Making Health Sustainable For A Lifetime
Do you feel like the changes you have made to your diet and lifestyle are sustainable or unrealistic long term? You don’t have to be an elite athlete or fitness professional to make these healthy habits last forever. But how does living a life of health become sustainable for everyone?
It starts with baby steps. Take it day by day, and don’t expect perfection. Continuously ask questions, reach out to your coach and friends for support, and enjoy the process!
If you love to cook, pick a recipe or two each week to try on your family. If you hate cooking, maybe pick one or two days of the week where you will prepare food, and then stay out of the kitchen. Find a new restaurant and research its menu to see if it offers healthy options that seem worth spending your time and money on. Fish tacos are one of my faves!! Since I don’t like tortillas, I am always on the hunt for the best place that offers them on a fresh yummy salad.
Don’t forget this process doesn’t have to be complicated but it does take a little extra time/planning (at least in the beginning). If you expect veggies and lean meat to magically appear in your refrigerator at the start of each week, think again! If you don’t prep yo sh$t, you will fall behind quickly and get frustrated. There’s no need for that. We are all adults here! Plan a day to grocery shop, two days to food prep, and 45 minutes a day to workout and be active. Find a consistent bedtime routine, make sleep a priority, and minimize daily stress as best you can.
Keep exercise simple and FUN!! Use it as playtime and get outside with your kids or dog. Go on an adventure to a new park or trail. Look up nearby markets or local fresh food exchanges to buy produce and locally sourced meat.
If those things sound unrealistic because your job is stressful and fills most of your waking hours, then maybe you find a pre-made meal company or purchase already-made meals from the grocery.
Health and happiness will look different for each of us. Don’t try to fit into someone else’s box. Design your own. Work with your coach until you find the plan that fits your lifestyle and gets you the results you desire. No matter how hard the struggle or what sacrifices you have to make…... YOU CAN DO THIS!! Remember to take it day by day and always show yourself grace. You are not perfect today, and you will not be tomorrow. But you can be better than yesterday!
