Drink at least 100 ounces of water a day - I easily drink over a gallon of water a day in the warmer months but when its chilly outside I struggle. I so far have been really good at this goal - I think the big thing that has helped me is finally finding a reusable water bottle that I love. I take it with me everywhere and its super stylish to boot (hey, whatever works, right?!
Focus on Hip Strength - My hips started acting up when I was pregnant with Taylor and the pain sometimes flares up during training. The pain is not always present, I tend to only focus on them when they hurt, versus what I should be doing, daily maintenance to keep them healthy and strong. I have been pretty good at incorporating the Myrtl Routine into my workouts about 3 times a week and focusing on cross training exercises to strengthen my hips from all angles.
I do have to share that I am a HUGE believer in Collagen Protein, and since I have been taking it for the past 9 months my hip mobility has GREATLY increased. Collagen reduces joint pain, improves cardiovascular health, and boosts muscle mass, all while supplying you with a healthy does of protein per serving! My favorite brand is Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Protein. I've found that it's effective, the best value, and the only Collagen that is truly tasteless. I add two scoops to my morning cups of coffee and reap the benefits all day long!
Continue to wake up early to get in my cross training Tone It Up videos - this has probably been the easiest goal for me to stick too. Yes, the waking up early will never be easy (but hey, that's what coffee with a large scoop of collagen is for, right?!) but I truly LOVE and look forward to these videos so much. They are high energy and effective and I just love the results I get from doing them.
Continue to meal prep veggies twice a week - I was on a roll prepping huge trays of veggies twice weekly in December and thought for sure I'd be able to continue the trend in January - but alas, this has been the one goal that I've fallen short on. I'm still eating healthy (most of the time!) but have stopped the veggie prep. I have been embracing salads more though and have resumed eating veggie sandwiches for lunch - so I think I'm doing a decent job of getting in some greens daily!
Continue to not shy away from the hard stuff - I wanted to pick races, runs, and workouts that challenge and change me. This is why I'm a HUGE believer in my Great Lakes Protein Collagen - it allows be to embrace and go for the tougher training runs and high-impact cross training moves because I know my joints will be protected and my body will be recovered to do it all over again every single day. I have been banking some sky-high mileage and training paces that I never thought possible, but with the recovery tool of Great Lakes Collagen Protein, ANYTHING is possible.
Just this week I signed up for the toughest race of my life. A half marathon with over 600 feet of elevation gain in the first half - its basically one big uphill climb - and I'm going to do it pushing Taylor in the stroller! I'm honestly so excited for it and can't wait to embrace the challenges and tough runs that will come with this training cycle. I know I am strong enough to handle it.
Are you curious about trying collagen for yourself? The wonderful folks at Great Lakes Gelatin have allowed me to share a discount code with you. Now through March 15th, you can save 20% off their entire online shop with discount code GLGLife20. I'm for sure stocking up on my favorite Collagen Protein which you can find HERE.
If you're already an avid collagen protein user - what benefits have you seen? How do you take your collagen? How are you doing on your goals for the New Year?
