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How are those goals coming along? Are you feeling frustrated that you might not be progressing as quickly as you would like, only to be frustrated when warm weather rolls around? It’s easy to stop trying and go back to old routines, but when the mercury starts climbing, and those goals you set for yourself in January seem not so long ago we begin to ask ourselves, “If only I had started sooner!”
The best way to protect yourself from a regret-filled spring is to set a deadline and start now. Yep, right now. Deadlines are powerful motivators. Without a deadline, you really have no set-point toward which to work. You have nothing to pushing you and we need to be pushed. Deadlines create a sense of urgency. They help you position yourself to succeed, because that final date is always staring back at you. It forces you to prioritize and strategize. Otherwise, you will let things slide, you will keep putting off the workout or healthy food choices, and insisting that tomorrow you will start eating better. Without a deadline, tomorrow never comes. If you keep doing what you have always done, you will get the results you have always gotten. It’s time to do something different. Ask yourself this question: If I keep doing what I am doing right now, will I achieve what I want to achieve? If you answered no, then it’s time for a change. Go get your calendar out and decide when you want to see your first wave of results. Be realistic and make sure you give yourself time to really dig in and see changes happen. But challenge yourself, too — make it a little tough so you can take full advantage of the power of urgency. If you have tried that before, then a deadline may not be enough. Why? Because you may be tempted to move it. Deadlines are not supposed to be moving targets. The best way to prevent deadline-creep is to get competitive. Entering into a competition or contest is a sure way to give you the edge you need to keep yourself on track and finish strong. There is something very motivating about competing with others. Just knowing that your effort and results are going to be measured alongside others really will give you an extra boost in motivation. This is a time when a little peer pressure can be helpful. And you will find that those with whom you are in competition will also be your biggest cheerleaders. They know exactly what you are going through and will be there to encourage you to keep moving. Deadlines and contests form the perfect combination to assist with your health success so put them to work for you. Spring is close enough to give you a push, but still far enough away to ensure that you have enough time to get some serious work done. Plan now to greet spring and warmer weather with no regrets. Want to do this? Join my February Healthy Living Challenge. You do not have to be a training client to join in. Everyone is welcome! Congratulations. You survived Christmas weekend and all the craziness that goes along with it. Now I am sure you are starting to think about the new year to come. It is approaching fast. Well, technically it is here.
What would I like to achieve this year? Where would I like to go? How should my life be different this year? So many thoughts and ideas on what I want to achieve in 2016. Time to set a resolution. You might think that it is weird that I encourage people to make a new year’s resolution. Especially since most people fall off the horse within a couple of weeks. However, I choose to promote realistic resolutions. No starvation diet plans or unrealistic leanness goals, please. Making a new commitment is important and healthy as long as you think about it. Think about how to add this new behavior into your “real life”. Your real life can be crazy and hectic at times. Perhaps you have a kid or two to feed, clothe, and interact with, a job to manage during the day, a household to care for and maintain and maybe even some animals, too. Real life is busy and active and just about the time you want to go for a walk another life situation stops you dead in your tracks. Therefore, this new year make a resolution that fits your “real life.” Really take a moment to think about what you want to achieve or how you want to live. It does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Truthfully, I discourage those types of resolutions because usually you end up with nothing, not all you desired in the first place. Maybe that fitness goal needs to be a bit more flexible with where it happens or striving for one healthier meal a day instead of an entire week of healthy meals. In order to fit this resolution into your real human life you must be prepared for hurdles. It may not be easy, but if you make a realistic goal, set a plan, and continue to move forward while being flexible great things will happen in 2016. I can feel it. Happy New Year! The same old same old. I tend to gravitate towards the activities that I am good. Why? Because they are easy for me and I enjoy them the most. Strength training and just about any physically active thing outside is what I prefer to do. It is engrained in my head and their is no struggle to complete once or twice in my day. This is healthy right? I am active. I do something every day. Is this enough? Well the answer is yes but no!
As human beings we are creatures of habit. We gravitate towards the same, comfortable activity all the time. Does that mean it is the best thing for us. Absolutely not! It means that you are comfortable with your routine. Maybe that routine is eating a pastry for breakfast everyday. While yes eating breakfast is important, however a pastry item may not be the most nutritious option for daily consumption. If you are looking for health improvements then maybe making a change or adding more variety to your breakfast will assist you in reaching your health goals. Trying something new takes time. Time to adjust your routine and make it second nature. This new routine can really enhance how you feel and act. The same goes for exercise. The same routine you have been doing to 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, or maybe even longer might be doing as much harm as it is good and yet you still gravitate towards it. Why? Because it is comfortable and easy. It requires little thought or energy to complete and is part of your routine. I do the exact same thing. It is normal to do this, but lately I have been trying to expand and try new activities. I want to challenge my mind and body. I want to move my body in ways that I have never moved it before. I want to work on my weaknesses versus focusing only on my strengths. I want to add these challenges to my day, month, year, and life all the time. Stepping out of my comfort zone is hard. I am worried that I may not be good enough. I start to compare myself to others. I have to tell myself to stop, breathe, and just focus on me. Focus on my plan, progression, and personal goals all while supporting those around me as well. Over time this new challenging activity starts to become a normal part of my day or week and more familiar. Part of what I do as a trainer is help guide people through this process. You are not alone. I am here to help you as well as other dedicated health practitioners in town. I practice yoga to slow down and focus on each movement and clear my head of negative thoughts and feelings. I trail run/walk instead of road run to get away from the hustle and bustle of the word into the peace and quiet of nature. I also would like to relearn how to cross country ski this winter because it sounds fun and it has been a while since I have done it. Step out of your comfort zone. Sign up for a new class, learn a new exercise to incorporate into your routine, learn a new sport or activity, and better yet invite others to join in with you. There are plenty of opportunities for you. Take a step outside of your comfort zone and explore! Halloween is upon us and with this holiday comes the temptations of candy. Now, if you have children, of course there will be trick or treating and then a large pile of candy. This candy just sits there in its bowl or bag staring at you. “Eat Me!” You might allow yourself to have one piece of candy, but then you grab another and another and another. Do not fall into this trap. Here are some strategies for avoiding the excess sugar and treats this Halloween.
If you plan to hand out candy Halloween night, then sitting around the house with a bowl of your favorite candy in tow is a recipe for disaster. My suggestion is to buy candy that you do not like. I love chocolate, therefore I usually by nerds or a sweet candy because I don’t really care to eat it. If your workplace has turned into a daily candy jar, I suggest a few solutions to manage your desires. Eat one piece of candy. Yep eat it, but just one. Now don’t just eat it in a mindless passing of a co-worker’s desk. Stop and take a moment to savor it at your desk or after you eat lunch. Think about how good it tastes and also how it makes you feel afterwards. Taking a moment to acknowledge how it made you feel could give you the energy to resist more treats later. If that jar is still sitting there on a desk or in the break room, ask your co-workers to hide it or if you can place it somewhere else. Out of sight, out of mind. What is fantastic about this is that when you pass by or take a break you do not see the candy, which equals no temptation. If those do not work and the cravings are building perhaps you are hungry. Truly hungry for real food and the candy is just easy. Take a moment and manage your hunger. Eat real food first. Have healthier meals and snacks available with you all the time: work, home and on the go. That way when your hunger strikes you do not reach for the quick and easy candy. Apples, string cheeses, and nuts are fantastic options and travel well. Still having trouble? Try chewing gum. That little piece of gum could be just the thing to prevent you from snatching a treat randomly between meals. When I have a nice clean, minty fresh mouth I do not want to ruin it with a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Now your kids’ candy can be a difficult situation. Of course, the kiddos want to eat it all and in one sitting. Do they really need to eat all of it? Go through the candy with them and pick out the candy they do not want and get rid of it. Give it to another kid who did not get any or very little candy or toss it out. Throwing it away might seem extreme, but if that helps you and your family make healthier decisions then do it. Think of Halloween as an opening of the flood gates to the holiday season. Stores begin to fill with holiday decorations and ads accumulate in your email inbox with “big deals.” Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to begin thinking of your plan of attack. Creating or changing to a few more healthier eating habits is going to help in prevent you from overeating, indulging too often and leaving you feeling beaten down. Start now and make a plan for how you want to deal with hunger and cravings. As always, enjoy the food you eat; it is fuel for your body and mind. We are what we eat. Literally! Habits. We all have our own habits and have learned these habits during our lives. Something new may have been introduced to us and that new thing or behavior satisfied a craving, which made you feel good. When we continue to repeat this new learned behavior over and over it becomes a habit. By now, I am guessing that you have thought of a habit or two that you would like to change.
The real question is, “How do I change a negative habit to a healthier habit.” Being a personal trainer for over 8 years, I immediately think of many people who try every year to make a bunch of new habits all at once, also known as a New Year Resolution. There is a reason why people struggle with following through with a New Year resolution. Trying to change multiple areas of your life all at once is a lot of work, which is why you may succeed for a while but eventually it comes to a crashing halt. Then how? How does change happen? First things first, what habit would you like to change? Write out on paper a specific goal, then write a list of negative behaviors, and finally pick one of them that you would like to focus on changing. Let’s say that my negative habit is eating a sweet dessert after lunch and dinner. The overall goal may be to lose weight, but for now we will focus on the dessert. Now let’s try some new behaviors. You sit down to eat your lunch and afterwards you feel the urge for something sweet. Instead of your normal dessert, try putting a mint in your mouth and immediately get up and move away from where you were eating or go for a quick walk around the block. How did you feel after the new behavior? Did you still crave something sweet? If you felt satisfied with the new behavior continue to repeat this pattern every time you eat or as often as possible. If the newly implemented behavior still leaves you craving for sweet desserts, then try something else. Changing a habit is a learning experience. It takes time for your mind and body to adjust. Sometimes the process is quick and easy while other habits can be more challenging and take a longer commitment. Don’t give up after your first attempt. Find friends, co-workers, or family members that are also looking to make a change and provide each other with encouragement |
This is me, Liz. I am an, instructor, personal trainer, exercise physiologist, dog-mom, loving wife, little sister, coolest-aunt ever, and now blogger living in Libby, Montana.
Welcome to my blog! This blog follows my life and my interests in fitness, adventure, food, and healthy living. The Girls, Katy & Madi, and I. We have spent a lot of time together the past few years. I appreciate them for their quirks and how they love me unconditionally. They help me appreciate the small, simple things in life. Archives
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DiclaimerThis is a personal blog created and maintained by Liz Whalen. My blog posts document my life and sometimes highlight the food I eat and workouts I perform. I do not have professional medical training, nor am I a registered dietician. I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, while the content you see on my blog aims to bring you along on my health & wellness journey. The published information may not be right for you and should not be viewed as guidelines in any way. Seek counsel from a medical doctor when looking to incorporate or change your physical activity and/or dietary habits.
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