Wellness is so much more than weighing yourself and counting calories - it's adopting a mindset that ensures you are making yourself a priority.
I work with participants spanning in age from millennials to baby boomers, and have learned that regardless of your stage in life, to successfully lead it, you've got to 1.) Advocate for yourself, and 2.) Listen to your body. At Health Solutions, we take pride in being problem-solvers. The following are just a few ways you can make the most of your time and start putting more focus on what matters - you and your health:
Put Yourself First
When we first meet, I challenge my coaching participants to describe themselves: they begin with a full list of titles and responsibilities (i.e., I'm a mother, manager, co-worker, friend, daughter, etc.), and maybe toward the end of it, start listing their passions, interests, and hobbies. This approach is usually a clear indication that obligations to others come first.
The engagement then leads to some variant of, "there's just not enough time!" To which I say, try these words instead: "it's just not a priority." While more challenging to say, it's often more accurate. If you're looking for a new show to watch at night, time is actually on your side.
Here are some ways you can start managing your time - if not right now, tomorrow morning or this coming Sunday:
Take advantage of the morning workout. With daylight savings time just a week ago, our bodies are still adjusting to that extra hour of light in the morning. Don't change your alarm - use the extra hour to your advantage.
Start prepping your meals. It sounds stressful, but steal some time away from your Sunday night Netflix routine to make a plan and prepare (- this time of year, the slow cooker and internet are your best friends). At the end of the week, check in with yourself and your family - did that time up front on Sunday relieve stress and uncertainty from your weekly routine?
Pro tip: start with breakfast - plan 2-3 days' worth of breakfasts and gauge the difference from one day to the next. Assess energy levels, hunger patterns, grumpiness, stress, etc. Is there a difference in your day? If the answer is yes, keep with it!
Listen to your Body
Rest and digest. If I could sell one thing in the world, it would be sleep - people don't understand how important it is to our bodies! The only time your body naturally produces the human growth hormone (HGH) is at night when you're at a state of rest with no food in your system.
Pro tip: try to abstain from food for two hours before sleep (this will allow your body time to properly digest your last meal and produce HGH throughout the night). If your last meal was at 7 pm, your first meal (yes, I said meal, not granola bar or apple), would be at 7 am. These 10-12 hours of intermittent fasting are simple, attainable and just what your internal organs need to successfully recover and prepare for the day ahead.
Don't eat unless you're hungry. Unless you're ready to sit down and enjoy a meal, are you truly hungry? Checking in and asking yourself that question will be enough to curb the urge to snack, graze or eat out of boredom. If you devote time to sit down and commit to a meal, you'll also be more mindful of what you're eating and how it was prepared.
Quality over quantity. With everything - even water! Think of it this way: when the hospital treats someone for dehydration, they don't hook someone up to an IV of H20 - they provide a saline solution with substance because it sustains your organs, tissues, muscles - everything! Do the same with your water - create your own saline solution by adding sea salt, honey, lemon, cucumbers - anything that can make it stick with your system longer.
At Health Solutions, our team of coaches understand that the best healthcare is SELF-CARE (really, think about those words and what they mean to you and your loved ones). Our obligation reaches beyond simply giving advice, it's providing you with the rationale and education you need to feel empowered and hold yourself accountable. Interested in learning more about who we are and how your organization can benefit? Check us out at the link below!
