Making Small Changes
When it comes to beginning any type of lifestyle change or modification, it can seem quite daunting. You are never quite sure of what to expect, or how to go about it. You may be worried that circumstances could be difficult, or that you won’t enjoy the process. Fortunately, when we’re getting started, drastic changes aren’t necessary to produce incremental results.
Below are some tips I’d like to share, towards improving your lifestyle and wellbeing…
1) Plan and find time. The most common barrier I hear from clients is that they don’t have any time. Everybody actually CAN find some time in their week to exercise and prepare meals. It takes organisation and motivation to get started.
Try mapping out your days or your week in advance. Dedicate times to go shopping, prepare meals and exercise. Once we plan out our days, available time becomes a lot clearer when we have to go shopping, organise meals or exercise.
2) Start an exercise program! Exercise doesn’t have to be boring, lengthy or tedious. You don’t need to go to the gym for 2 hours to perform an effective workout. Utilise any days with pleasant weather to get outdoors. Walking, swimming and cycling are all great ways to get moving. Who doesn’t enjoy being in the sun ? For those struggling to find time to leave the house, bodyweight based home programs are also a useful way to get into a routine.
3) Fill out a diary, accounting for all food consumed and exercise performed. Write down every single thing you eat and drink in a week, and review it afterwards. You don’t need to get technical or analytical at all. Sometimes visualising all the food you have consumed can be a very powerful tool in making change.
Some of the things to watch out for, and avoid going forward, include: sugar filled drinks, high carbohydrate intake, little to no fruit or vegetable intake, lack of water, late night snacks, and alcohol intake. By reviewing a diary, you will be able to identify any troublesome patterns, as well as organise a plan to tackle your goals.
