5 Key Steps to Making Change

I can’t believe I am back at it again, how did I let myself get here?
Maybe I will try that Bellybuster drink I saw on Facebook.
I ran a ½ marathon and now I can’t run a ½ a block.
My New Year’s Resolution was to lose the weight.
I’ll focus on “me” once my daughter is in school.
I used to be able to run up that hill.
I’ll start after ________ day.

Do any of these sound familiar?

Well there is no perfect time to start.  There is no perfect program.  There is no one answer. 

We are all different, our bodies are different, our genetics are different, our homes are different, our finances are different, our goals are different, our why is different, our barriers are different, our support systems are different …  

But there is one thing that is the same –ADHERENCE to a plan is key to success.  No matter what you are trying to achieve… the BEST plan includes ADHERENCE because there are no sustainable quick fixes. 

Whether you have tried low-carb, low-fat, Atkins, South Beach, Grapefruit Diet, Weight Watchers, Whole 30, Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Slimfast, Cabbage Soup Diet, Boiled Egg Diet, Lectin-Free Diet, Blood Type Diet, Body Type Diet, DASH, FODMAP, etc… you have likely experienced some success.  And the reason they all work is because you were adhering to the plan.  And then when you stopped following the plan it stopped working. 

Success comes from making small positive and sustainable changes over time.  Create a roadmap that you want to follow and fits your life.  Recognize that there are many ways to get to the same place and find the route that  best fits your life.  You may discover that there is mountain in the way… you  can decide to climb it, take a different road to go around it, or find some TNT and blow a hole right through it.  Acknowledge that there will be obstacles, but know that there is more than one way to get there. 

It’s time to build your personal roadmap.  Follow the steps below.

Identify your WHY!
Simon Sinek said, “Achievement happens when we pursue and attain what we want.  Success comes when we are in clear pursuit of Why We Want It.”

1. What is the reason you want what you want

2. What will be different/better when you achieve it/have it/get it

Set at least one goal

1. Make it specific, measurable, attainable,  and time specific

2. Create a method to Record and track your progress toward your goal

Identify your action steps needed to attain your goal

1. What do you need to do to accomplish your goal

2. Make a list of a few things that will help you stay on track

Identify any obstacles that might hinder you

1. Think of ideas to help manage them

2. Have a side plan to detour around them

Create a support system to keep you moving on track

1. Identify a couple people who you trust or hire someone who can help you

2. Tell them what you are striving toward and ask for their support. 

Having other people who understand your goals and know your why will help you stay on track.

Healthy Pie

In January with the New Year’s resolution advertisements for discounted fitness memberships and promotional pricing for the diet of all diets one might begin to believe that HEALTH is only about balancing food and exercise.  However, being healthy incorporates many more elements. 

Picture in your mind one of the many pies you saw during the holidays. Yes, I am discussing the many aspects of health as slices of pie.  In order to have a full and beautiful pie you need to have all the pieces.  The slices of pie do not all have to be exactly the same size to have balance but they all have to exist.  No two pies are exactly the same, but all contain some important basic elements which make it PIE.  The basic elements essential to living a healthy life are Nutrition, Hydration, Movement, Sleep, Relationships and Rest.

There is no perfect recipe, there is no perfect pie.  But incorporating each slice will help create a healthier life.  Neglecting any one area or taking it out completely will result in an incomplete pie - an unbalanced life.

Creating a balanced life is more than the overstated and underachieved work-life balance. A healthy balanced life includes connection between many aspects; such as, calories in and calories out, activity and rest, time indoors and time outdoors, being social and solitary, having money and spending money, being positive and negative, having social platform friendships and making in-person connections... 

Learning ways to sleep better, eat differently, move more, create positivity and their interconnection creates the potential for greater health. Join our Healthy Huddle series to learn about various health topics.  Follow Train Your Inner Athlete on Facebook and Instagram and become a part of the team.

We are ALL athletes and it's time to get into the game!

We hear the word athletes and picture Olympians and professionals or maybe a child competing at school, but for some reason we do not see ourselves. Athletes are people who are trained in or good at sports, games or exercises that require physical skill and strength. It doesn’t matter if you played sports in school, run road races, golf, ski, hike, paddle or attend fitness classes, you are an athlete. Training your body to be strong, balanced and flexible makes you an athlete and will improve your health and quality of life.

Our bodies are designed for movement. The sedentary life that has become more common and is creating mobility and health issues in our society. The benefits of participating in fitness are numerous. Activity can helps manage health concerns such as: type 2 diabetes, stroke. heart disease, depression, insomnia, bone and muscle strength, falls and obesity. Physical activity can lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, raise HDL’s and lower triglycerides, improve energy, mood and sleep. The benefits of exercise vary individually, but overall create an improved quality of life.

According to the ACSM guidelines, adults should participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 days/week or a minimum of 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 days/week. The moderate activity can be completed in 3 ten-minute segments. Adults should also perform resistance/strength activity at least 2 days/week.

Another significant benefit to joining a fitness community like Train Your Inner Athlete is the supportive group of like-minded folks trying to improve their health. We are all on the same team and only competing against our own health concerns. Fitness training is good for the mind and body, so get out there and get into the game!