The first week of our intensive & 33 to Glow programs are almost behind us! So far, so good - made it to all the workouts and have stuck to the approved foods list. While it's not quite a detox, the 33 to Glow food protocol still takes some getting used to. Battling cravings & exerting discipline are constant challenges to work through. I've found I'm weakest in the afternoon/early evening. That transition from work to home (usually off of a nap) is when I'm most vulnerable - and most likely to want an easy (read: processed or otherwise bad for me) snack. It's so hard to tell yourself 'no' when you're tired, hot (it was 90 degrees all week) and seemingly hungry. Instead, I drank some water, walked my dog and let those cravings melt away.

I've been consistently sore since Tuesday. Our foam roller and epsom salt have been working overtime for ya girl this week. Each workout's been challenging and I come away with a solid layer of sweat. It hurts, but that's how we know it's working! This week has been the perfect pace to set momentum for the rest of the intensive.

This right here is some goal-setting in the making. p.s. Thrive is an awesome read on balance!

Last Saturday, I took the morning to hole up in a coffee shop, clear my mind and read through everything 33 to Glow and intensive-related. Just like the Resolution Challenge and last summer's candida detox, I found it extremely helpful to carve out some alone time to immerse myself in what I'm about to undertake. Read through all the materials. Take notes on my current state of things & why I want to do this program. Make to-do and grocery lists. Take screenshots of what I can/can't have and make it my phone's wallpaper. All of this to get me to specific goals I want to accomplish during this program.

Setting my own goals help me create a fuller picture of what I'm looking to get out of this (and any) program. That fuller picture is what takes seemingly separate goals and weaves them into a strategy for making solid lifestyle changes. That weight loss or "eat more kale" goal doesn't mean anything if you can't understand how it'll fit into your every day life - on a program, and off of it.

I wish this print by MaseFace was still in stock.

I took notes on my nutrition & eating habits. My sleeping habits. My awful dependency on social media and constantly having a screen in front of me. Stuff I wanted to change. In addition to the goals I'm aiming for during the intensive, I've added:

• Sleep earlier (have averaged a half-hour earlier this week already!)
• Offline / no screens after 10:30p.m. except to set my alarm
• Post-workout/evening stretching sessions, epsom salt baths
• Drink a lot of water (like, shoot for a gallon every day)
• Stand up when you're at the computer
• Spend more of my reading time on food (recipes/storage), muscle recovery, nutrition, & other health-related things to up my knowledge

Elevated self-care is the name of my game these next few weeks. I'm shooting for the stars & ain't no half-steppin to get there.