Hi Team, well Winter is well and truly upon us now and that means that getting out of bed is a challenge. Don’t stress about it too much, simply make an adjustment to your training schedule and do something at lunchtime or after work. The important thing is doing a little bit every day to keep the conditioning in your body. Sometimes it can be as simple as taking your running shoes to work with you and a stack of clean socks so you can make a quick swap and you’re off walking/running.
‘I am too busy’ OR ‘I don’t have the time’ are excuses for the past and are no longer valid in todays world. We ALL have 24hrs in a day, if you really want something, you make time for it. Exercise is no different. Grab a work colleague or your partner, making it a team effort helps make it fun and exciting.
A few key points that work:
1. Weight loss should never be your goal
Using scales as a thermometer for your hard work can often be misleading and not reflect the true value of your training. Instead you should be looking for increased energy levels, clothes feeling much nicer to wear, dress size changes etc
2. H2O, Probiotics, Tea
Water Water Water, it is a lifesaver so make sure you are consuming at least 2.4L every day. Use a 600ml bottle and refill from the cooler at work so you can track your volume. Your body needs this to clean the blood, kidneys and liver. It also keeps you feeling full so you are less likely to drink sugar crap or too much coffee.
A good probiotic every night after dinner will help clean your digestive track and ease bloating. A clean digestive track means that your body can absorb quality nutrients that you eat. You can use a good quality yoghurt (check the sugar levels) or a tablet such as Inner Health Plus
Naturally caffeine free tea is another great digestive aid, high in antioxidants which helps your body fight off oxidants that quicken the ageing process.
3. A healthy mind = healthy choices
This is often overlooked so start being mindful of negative impacts on your psyche each day. Things like work, relationship and financial stress can often inhibit our drive to take care of ourselves.
4. Discipline
Mental discipline is vital to any success as it keeps us focused when times get tough. You can practice this by way of your shopping habits. Make comprehensive lists for your food shopping and stick to them. Never go shopping on an empty stomach or with no clear plan for the week ahead. It may take you 30min to plan your week ahead but it will not only save you $$$ at the register but also ensure you create healthy options.
5. Guidance & Support
Before embarking on any life changing journey, and remember, committing to a PT is a life changing journey, you must do some soul searching and planning. This includes balancing your busy life with your PT and ensuring that your partner can pick up the slack to help you get to your appointments. NEVER put your training in the ’to do’ basket, that will only cause disappointment. Make sure you have 1 or 2 people in your life that are a source of encouragement.
6. It should be fun, not a chore
I sing, laugh, tell jokes and chat endlessly about how life is great, even when life can be a challenge. Positive reinforcement is an absolute must when things get tough. My experience tells me that there will be days that you turn up cranky. Guess what, you turned up!!!
Spring is fast approaching and as we all know that means new life and growth so work hard through the cold months to lay a good foundation for a much healthier and happier Spring.