The year of changed fitness behaviors. The year where we vow to cook more and eat out less, exercise more, sit less, increase water, decrease soda, join a gym, take the class, and lose some weight. While those are all worthy goals, what if those were also 2019’s resolutions? And 2018… and 2017… If these are all things we want to achieve and are fully capable of doing, why is it so difficult, year-after-year, to stick to? Most times, resolutions are all or nothing -- one misstep and everything goes out the window. Resolutions are usually lofty ideals that are rarely planned with no road map to get there. What would 2020 look like if we took small, consistent steps toward an overall healthier life rather than massive, sporadic leaps? Try a different approach this year by looking at your objectives from the following perspectives.
1. I will be patient with myself. The old adage, “good things take time,” is true – especially when it comes to your health. Here’s a tip: the sooner we accept the fact there will be good days and not-as-good days, the more endurance we’ll have for the long haul. Keep this timeline as a guide. At 2-4 weeks, you will begin to notice change. At 4-6 weeks, people closest to you will notice change. At 6-8 weeks, others around you will notice changes. If you’re only one month into your new program and no one has seemed to notice, change nothing – continue to solidify new habits, the notices aren’t far away!
2. I will prioritize sleep. In order of importance: Sleep > food > exercise. A full nights sleep will increase energy and focus, while reducing cravings. Try eliminated all screens an hour or more before bedtime. Why? Screens are backlit by blue lights, which signals to the brain it’s daytime. This chain reaction inhibits the production of melatonin causing a lack in quantity and quality of sleep.
3. I will see food as energy and nutrition, not good and bad. After a few days of eating high-calorie foods and snacking on our favorite holiday sweets, our natural response is to go on a sugar strike and swear to only eat clean for the foreseeable future. Fight this tendency to put rules around food, deeming them good and bad. Instead, choose to make the next right decision - one meal at a time. If you are wanted to lose weight remember. It is better to have a slight caloric deficit you can adhere to on a daily basis, than a large one you cannot. Calories are energy… eating non-calorie food is like buying non stick tape.
4. I will focus on body composition, not a number on the scale. I don’t know who needs to hear this but YOU ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER. Muscle to fat ratios will give you 100% more informed insight than a scale or clothes size.
TIP: Get an Inbody scan at Elite Nutrition and know you’re starting point. This will give you facts and remove the unknowns. *Tell them AboutTown sent you!
5. I will set goals. Be a goal getter! Set 1 or 2 small goals each month. This will help keep new habits fresh and fun, just like they should be.
6. I will reward myself. Reward yourself with a favorite meal, a new pair of shoes or a new piece of clothing. You’re reaching goals and changing your life that is no small feat! Remember to enjoy the fruits of your labor.7. I will have an accountability partner. Hire a trainer, enlist a friend, or partner. Health and fitness were not meant to be journeyed alone! Look into free yoga classes around town, pop-up boot camps are happening all the time.
Jennifer Frudaker - Nationally Certified Personal Trainer - Les Mills Certified Group Fitness Instructor - TRX Certified Instructor - All Natural Figure Competitor
Facebook - Jennifer Frudaker Instagram - @jfrudake
