Wednesday Wellness
It Happens Daily, Never in a Day
Initiate Your Power to Act
Monday we dove into taking your own personal health initiative. Let's dig a little deeper since "Tis the season for resolutions."
in·i·ti·a·tive
noun
- The ability to assess and initiate
- The power or opportunity to act or take charge
Let's Jump start our 2014 by taking action! We have the opportunity to rise above, to act on good impulses, to charge into our areas of health and well-being. Let's run thru roadblocks and the places we have tried to hurdle over in the past. Let's update our purpose and upgrade our ambition. This year will produce results in advancement. Hey, it's closer than you think.
You have the ability to seize where you are and where you want to go. That belief and visualization is step 1. Step 2 is initiate into action! With this go-around it's not just theoretical positive hype, but your goals consist of a closeness that is real. Just a few more steps of being consistent and adding a splash of fresh energy- Done.
Utilize your ability | See your power to update your life | Initiate new action
1. Brush my teeth 3 times a day.
2. Play 60- 60 minutes of activity every day.
3. Be the best friend I can be to my friends- kill them with kindness.
Let's take the advice from a 10 year old and focus on 1-3 key areas that matter to us and translate our goals into daily small steps.
It happens daily, never in a day.
Weight Loss Commonalities
There are some commonalities for those who have have kept the weight off after they finished their program or challenge. And keep in mind "weight loss" and "fat loss" are not always the same. The focus is to keep body fat low, not necessarily what the scale says. The best way to know is to know your body fat % (come to the Coliseum anytime for a non-intrusive way to find out) and go by what you can see, feel and fit into.
Here are the top 5 common elements for those who have been able to keep the body fat off:
1). Maintain the mental switch: get your brain geared up for what you are about to do, stay positive and motivated. Switch your thinking to the fact this is now your new life and there is no going back.
2). Eat breakfast: your body has just went on a 7-8 hour fast and it needs to be fed. Your body was meant to be fed not starved. You kick up your metabolism when you eat. Get protein (eggs, turkey bacon, peanut butter, low-sodium ham) and fiber (oatmeal, whole grains, nuts) in the morning. Breakfast keeps you feeling more full, curbs overeating for lunch and dinner, gives your body and brain energy and helps restore muscle tissues. I know it's a scramble in the mornings, but it's worth taking 10 minutes to scramble eggs and eat some fruit. Those who eat breakfast are 3x's more likely to maintain their healthy weight.
3). Eat 5 small meals per day. You can eat more to weigh less if you eat from the right categories. Think of grazing all day. The Elk is a very lean animal with a high amount of strong muscle. They eat vegetation and run a lot. The Grizzly bear has a very high amount of body fat, they sleep a lot, don't eat that often and when they do they gorge themselves. Be an Elk. Have healthy snacks at your desk and in your car. Set your outlook to remind you to eat until it becomes clockwork.
4). Make exercise a regular part of every week. According to the CDC, and most experts today, "regular" exercise is 5 times a day for 30 minutes each day. Make exercise fun, yeah I mean that, by doing what you enjoy. Working out is about losing calories not losing your lunch. You don't have to go extreme to experience results. Just get your heart rate up and challenge your current fitness level.
5). Stay accountable. Accountability is a gift you give to yourself. Commit yourself to a class, a program, a challenge or a team in training. We can definitely help with that. Dive into Challenge 36 beginning at the end of month!
Find your balance and use your own strike management.