Should You Add or Subtract?
When pursuing healthy endeavors, most of the time we think about what we should add to be healthier. "I should add more activity to my day." "I should add more vegetable servings to my meals." "I should set aside more time to relax."
But if we keep adding more to an unstable foundation, things will eventually fall.
Unstable Founda
tion includes:
Poor sleeping habits
Inconsistent eating
Unsuccessful stress management
Hit & miss exercise program.
Ignoring medical issues: High blood pressure, pre-diabetes, orthopedic pain/limitations
Addictive behavior: this can be food, alcohol, social media, phone, email, etc.
When things fall apart, we are back to chasing all the shiny objects that come across our screens or we struggle to make our non-serving behaviors work.
It's time to focus on building your foundation before adding more and more.
Foundation Builders
Set boundaries for yourself and how you allow others to treat you.
Implement stress management techniques (Give yourself 10-15 minutes of uninterrupted time to be with yourself - put your phone away, listen to music, journal, meditate, watch a sunrise with a hot beverage).
Say NO to what doesn't serve you.
Sleep (One of the most important things to do for yourself).
Bodywork (Massage therapy, foam rolling, percussion gun, dry needling, IR sauna, hot tub).
Strength training & Cardiovascular exercise (walking, running, cycling, rowing).
Fueling your body with the right hydration and foods at least 80% of the time.
Doing the above consistently means you don't have to go all in on the magic potions, the super-secret fat loss programs, or highly restrictive diets for the rest of your life.
Sitting all day and restricting food then grinding it out at the gym will will probably do the opposite of what you are hoping to do.
It's possible to get into shape and live a healthier lifestyle.
Focus on your foundation and everything else will fall into place.
And if you need guidance, reach out to me. I'm happy to help.