So you know you want to lose weight, get healthier, gain energy, build confidence, increase strength, reduce aches and pains, lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, or reverse insulin resistance (or whatever the end goal may be)… where do you begin?
Start by taking a minute to close your eyes and picture where you’re coming from. Answer these questions.
What does your day look like?
How do you feel during the day?
For me, I picture my days as a blur of baby and toddler activities. I feel like I’m always in a balancing act ready to drop what I’m doing to tend to my boys. I’m happy if I get to take a shower and I can’t remember the last time I did a workout guilt-free without interruption. I have to make a conscious effort to eat early in the day so I don’t skip meals and compensate later when I’m so famished I could eat the cupboard. While I’m not in a place to work out for 10 hours a week, I can build 10-minute workouts into my day when I need some energy, I can take walks wearing my baby and I can load my boys in the stroller for a run.
As you develop your goals, work with where you are in life and show yourself compassion. Once you know where you’re at you can begin to decide where you’re going.
Now Consider your nutrition. Be honest! It’s so easy to tell yourself you eat healthier than you do.
What can you change? Pick one thing that sticks out. Eating sugar, eating snacks, skipping breakfast, emotional eating, binge eating, eating before bed…. you know your thing. Then think about what gets you there.
Are you tired? Lonely? Stressed? Bored? Overwhelmed? Procrastinating?
When you can answer those questions about yourself you can begin the process for change.
Now, what excuses do you give yourself? Again, be honest.
Time? Money? Space? Energy? Knowledge? Create a counter-thought to each excuse.
I don’t have time to do a long workout. You can always build in smaller workout breaks in the day. You don’t have to change your clothes, or even break a sweat.
I can’t afford a gym membership and I don’t know where to workout. Go outside and get some fresh air, too! Go for a walk, a run, do lunges down the street, find a hill and do repeats up and down it. It helps to be outside if you have kids, too. If it’s a crappy day outside, climb some stairs or find YouTube videos of workouts. The internet is loaded with ideas and free workouts for all fitness levels.
I’m too tired to workout. 99% of the time exercise will make you feel more energized, and less stressed, give you mental clarity AND help you sleep better.
I don’t know how to work out. Use this site! Seek information, whether it be online or from a professional. There aren’t secrets. You just have to take the time to learn.
So now you know what you can REALISTICALLY do and you know what you’re up against. Time to choose a goal (or a few). Not the end goal of losing 50 lbs, although that will always be in the back of your mind. Choose your goals for how to get there. For example, “I will do 12, 10-minute workouts for the week”, or “I won’t eat after dinner”.
What’s the best exercise? Whatever you’re likely to do regularly. Choose something that brings you joy, that energizes you, something you can look forward to.
Exercise can be seasonal. It will change with your season of life, and the seasons of the year. If you’re feeling stress and structure at work, an unstructured exercise program that helps you relax is far more valuable than one that adds stress at the end of the day.
Start small, you’re changing your life, one step at a time. Set yourself up for successful behavior change, and you’re much more likely to succeed in the long term. Now go forward and OWN YOUR GOALS. They should become a part of you, a part of your new lifestyle. When you feel like they are, add more and keep chipping away at a new, healthier you.
If you need help getting started, or if you want to have guidance along the way, sign up for a free coaching session with me. I can walk you through identifying what’s holding you back and help you discover the best ways to incorporate new habits into your life.
I can help you peel back the layers to understand why you’re overeating, why you’re self-sabotaging, and why you’re skipping workouts.