Slow your roll, Plante Lifers!
This week, we’re going to cover something that affects every human being on the planet: change. We cannot grow without changing, so when you’re fed up with feeling fatigued, super stressed out or sick, it can be tempting to dive head first into some big lifestyle changes.
After all, why wait? It’s exciting. You can start leading a cleaner, healthier life with the press of a button – at least that’s what all the ads for fitness tonics and exercise equipment will tell you. But when it comes to making lasting positive changes in your body and mind, that speedy hare has got nothing on the slow and steady tortoise.
Now while I often use some sort of cleanse to jumpstart coaching clients on the road to a healthier lifestyle – for the long haul, I recommend small, step by step adjustments over time.
Why? Because most people at one time or another (myself included!) have tried to make a HUGE change, only to eventually fall back into old habits and bad patterns. By making incremental adjustments and leaning into the changes slowly, these new actions become habitual. It’s like muscle memory; the more you do them, the more natural they feel. And more importantly, the easier it will be to handle setbacks because you’ll already have the tools in place to pick right back up if you take a small detour.
There’s also a lot of psychological benefits to choosing the slower method too. Your mind needs time to adjust to this new environment and even mourn the loss of your old self. So be gentle with yourself as you shift into a new way of taking care of your body.
Progress is not always a straight line, and you will have ups and downs as you make changes. Making small adjustments allows you time to properly see, feel and reflect on the changes — in your energy, weight and appearance. When you recognize the benefits of your new habits, it boosts your confidence and, of course, your determination to keep going. And make sure to celebrate even the smallest wins along the way!
Here are a few of my favorite tips to help you stay motivated on the road to a healthy life.
1) Plot Your Course
You didn’t develop your french fry addiction overnight, so why would you think you can overcome it in a hot minute? It can be too stressful to jump into a big change right off the bat and can feel like deprivation at first. This is why I like to spend some time working with someone to first get a sense of where they really are healthwise and where we might find those mental and emotional blocks.
So, step one is to lay out a measurable plan to reach your goals with plenty of pit stops to celebrate your accomplishments. Let’s say your end game is to meditate for 20 minutes twice a day. Work out a schedule to build up your practice. Or maybe you want to become an early riser. Start by shifting your alarm clock (and your bed time!) ten minutes earlier each day. Once you have an extra 30 minutes in the AM, plan something fun, like a nice walk or an invigorating yoga class.
2) Start Tracking
To get where you want to go, it’s important to know where you’ve been. It’s so easy to mindlessly munch when you’re busy or stressed, but if you want to start eating better, you need a clear picture of what you’re putting into your body now.
Keeping a daily food journal will help you see exactly where (and when) you need to make adjustments. Woofing down a doughnut on the way to work? Plan ahead and prep some protein packed on-the-go breakfasts. Feeling sluggish at 3PM? Switch out that coffee with a caffeine-free, but energizing snack. You can download my food journal here to get started!
And don’t forget to write your thank you notes too! Keeping a gratitude journal of three little victories or special moments a day can help shift your perception of your situation during this time of flux. Plus, it’s proven to be good for your body too!
3) Embrace the Power of the People
Get your crew on board with your positive changes. I bet you’d be surprised how many of your buds would love to cheer you on! We all want our friends to be happy and healthy—and your friends might have their own healthy changes to work on too!
Find a workout buddy or plan a meal-prep Sunday together. If you’re tech savvy, challenge and support your friends through your fitness and habit-tracking apps, like Fitbit or Coach.me. I have one client who loves the app Charity Miles because it donates money to good causes for every mile to walk or run, and you can join or create your own team. Win-win!
If you could make one positive change in your lifestyle by the end of the year, what would it be? What small change can you commit to this week to start you on your way? Give me the scoop and let me know how I support you in the comments below!
LOVE + BIG changes,
I want to implement teaching pop Pilates now that I’m certified! This week means getting my online portal going that connects me to all the choreography updates and the rest of the community 🙂 It’s a great inspiration to see you having developed a job you love in addition to acting. It’s important to have those people around to know there are realistic options besides serving (as grateful as I’ve been for that work too).