One of the reasons I am so passionate about health and fitness is because of the incredible, life changing results I have seen in both the rehabilitative and fitness settings (from both my clients and myself). That and I’m also freakishly obsessed with the human body and how it functions.
If you’ve read my introductory blog, you know how I feel about finding the right recipe that makes working towards your health and fitness goals less daunting. I thought it might be a good idea to follow that up with some easy-to-follow tips that I have found helpful.
Balance
We are human and that means that we are not perfect. In order for something to be permanent, it needs to be easy enough to maintain, and it needs to be somewhat enjoyable. Remember that your life does not need to stop because you’ve made the decision to be healthier. Don’t miss out on get togethers with friends and family because you’re scared you might eat something bad. Give yourself 2 cheat meals over the weekend and schedule them around your get togethers. Trust me, you’ll regret missing those events more than you will regret eating that juicy hamburger (or whatever it may be).
Get a buddy
Scott said something to my yesterday that really stuck – “You can’t be healthy and be an island”. Once you recruit someone to go on this journey with you, “your” problem is no longer yours alone, and you now have a teammate. This person can not only make your workout more enjoyable and help to motivate you, but they can also keep you accountable. You might also want to create little challenges to help keep you on track. For example, Scott just created a water challenge for us in which the loser has to complete a workout created by the other person. The shear fear of Scott making me do 100 burpees keeps me from coming in short on my daily water intake quota. Don’t try to go on this journey alone. Recruit a friend, or come workout with one of the awesome personal trainers at Sandbox Fitness ;)
Keep your stress levels at bay
The progress we achieve is determined by two things; our internal environment (meaning how our body systems function) and external stimuli (exercise, nutrition habits). If your stress levels are high I’d be willing to bet that your internal environment isn’t optimal (digestion, recovery hormone function, gut function) and that means you aren’t primed for progress. A perfect diet WILL fail in a poorly functioning gut.
Remember that stress can be caused from things other than work, relationships, or money. Running, for example, is one activity that causes cortisol levels to rise quickly. If you are a runner, keep this in mind and try to balance your runs with weight training and proper rest.
Plan and keep a log
When your day isn’t planned well it leaves room for skipping the gym and McDonalds trips. Taking time on a Sunday to plan out your week will set you up for success. If you’re a person that needs structure to succeed, then planning your meals and workouts is a good idea. It’s also a good idea to create a type of “to-do” list that encompasses your set out meals and workouts. Like any list, it will feel great to be able to check off each meal and trip to the gym (or whatever you choose to do for activity). In addition, keeping a food log will allow you to reflect on your week and it will also keep you accountable for your choices.
Reward yourself!
If you won the lottery, you wouldn’t leave it unclaimed right?! So why do people think it’s okay to neglect rewarding themselves when they are working towards their fitness goals? I often see people come into the gym and give everything they have – but then they neglect to reward themselves with proper rest, nutrition, and hydration. It’s like eating warm apple crumble without vanilla ice cream – you just don’t do it.
If you don’t believe that rest is important for your health look up adrenal fatigue. If you don’t sleep, your body can’t recover, and if your body can’t recover then you won’t see results from all of your hard work. I could write an entire article about how important hydration is (and I probably will at some point), and we all know that nutrition is arguably the most important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The last thing I want to see is someone working incredibly hard in the gym and not reaching their goals. I call it “rewarding yourself” because to me, that’s exactly what it is. You have decided to take a huge step towards being healthier – do yourself a favour and reward yourself by giving your body the tools it needs to help you reach your goals.
Do me a favour and read through my list again, can you find anything that sounds impossible? I would say it’s harder to find a parking space at the mall during the holiday season than it is to implement these small changes, I will never say that making permanent life changes is an easy task because the truth is it’s not going to come completely easy. But rest assured that the reward is more than worth it – your personal health is priceless.
Ashley
