Ins and Outs in 2024 :: Things to Focus On and Leave Behind

It’s the time of year where we take a look at the past one and decide what we liked, what we didn’t and what we want to change moving forward into the season ahead.

Happy January! 😉

We’re well over a week into a new year, and my news feeds have been flooded with a trend called “ins and outs” where people share what they’re taking with them into the year ahead and what they’re leaving behind.

My temptation to bypass a trend is usually pretty solid, but I couldn’t resist hopping on this one because it perfectly aligns with giving yourself grace and the progress over perfection mindset I live, believe and coach often.

We’re making five year plans, but we’re flexible enough to allow for the twists and turns that life throws at us along the way. We’re taking roles and responsibilities seriously, but never forgetting who we are outside of them. We’re working out because we get to, not because we have to. And, we’re fueling our bodies to feel good, not just to fit a mold. 

I started jotting down my own personal (and professional) ins and outs in the Notes app on my phone and realized that I have so much more to share than a quick scroll over some bullet points, so I hope you enjoy the read with more of a deep dive here below.

Let’s start with what’s IN for the year ahead, or things worth focusing on.

This list is short, but it covers a lot of the pillars needed for living a healthy, active lifestyle.

Add two more things like drinking enough water (half of your bodyweight in ounces per day), and eating a specific amount of protein and fiber per day (120g of protein + 25g fiber per day for me personally) to the list, and you’re on the road to really hitting your goals. Go ahead and throw in increasing your daily NEAT movement (the energy expended from non-intentional exercise like walking to work, typing, fidgeting, housework, etc.), and you’ve covered the basic fundamentals of good nutrition and exercise practices to set you up for success!

Notice, however, that a lot of what is listed in the picture has to do with mindset, recovery and recognizing the seemingly invisible tasks and commitments that load up our plates. These are things that often get overlooked, but also take a toll on our overall health and progress over time. I’m learning a lot in this area as I finish up my certification as a Sleep, Stress Management and Recovery Coach, and many topics related to mindset and recovery are just as important as what we eat and how we move our bodies, if not even more so. Like, really.

So, while having SMART goals are wonderful and are needed for specific fine tuning, they aren’t the the be-all and end-all. Getting into the groove of hitting the fundamentals first sets you up for habits related to long-term success. The rigid, direct goals are like the icing on top.

I’ve realized that sleep is the superhero that puts all of the puzzle pieces together for optimal health, so don’t overlook the need to get 7+ hours of quality zs every night, as much as possible. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

And finally, cleaning up the products you use on your skin and in your house is right up there on the list of coaching points. Removing harmful chemicals and toxins can have a huge impact on your hormones, and again, can be something that is often overlooked that is stalling your overall progress. More on that here!

Now let’s talk about what’s OUT and what’s getting left behind this year.

Gone are the days where I’m going to stress over my pace or mileage while running outside. Also, I’m done with having to hit a certain mile point before I’m “done” for the day. Obsessing over things like this as well as how many calories are burned (another point above) really kills the purpose of exercise which is to help us feel our best and celebrate what our bodies can do.

I’m all for keeping track of how many steps you take in a day and how often you stand during a long work day at the computer, but let’s move on from being glued to our fitness trackers during workouts. In fact, if you think you’re a little too dependent on the metrics, try completing a workout without tracking anything at all. (But did it even count?! lol.) Little things like this can give you a reality check and reset that is much needed if the numbers are trumping your ability to recognize your progress in other ways.

This directly relates to the scale (another point on the OUTs list). I haven’t regularly weighed myself in years, and life without that number in the back of my head all of the time is a better place to be. Instead of focusing on a number, you start to recognize your body’s strength and resilience. You focus on other numbers like the heaviness of the weights you’re picking up and how many reps you complete in an exercise. You start to see your progress in other trackable biofeedback like how you’re feeling, how your clothes are fitting and how you’re sleeping and energy levels are stacking up. You find more gratitude and motivation to complete your workouts, and it all becomes part of your routine. It’s very satisfying.

Something BIG I’m leaving behind this year is feeling selfish for occasionally putting my needs first. I’m getting better at it, but there is still a part of me that feels guilty for scheduling things like regular hair appointments (also not cheap in NYC – woof), massages and solo time with my girlfriends. Over time, however, I’ve realized that I’m a better version of myself as well as a better mom, wife, partner, coach, friend, family member and more when I make the effort and time to do so.

Self-care isn’t selfish, and I fully believe that it should be non-negotiable every day, at least for five minutes at a time. Take a hot bath, go for a quick solo walk, food prep the things that make you feel good, listen to a podcast, phone a friend that makes you laugh … all of these things add up and provide a little escape and reset to even the most stressful days.

Five minutes can be powerful!

Next, finding time to unplug and be present is really important to me. I get caught up in mindless scrolling just like everyone, but I’ve also been conscious of when that happens and to never let it trump quality time with my family. Keeping the phone a little further away or even in a different room has been game changing in that I don’t immediately reach for it in a bored moment. Anything I need to address doesn’t have to be replied to *right away* all the time — and this type of mindset is liberating, helpful with stress management and also reminds me to prioritize the people and things I love. I strongly encourage you to give this a try if you’ve felt attached to screens like I have.

And finally, we’re in a season of giving ourselves grace. Goals are set, but flexibility that includes reassessing and redefining is included, too. Life doesn’t unfold perfectly, even for the most perfect planners. The sooner you realize this, plan for the setbacks and include wiggle room and grey areas to exist in the plan, the happier and healthier you’ll be.

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Let’s summarize …

We’re diving headfirst into 2024 with a heart full of dreams, a solid plan in hand, but a spirit ready to embrace the twists and turns that life and God may have in store. We’re living by loose timelines — taking roles seriously but never forgetting who we are outside of them. We’re working out because we get to, not because we have to and we’re fueling our bodies to feel good, but leaving some room for the treats in moderation, too.

Here’s to a happy and healthy year of flexibility, self-discovery and embracing the journey!

Thanks for clicking over and reading today.

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I’d love to know …

What’s something on your INs and OUTs list?