Coming up on a new year seems to have it's challenges and one of them is what to do to make next year better?!??!!
Stumped?
You're not alone!
Every single year millions of people set resolutions that are never truly followed through.
You might start, have a little success then bam! Fall off the wagon never to resume.
What if it wasn't all about making huge, scary changes all at once?
For some, like myself, it's the little habits that add up to exponential results over time.
Think long-game, sustainable changes.
Improving your health for the long-run, not just for a few weeks.
Chances are your body may even look different too.
I say it like this because so many of us, especially in the millennial age group were brought up with the idea that "skinny" was the only right way to look and that we must do everything in our power to be as skinny as possible.
In the year 2024 that bullshit is out.
Coming back to making small changes..... I don't accept the theory that it takes 21 days to form a habit. No thanks. I believe we can change our minds any time we want to.
That's the power of our human minds.
If I decided to make a small change in the way I do something and I truly feel it's important to me and a sustainable change, then so it is.
I know lots of us tend to over-think things to death. What a waste!
To give you an example of how small changes add up over time I'll share some of my body recomposition journey with you.
When I first started lifting heavy weights it was not an overnight success story. Nooooo.......
What actually happened here was that I learned how resistance training was one way to help your body build more lean muscle over time making your body even more efficient at burning fat and calories all the time, not just while working out, such as is the case with cardio.
I started going to the gym three times per week and lifting as heavy weights as possible for about 45-60 minutes each session.
After about a month I felt like I had way more energy and strength.
After about 4 months I noticed my clothes were way too big.
After about 8 months I had lost 18 pounds and went from 2xl clothing to large/medium clothing.
The point here is that I used the power of small habits over time. Making my new hobby lifting weights created big changes in my body size, energy and overall health over time.
I never could have done this in a single session or even month. It. Takes. Time.
The six things I'm sharing with you here are intended to give you a starting point to getting your new year going in the direction of improving your health.
It's not always about the drastic things, I honestly have seen bigger results with small habits than big overhauls.
Here we are:
I STOPPED trying to skip breakfast.....
We have probably all heard the gym-bro advice to do at least thirty minutes of cardio upon waking, before eating anything for the day. Well, big surprise this is likely not beneficial to women the same way it is to men. Women experience hormonal fluctuations throughout an entire month and there are times where doing this can unnecessarily create more stress, throwing other things off such as sleep, appetite, energy etc. What I have been doing instead is eating a nourishing, protein-rich breakfast each morning before any workouts.
2. Ditch the added sugars.
Pick up a package of yogurt, a beverage or granola bar and pay attention to the amount of added sugars per serving. It's scary just how much added sugar there are in the food supply. To be real, there is zero need for added sugars in food/drink. In fact, the RDA for total sugar consumption is 26 grams per male adult, 24 for females. Even this is too generous.
Sugar equals many health problems, not just diabetes. Sugar is a promoter of inflammation in the body creating other forms of suffering such as achy joints, migraines, brain fog and more.
3. Move your body every day, in a way that you enjoy.
If this means a 1 hour gym session each morning, that's great! If this means a walk around the block daily, that's also great! I say find movement you enjoy because that means you will do it. Forcing yourself into workouts you don't enjoy does not help you in any way. Regular movement that you do enjoy helps with mood stability, burns excess fuel, helps you feel accomplished and proud of yourself as well as contributing to many other health benefits.
4. Prioritize sleep.
This does not mean taking melatonin each night. This means creating a sleep pattern that helps you feel good when you wake up. When we sleep we need between 7-9 hours per night to adequately detox and regenerate. Our brain goes through a detox process during the sleep cycle which means we are able to think clearly the next day.
My favorite sleep tips:
Do your best to shut off the electronics 1-2 hours before bed and use blue light blocking glasses when using them during the day.
Stop eating 3-4 hours before bed - when your body is busy digesting you cannot rest.
Use a sleep mask if it helps to keep any light out.
Take a moment after laying down to let go of the events of the day. Release any frustrations or concerns so you can rest easy.
Create a bedtime ritual such as stretching, deep breathing, yoga, a hot bath or journaling. Anything that helps you rest better is worth a try.
5. Set your boundaries and honor them.
Women especially tend to be guilty of this but I want you to know you DO NOT have to continually say yes to all the things. It is a new year and a new opportunity to say yes to YOU.
You cannot pour from an empty cup. It's time to take care of you. Time to rest, time to let yourself enjoy your life. Time to say no to the things that are making you unhappy and unfulfilled. I think of my boundaries as walls that cannot be knocked down. I imagine putting up a wall that protects my energy and wellbeing. It may take some practice but I promise it is worth it.
6. Get rid of the inflammatory oils in your diet.
This can be harder than it sounds initially but trust me, once you know what to look for you will be a pro in no time. Approximately 100 years ago everything was cooked in animal fat. A false public health claim created mass fear of animal fat and in came seed oils. There are many names for them but some of the more common ones are canola, rapeseed, peanut oil, vegetable oil, crisco and even blends. These oils promote inflammation in the body and are no good. Here's bonus tip: Look up how seed oils are made and decide for yourself if you should be consuming them.
If you feel the desire to keep learning even more about how to optimize your health, live a better and healthier life in a way that feels good to you, then be sure to check out my signature program Food First.
Food First gets you started on the path to improving your health right away with the easy to follow meal guides, food lists, myth-busting information and more. Everything you find in Food First is science backed and evidence based, created by a Nutritional therapy practitioner.
Find it here.
Thank you again for reading and I wish you all the best in health.
Cheri
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