Tips for Success: Healthy Change

        Okay, so we all know how easy it is to say “my New Year’s resolution or my goal is to lose weight or my goal is to start eating healthier.” Those are nice goals but to really be successful in making changes in your lifestyle or to your body, you must first be very specific in what you truly want. Fitness and nutrition goals can take you on amazing journeys if you are prepared for what’s ahead. “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” -Anthony Robbins.

The first step is one of the best ways to get started; create a SMART goal for what you want. SMART goals are great for any type of goal you may have. They are not limited to fitness and nutrition goals.

S: Specific: What is the specific goal?

M: Manageable: How and why is it manageable?

A: Action-Oriented: Why is the goal attainable? What actions are you going to take?

R: Realistic: If the answer is YES to...Is it worth it? Is this the right time?

T: Timely: What is the time frame or specific deadline for you to reach this goal.

Example:

S: I will completely cut out red meat and pork from my diet.

M: I can substitute it for fish, chicken, and legumes.

A: I will stop buying red meat and pork for the house. I will stock up on fish, chicken, and legumes. If I go out to eat, I will order fish or chicken.

R: I have the means to replace red meat and pork with other options. I have a good support system to help me.

T: I will completely cut out red meat and pork from my diet by April 1st, 2017 and continue to not eat it until April1st, 2018.

The second step is to make a time map. This is a great way to figure out where you have free time, what things are taking up too much of your time, and what you can start to maneuver off your schedule or even just minimize it. The best way to utilize this is to make a list of the things that are the most important to the least important. Literally, map out every little thing that would take time out of your day. Take it from someone with three kids, one being a toddler, who works 20+ hours a week, in school 15+ hours a week (not including studying), coaches 5-10+ hours a week, all while trying to find time for God, family, maintaining my house, and staying fit/healthy. So, I know how hopeless it can seem to find the time for fitness and dietary changes in your lifestyle.

The third step is to find a partner, someone who has a similar goal or even a personal trainer. We are human and we need someone to hold us accountable and to be there to help push us when we can't push ourselves. It's alright to ask for help! Most people are too stubborn or insecure to ask questions about things they are not knowledgeable on. Women, especially, do not like to ask for help but, believe me ladies, it is better to ask for help then to struggle and be defeated. This also ties into having a strong support system. The people around you, like your family, need to be supportive of what you are trying to do. You can even make one big family goal along with individual goals for each member of the family. This is a good way to build that support system and even strengthen your relationships, just like in team athletics.

Here are some health tips you should consider:

1. Get enough sleep. The average person needs between 7-8 hours of sleep a day. Research indicates that getting adequate sleep is critical to maintaining good health. When you sleep, your metabolic activity is slowed to aid tissue growth and repair, proteins and hormones that repair organs are released, blood supply is increased to muscles, and natural immune system moderators increase during deep sleep to promote the resistance to viral infections. For every two hours your brain spends taking in information during the day, it needs an hour of sleep to figure out what it means. Watch this Ted Talk to get a better idea about why you truly need to rest. http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-would-happen-if-you-didn-t-sleep-claudia-aguirre.
2. Meditate. Meditation quiets your mind and calms the soul. “Meditation is not about feeling a certain way. It’s about feeling the way you feel.”-Jon Kabat-Zinn. It's a great way to reduce your reaction to stress. There are several types of meditation. Follow the link to learn more. http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858.
3. Exercise. Research has shown that exercising daily brings amazing benefits to our health, including increase of lifespan, lowering the risk of diseases, higher bone density, and weight loss. We need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to intense physical activity. That's only 30 minutes a day, five days a week! Suggestions: park farther away, take the stairs, walk to the mailbox, ride your bike if your destination is within 2 miles.
4. Pick physical activities you actually enjoy. Be sure to include different types of exercise for maximal benefits. The basic recommendations are categorized by cardiorespiratory exercise, resistance exercise, flexibility exercise and neuromotor exercise.
5. Body weight before you add weight. What this means is to start with building  endurance rather than straight into resistance training with weights. Examples are body weight squats, lunges, calf raises, push ups, pull ups, chin ups, side arm raises, front arm raises, arm extensions, triceps dips, scarecrows, arm rows, burpees, planks, Russian twists, and so on.
6. Follow the Food Plate. ChooseMyPlate has great resources to help you. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

7. Be more colorful with your foods. Fruits and vegetables with bright colors are usually high in anti-oxidants. Each different color fruit and vegetables contains unique health components that are essential to our health.
8. Drink more water and less soda, sweet tea, coffee, or energy drinks. Did you know, 60% of your body is made up of water! Water is needed to carry out body functions, remove waste, and carry nutrients and oxygen around our body. It also helps you lose weight by curbing your appetite.

Remember, “nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m possible.” -Audrey Hepburn