Making That Lifestyle Change

Lifestyle changes are a process that takes time, and implementing small changes each day/week, eventually will help to gradually create new and better habits. Once you are ready to make a change the difficult part is committing & following through. However, it is always the first few steps that are the toughest, after all, it’s making a change, & we all can struggle Making That Lifestyle Changewith change.

The few main points to consider in order for you to get started on the right track:

Organisation

make sure firstly you are organised, have you scheduled the times that suit you best to train, planned when you will be able to go food shopping and then you will prepare your meals?

Clear out the cupboards of all the food you know you will reach for when you are feeling the urge to grab something quick. You know the first day or so will be hard, and sugar cravings will still be there. You will be craving the foods you have been eating frequently, and most likely the unhealthy ones- get rid of them. Donate them to your next-door neighbour if you have to or food charity drop off point.

What is also imperative is having a clear understanding of why we want these things- what is our motivation? Why is making these changes so important to you? Always having a vision & thinking about the bigger picture, if you were to change your lifestyle what would it look like? These are important factors at the beginning & should always be something you remember throughout your journey. Once you have that in your mind’s eye- make a note of it, and always keep referring back to it to keep you focussed.

Set SMART goals

Start small to begin with and set individual goals that once grouped together will eventually get you closer to obtaining results. All goals should be SMART- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound.

Specific: I will include a portion of vegetables with each meal.

Measurable: I will monitor and record my daily steps.

Achievable: Don’t make plans to reach a PB of i.e. lifting 100kg if you are out of shape and/or new to lifting weights.

Realistic: Don’t set unrealistic goals like ‘I want to lose 6kg in one-week’ setting unrealistic targets is counterintuitive and will also demotivate you when you make less progress.

Make sure you set a time that you commit to- this will include the starting date and future date (deadline) to work to. i.e. in 4 weeks time, I will have. Give yourself a weekly check-in date that is the same every week -this way you can measure weekly progress.

Get Moving More

By including exercises that will keep you motivated, do something you enjoy. We can’t always participate in activities that we really like, whilst others are really keen and love exercise, unfortunately, some of us just are ‘not that up for it’. My advice initially is to simply just get moving more- get off the bus/tube a few stops earlier- or park your car a little further from work- encouraging you to walk and hit more daily steps. Once you feel this is something you can manage each day, look to include something that is more challenging and going to get you working to increase your heart rate and is also safe for you to do so if you may have any injuries or health complications- always seek advice from your health care professional if you are uncertain. Look to include strength training as soon as you can, this is not only important for muscular imbalances but is one of the most effective ways to improve our metabolism and increase are chances are obtaining great results.

Need help with getting started? Or have any questions related to this topic? Why not get in touch and see how we can help you and get things moving in the right direction.