Setting it up for Shape Up success!
Hi friends! Hope you’re having a lovely afternoon, and hope that those of you who are off work today are relaxing and enjoying! <3
Behind the scenes, Anne and I are working to get everything together for Winter Shape Up launch, exactly one week from today! If you want your workout schedule in advance, please sign up below and I’ll email it out Friday. (You also get a free 30-day meal and fitness plan for signing up.)
I took the photos for the Week 1 workout yesterday. I felt like a giant goober out in the wilderness with my self timer, but no one gave me a second look. It brought back memories of when I’d lug my yoga mat and tripod around Sabino Canyon in Tucson, and a few people stopped to watch or ask what I was doing. Here, I think it’s more “normal” to be a weird fitness person? 😉
Behold, the most yoga I’ve done lately.
Liberty Station is definitely one of my favorite places.
So I’ve received a few questions about Winter Shape Up, and what to expect for this year’s challenge. It will be very similar to Summer Shape Up with 4 weeks of FREE fitness and meal plans from Anne (a Registered Dietitian) and myself (certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and weight loss specialist). We have some full-length videos (thank you to Grant Hunker for filming and to Sara for being my modifier) in addition to the usual giveaways, private Facebook group and surprises.
All of the details will be up Monday morning, but here are some things you can do this week to set yourself up for Shape Up success:
1) Clean out your pantry. Assess which clean staples you may be missing so that you can stock up appropriately on healthy goodies for the upcoming weeks. Some things I always like to have in my pantry: coconut oil, almond flour (or any whole-grain flour for baking), tomato sauce, black beans, spices/seasonings, quinoa (or a whole grain you love like brown rice or oats), nuts/seeds, a vinegar you rove (balsamic and apple cider are my faves), almond butter, and natural sweeteners (maple syrup, honey and dried fruits).
2) Grab a small notebook to track your eats and workouts for the challenge. This isn’t mandatory, but I find it helpful to look back and assess patterns or habits that lead to success.
3) Pick out a large water bottle you can tote around with you as a reminder to fully hydrate.
4) Determine your workout plan of attack. Are you going to do the workouts at home, or at the gym? What about cardio? Think about available options and how you’ll be able to plan. With the exception of some cardio workouts, ALL of the workouts can be done at home with a set of dumbbells.
5) Find a buddy! Enlist a friend to join in the fun. While you will have TONS of virtual support here and on Anne’s site, it’s fun to do the workouts with a buddy. Some of my favorite WSU pics from last year were the groups that met together to complete the workouts.
Are you joining in the Shape Up? Do you have a partner or friend to join you?
What do you think is the biggest factor that influences your fitness and healthy living success? For me, it’s definitely having a variety of healthy options to choose from, and motivation. Since I do a variety of classes and workouts, I don’t get bored and usually feel excited to teach or train.
So excited for next week!
Have a wonderful night and I’ll see you in the morning. <3
xoxo
Gina
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I can’t wait!! It’s such a cliche but bathing suits and their upcoming season are my main motivation for this shape up! 🙂
Oooo so exciting! I’m hoping to incorporate a few workouts into my regular regimen!
SO EXCITED! (but a few Qs…)
do we have to sign up above if we’re already a newsletter subscriber?
and what calendar is that?! ive been on the look out for over a ytear…
nope, you’ll be getting everything early automatically!
it’s the erin condren life planner. it seriously holds my life 🙂
For me, it’s the people I’m around the and environment I’m around. If I surround myself with happy people and things that make me happy, I will be happy and satisfied so I don’t turn to food as a coping mechanism.
I think feeling well is my biggest motivator when it comes to eating healthy and working out regularly. It makes such a huge difference in my life that it fuels me to keep going! Looking forward to the start of the Winter Shape Up!
Looking forward to it! Yes, I’d like to get more in shape, but this in coinciding with having to change my diet (again…) b/c of health issues, so it’s a great way to jump into it!
Yay!! I wasn’t able to fully participate in the last summer shape up so I am very excited for this! My motivation is a vacation in Jamaica in March – woo!!
I’m so very excited for Shape Up! I’m in my 22nd week of pregnancy and need a schedule to mix it up. No workout buddy except baby boy #2 working out with me.
I think my biggest challenge is being smart with my eating habits and prepping food.
The biggest factor for me is planning ahead. My schedule is so busy that I will make poor food choices and limit activity unless I prepare in advance.
So excited for Winter Shape Up!!!! I like the tips too! Man, I would really love to live on the west coast for a bit some day 🙂
Can’t wait!! Loved the past 2 shape ups and this couldn’t come at a more perfect time 🙂
Yay for Winter Shape Up! What motivates me the most to be healthy is remembering how unhealthy my grandmas were. It’s a weird motivation but I never wanted to be able to not do anything fun because of an unhealthy lifestyle. Also cute workout clothes make me work out extra hard
I find that if I make sure to have healthy food around I’m less likely to make unhealthy food choices.
Hooray! Can’t wait for the Shape Up, I’m definitely on board 🙂
Love the tips about what to stock the pantry with for the next few weeks. I’ll definitely keep them in mind when I go grocery shopping tomorrow!
Can’t wait to start!
While making your videos, you’re providing the Liberty Station walkers & runners with some entertainment to watch while they work out! 😉 Plus you’re pretty much advertising while you’re doing it.. win win!
I definitely get a lot of motivation from workout out with/around others! Love taking other trainers’ classes to get fresh ideas. 🙂 And looking forward to Orangetheory soon!
Oo can’t wait to see the plan! 🙂 X
For me, the biggest factors for my fitness and healthy living success are: meal planning and varying my workouts. My brain doesn’t like uncertainty and having all my meals written out in advance takes care of that. There is no standing in front of the fridge without knowing what I am going to eat. Regarding workouts, I have what I call “exercise ADD”, meaning that I get bored quickly and have to move on to something else. I can never finish a whole program and that’ s OK. I just do some kind of movement most days of the week.
As I’m currently training for my goal half marathon, I don’t need the workout portion as much as I’d love inspiration from the food portion. Is it possibel to sign up for just one part?
For me, I love having a routine. Plus, I exercise regularly enough now that I feel so much better afterwards. It’s hard not to convince myself to get a little something when I know how much less tension I’ll have afterwards. Can’t wait for Winter Shape Up!
I’m excited for shape-up! The first time I participated was this past summer and your workouts kicked my butt in the best way possible. The biggest thing that influences my success I think is having healthy food options on hand and consistency/motivation. It’s so much harder to get out of bed at 5am when it’s dark and 30 degrees! Also – I made your grain-free granola and the jalapeno burgers from your book this past weekend and they were both amazing! I had some friends over while making them and they were a hit!
Hi Gina!
Thanks for doing this every year, you always have such great ideas.
I’m going to be in San Diego next month and will have a little extra time to wander around (we’re there for a wedding). I was wondering if you could do a “favorites of SD” post for things like inexpensive restaurants, coffee shops, places to go for a run or walk around, etc. Your mention of Liberty Station made me think to ask!
We’re staying in the Gaslamp district. Thanks! 🙂
I can’t wait to do this! I am getting married in September and want to really focus on getting in shape and into a good place before that occurs (And I get photographed in the dress).
I am so excited to do this! My biggest motivation is how I feel. I deal with some digestive issues (Celiac, IBS) and eating healthy is a must for me!
Signing up for my first ever shape up! I am super pumped to work some new exercise routines into my trips to the gym. I am running my first race in the spring and I am trying to work my body in new and challenging ways to prep for it. Although, when it comes to the kitchen I am essentially useless and I think that will be my biggest challenge. I still live at home and so I don’t dictate what is or is not brought into the house so I’ll need to purchase some of my own kitchen essentials and really do a lot of prep in order to stick as close to the meal plan as possible. Thank you so much for always inspiring me, Gina!
Totally random question: Why do you specify black beans in your prep list? Nothing against black beans, but I really prefer great northern or pinto beans. Is there some kind of nutritional benefit in black beans that others don’t have?
I’m in!! I love your shape ups 🙂
I do best with a workout plan for the week and earrrrrly morning workouts. I get to the gym before my family is awake and do it without procrastinating!
I love these! I participated to the fullest in your last one (and even won a prize, yippee!). I think they’re fun, encouraging, and just something different to do for a few weeks.
I’m the type of person who prefers a routine, so it’s actually a challenge for me to mix up my workouts! I’m really excited for this year’s shape up because I think it will help keep me motivated to incorporate HIIT workouts and try some new recipes! Can’t wait!
I am so excited for this! I just came back from a 10 day vacation and am really looking forward to getting some sort of order back into my life. Big thanks to you and Anne for all of the work you put into these!! =)
I’m going to give this an honest shot this time around and can’t wait to get started! 🙂
Hi Gina,
Has the early post for Winter Shape Up been emailed yet? I thought I subscribed, but haven’t seen anything. I might be too ancy though :). Excited to get started!!!
i just put it in the queue! should be out within the next hour 🙂
Hi Gina!!
I just wanted to check in as I haven’t received an email with the early out plan yet and I was hoping to grocery shop today! I am subscribed and definitely was before Friday too, so I’m not sure what happened 🙁
Regardless really excited for the shape-up! I have HIIT IT!, but haven’t gotten through it all just yet so excited for a full month plan laid out!!
Thanks!
Katie
if you’re subscribed, it went out on friday, and anne posted the week 1 meal plans and grocery list on her blog friday, too!
so excited for winter shape up! thanks again for organizing such a fun series 🙂