have realized that since my morning sickness days, my quiet time got put on the back burner as I tried to muster up the strength to get up, not throw up, and get to work. Now that I am feeling better, I want to give that time back to God. 

I feel really good about my goals for this month! I hope that you have set some personal, wellness, and life goals for yourself as well! Setting goals is one of my favorite ways to motivate myself to do the things I always tell myself I want to do. And making them public helps even more with the accountability! If you'd like, share some of your goals in the comments below! 

Goals, food, and a FREE community just for you!

Good afternoon all! I hope you all are having a great start to the week! I am planning on doing these little goals/updates posts every Monday to keep myself accountable and to keep y'all in the loop as well! I love using this blog as my online diary, and I'd like to thank you all for following along and supporting me! :) 

This week is my second week of half-marathon training in conjunction with strength training! I am combining 21 day fix/fix extreme workouts, running, and the new Beachbody program, 22 minute Hard Corps! Yup, just 22 minute military-style workouts that I am loving lately! Everyone has 22 minutes guys...EVERYONE. If you want more info on this, please contact me! Busy is no longer an excuse when it comes to this program! **tveen.verano@gmail.com**

Goals/Workouts: 

My goals this week are to stick to my plan (3x running, 3x strength training, 1 rest day), follow the 21 day fix meal plan, write my weekly newsletter (click subscribe up top so you don't miss out!), and write an article for the online magazine I have been writing for...LA Intel! Overall, lots of workouts, lots of eating, and lots of writing....my favorite things!
 

Meal plan: 

My meal plan for this week is as follows:

Breakfast: protein oat bars (recipe coming soon), shakeology (duh), eggs

Lunch: kebab, rice, salads, steamed veggies

Dinner: quinoa salads, kebabs, basically same as lunch!

Snacks: larabars, nuts, banana w/almond butter, veggies

I'm keeping things balanced and focused on getting all my containers in! It's so important to eat the correct portions of all these foods, and I love my fool-proof container system that helps me do so! :) this program has changed the way I view food SO much, and I love that I can always count on it to help be stay nourished and listen to my body all at the same time. And coaching my clients through this meal plan and seeing THEIR progress and success is just the icing on the cake! My coaching heart is full and happy!

Fit for Joy FREE online community!

Lastly, I am so excited to announce the new and improved *FREE* Fit For Joy community!!! I have had this on my heart for a while and it's time to take the plunge!

Many of you know I host my monthly challenge groups, or what I call my Joyfully Fit Bootcamps. But I've also wanted to create a space for people who just want a free community of accountability...no strings attached! A place to be with other like-minded individuals with similar health and fitness goals so that we all feel supported on this journey!

If you choose to join in on this free community, here's what to expect:

* you will be added to my private Facebook group, "Fit for Joy"

* monthly free challenges on habit change, healthy eating, working out, and thriving in all areas...mind, body, and soul!

* being in a community of people who have the same goal in mind: living a HEALTHY LIFE!

All I ask of you is to take OWNERSHIP of your health and participate in the gift of accountability this group offers, which means posting about your journey! Including foodie pics, sweaty selfies, and motivating others along the way!

This community is only available to those NOT currently working with a beach body coach (unless that coach is already me!)

Who's in?? Fill out this application and I will get back to you! :)

http://goo.gl/forms/t0WjaQddzD

SO excited to be launching our first FREE challenge within this community next week all about Healthy Habits! Make sure to fill out the application above so that we can get in touch and you can be added to the group! :) 

Ok, I am off for some biz work and some relaxation time! Have a  happy Monday all!