Whether you’re a sedentary adult, have a family, or a past athlete who hasn’t been active in a few years… this is the article for you. A few years ago, those were the glory days (maybe even pre-covid). Your metabolism was much quicker, you were a few pounds lighter, your joints felt a million times better, and you used to enjoy being active. Now life happened and you feel stuck trying to get back into an active lifestyle. You may have even got back into working out for a day then fell off. Take a step back, a deep breathe, you’re not alone, and be at ease because better health is easier than you think. The new you is 4 steps away, upgrade your routine, simplify your approach, set goals, and find your enjoyment.
The first step in better health should be working on your routine and habits. The chances are, you want to develop new habits but you’re stuck in old routines. There are many different ways to improve this area of your life. It may be uncomfortable at first but you must want the improvement for yourself. On average it takes 66 days to build a new habit. (James Clear). A few examples of routines/habit additions,
- Wake up 10 minutes earlier. From there you can slowly increase to more time. You will create more time for productivity throughout your day. Most importantly, before work or throughout the day we may find ourselves rushing to get ready which leads to unclear thinking.
- Add self development to your routine. This can be reading, podcasts, webinars, videos, etc. anyway you can improve as a whole. Remember everything begins mentally.
- Map out your days with to-do lists. One, it will be a mental reward to see check marks next to what you’ve accomplished. Two, you’ll truly see when you have extra time for other tasks/actions.
Focus on your approach. Now this relates to your routine and habits. Work on your perception to your daily life. Wake up each day excited. Every day the clock will reset and you can improve 1% better than yesterday. A few approaches can be,
- Have a break during your day or even time in the morning? Go for a 10 minute walk daily.
- Eat more balanced meals. Include some greens, proteins, healthy fats, complex carbs. It doesn’t have to be a drastic change at first, just one improvement to your recent struggles.
- Getting back into working out- Don’t go 7 days a week and lift heavy. Begin 2,3, or 4 days while progressing your way into the weights. Work on mobility and warming up your body. Work on moving properly first then the rest will come.
- You DO NOT need to feel sore and torn apart for an effective workout. Master the basics and focus on quality.
- View sleep as recovery and don’t neglect it.
Set goals so you know where your destination will be. View goal setting as mind first, physical health second. Operate through SMART goals (see my previous article) https://beasttransformations.com/2021/02/15/the-action-plan-for-the-life-you-deserve/ Some examples,
- A bad example of a physical goal:
I want to lose weight. - A great example:
I want to lose 12 lbs in 3 months. My plan is to sleep better, manage stress, choose an active lifestyle, and train smarter. I will do so by,
- I will go from 200 to 188.
- Each week I will lose 1 lb.
- Get more sleep with 7-8 hours.
- Do 2 enjoyable activities while prioritizing self care x3 during the week.
- Read and listen to podcasts for leisure.
- Walk 4 days a week. At x time.
- Tracking my meals, having 3 solid meals a day while on a caloric deficit.
- Strength train 4 days- Mon-Tue, Thur-Fri. Follow x training for progressing to new phases every 4 weeks.
While setting solid routines, approaches, and goals, think enjoyment as a factor. At the end of the day we need to have fun and enjoyment for long term results. It may take some trial and error. Some examples,
- Different materials like books, podcasts, etc. may be switched around until finding what helps and interests you.
- Different gyms/coaches/trainers may be compared.
- There are endless training styles in which you may enjoy. Find one that fits your lifestyle.
- Nutrition should be viewed the same as training. Find what type of nutrition fits your lifestyle so you truly enjoy and benefit from your meals.
Now that you are equipped with new tools, it’s time to get started. The road to transforming begins now. The new you is 4 steps away, upgrade your routine, simplify your approach, set goals, and find your enjoyment. If you need help along the way, you know where to find me.
“Your direction is more important than your speed.” -Richard L. Evans
In Health,
Coach Izz
_____________________________________________________________
References
Clear, James. “How Long Does It Take to Form a Habit? Backed by Science.” James Clear, 4 Feb. 2020, jamesclear.com/new-habit.
