What you Need (the missing link) to have Success in Exercise & Nutrition
We all know movement and exercise is a key factor for optimal health. We also know drinking plenty of water, eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, high quality proteins and other whole nourishing foods are part of a healthy lifestyle. There is one thing that connects success in one to success in another. And, this one thing will allow you to have greater success in both, short and long-term?
Before we get to the key ingredient, we first need to get into a good exercise / movement routine. So, here are a few tips on how to find your exercise groove.
1.Find something you enjoy doing… most days haha. We are human and we are lazy (sometimes at least). So, if it is not uncommon to NOT want to workout. To want to go get a glass of wine with your friend or just go home and sit on the couch, rather than move and challenge your body. This is perfectly okay. So, what I mean by finding something you enjoy, I mean you enjoy it, the majority of the time.
FIND SOMETHING YOU ENJOY, A COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT, AND a CHALLENGE
Plus the key ingredient (scroll down)
Found something you enjoy? PERFECT, next ask yourself, is this something I can consistently do.
2. Find something you are consistent at. With this, you need to make sure to meet yourself where you are. I have client who is just beginning to workout again, one day a week is a success in my books for these clients. Once we get a habit of one day a week, let’s try for two, and than three and so forth. The most important thing, just begin. Can you consistently exercise 2-3 days/week.
Hey, maybe you found TWO different exercising methods you enjoy, even better! Can you consistently do both. For example, I am an avid Crossfitter, but I also enjoy running, and recently, picked up swimming. My realistic goal for swimming is 1-2x/week. Crossfit 2-3 and a longer run is probably once every other week. So, if my math and exercise journal is right, I am almost always working out five days a week. I have three things I am, more or less, consistent in.
Let’s get into the reason(s) WHY I am consistent in them?
Crossfit: I truly love it, I love challenging myself, I love the variety and I love how it makes me feel i.e. strong and capable. I am one of those odd balls where I usually have no problem working out by myself. I feel like most competitive crossfitters develop this one way or another HOWEVER, the community of Crossfit and Crossfit itself has given me so much and I plan to continue doing it, one way or another, for decades to come.
Running: I ran my first 1/2 marathon this year. I would run every now and then, but never would call myself a runner per se. But, running is a way for me to 1) be outside 2) be in my own thoughts, away from my phone, social media etc. and 3) it is another challenge anyone can easily starting doing (or at least walking), Run Forest Run! I like the easy and mindlessness a jog can entail. You can simply get up and go. I usually run by myself, but sometimes bring Gwen and my husband as well .
Swimming: I have tried to get into swimming the past year since my wrist injury. I even signed up at Life Time Fitness, specifically for their pool. Ask me how many times I have gone…let’s just say you only need one hand. I know, I know! but, this makes my point all the more stronger. A month ago, I set a goal of completing a half Ironman, August 2020 and also, signed-up on the local master’s swim club/team aka finding a community to help support my goal. I never swam at Life Time because swimming is not like CrossFit for me. It is even more challenging, it is new, and I do not have someone telling me to go jump in a pool and telling me what to do. The swim team does that for me now, and so over the last 6 weeks I have swam 7 times. That is more than I did all last year!
Do you see the trend of enjoyment + community for support + goal to work towards = consistency.. BUT the key ingredient, is what keeps me coming back for more, keeps me from giving up, keeps me from going weeks, months, years from exercising. It is the overlapping umbrella of everything discussed above and the key to linking exercise to a nourishing diet for short and long-term healthy. So what is it?….
The Secret ingredient: your MINDSET, your MENTAL ATTITUDE, your REASONING behind what you choose to do.
“Your mindset is your collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape your thought habits. And your thought habits affect how you think, what you feel, and what you do.” Having the right mindset around exercise and nourishment is what will keep you exercising and eating nourishing foods, when an obstacle or barrier gets pushed in front of you. So what mindset do you need to have…..
A mindset in which you see exercising as something you get to do versus something you have to do
A reasoning behind moving your body as a way of taking care of yourself versus punishment to burn off calories.
Having the right mindset & reasoning behind what you do is what allows you to break through obstacles that come your way
If you view exercise as a chore, as punishment, as something you have to do, you might find yourself saying…
“I worked out so I deserve this food, treat, etc.”
“I have to make up for eating this meal/food at the gym tomorrow”
“I can’t eat (X food) because I didn’t work out today”
**Moreover, a negative relationship around exercise can directly correlate to a negative relationship around food.**
So, how does a positive relationship with exercise help nourishment?
To answer this, let’s take a look at a morning exerciser and an evening exerciser. Don’t worry mid-dayers either can apply to you.
Morning Exerciser: you woke up at 5:00am for you 5:30-6:30 class. It absolutely kicked your butt, it was hard, you wanted to give up a few times during, but you powered through and now, feel great walking out at 6:35am. You feel amazing and good that you started your day on such a positive note. Remember, calories burned is not the purpose of working out. You drank a glass of water on the way to the workout, at the workout and on the way home. You want to make sure you continue to take care of yourself and know water will help you get the most out of your workout and your day. Then comes breakfast aka time to refuel. Nourishing bowl of rolled oats with berries, cinnamon, flax meal, hemp seeds, nuts and some milk tastes delicious and leaves you feeling good and satisfied. Of course, you cannot forget your coffee. You want to help your body recover as best as possible and continue to feel good so….you add in an extra vegetable and fruit to your lunch while also, getting a protein food at every meal and snack. You eat when you are hungry, because you respect your body by listening and fueling it with high quality foods majority of the time. That means sometimes there is an afternoon snack and somethings there may not be. When dinner gets around, you want to go to bed feeling ready for another great day ahead so you fuel up with a balanced, and yet delicious plate of brown rice, roasted veggies and chicken teriyaki. You really want something sweet so you grab two squares of dark chocolate before setting your alarm, sipping on some water, and heading to bed, trying to get 8 hours.
What happened here?
Starting the day off on a healthy foot with a good workout can snowball into many more healthy habits. Again, we see exercise as a way to take care of ourselves not as punishment. So the rest of the day is just that, self care, respect and love.
But what if you start off you day with driving to work not a workout…and not getting your exercise on until the evening hours?
Evening Exerciser: You wake up at 6am and have a 4:00pm workout scheduled today that you are looking forward to. You start hydration early, taking down a glass or two of water before breakfast (and your coffee). Then you fry up two eggs on a piece of whole wheat toast with slice of cheese, spinach and tomato slices for a nourishing breakfast before heading to work, grabbing a fruit to have in the car. At work you plan to have lunch by 1:00 so you have time for the food to digest prior to the workout. You also brought snacks incase you get hungry before lunch or before your workout. You are not a fan of going into workouts starving as it negative effects your output and performance. Nothing too heavy or fatty at lunch because hey, you don’t want to feel gross at the workout. Your hydration habit continues through the day, as it makes you feel better and get a better workout in. Rather than sitting at your desk, you try to move, go to the bathroom on the flow above, and fill your water up at the drinking fountain on the other side of the building. You also stand at your desk for a few hours each day, and go for a 10 minute walk after lunch as moving through the day helps you not feel as stiff. 4:00 comes and you feel fueled, nourished and ready to have a great class. At 5:15 you are headed home for a quick dinner before relaxing and spending time with family or friends
What happened here?
Even though, your workout wasn’t until towards the end of the day, you prepare your body and mindset for the workout all day with nourishment and hydration. Then refuel self post exercise. You chose foods that made you feel nourished, healthy and fueled. Rather than a snowball effect, you were building up. Again, these things are possible, if we see exercise as a way to take care of ourselves not as punishment.
You are taking care and prioritizing yourself, your body, and your health. If working out is easier for you then have exercise help drive your nourishment. If choosing nourishing foods is your strong suit, let this encourage you to move your body more. It is all relative in the end, as we need to love and respect the process of taking care of yourself more and more.
What is your mindset going into the gym, fitness center, pool etc. etc.
What is your reasoning behind what you choose to do?
I work with clients not only in nutrition but in overall wellness aka wellness coaching. Because only focusing on one piece of the pie (nutrition) will not have a great an effect on overall lifestyle if we do not look at the other pieces as well. We need a whole pie people :-) Interested in working together, feel free to reach out in form below OR email me at Michele@fitplatenutrition.com