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Coaching

The Power of a Plan

  • May 21, 2024May 21, 2024
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

“I don’t have enough (fill in the blank).”  Usually it’s time, energy, or motivation when considering the healthy habits we WISH we could employ or feel like we SHOULD be engaging in.

After working with several clients (and being humans ourselves!), we’ve heard the lack of these things come up for most of them. 

So, what’s to be done?  How do you make progress on your health journey if time, energy, or motivation is in short supply?

The solution may sound too simple, but we’ve seen it work:  there is power in making a plan.

Why Make a Plan?

When you make a plan for when you will exercise or prep a healthy meal or get to sleep earlier (or whatever your health goal may be), you can consider a few very helpful things:

  1. You’ll find pockets of time you didn’t know existed. Yep – it’s true!  When you’re overwhelmed and busy, it feels like you have NO time for anything else.  Literally none.  But often if you pause to look at your schedule, you’re able to see where you do have free time.  It’s also a great way to notice if your priorities are aligned.  You’ll be able to look at the full picture of your schedule and see what changes need to be made. Are you taking on more than you should? Or are you spending time on things that aren’t important to you?
  2. You’ll discover when you have the most energy during the day and when you don’t (and schedule things accordingly). It’s likely you already have some knowledge on when you’re the most productive and energetic and when you’re not.  When you consider this while you make a plan, you can slot the healthy action step into your best time of day.
  3. You’ll remember your WHY. As you plan these things, it’s likely you may have to say “no” to some good things to say “yes” to the healthy habits you want to pursue.  In doing so, it forces you to ask, “Why is this important to me?”.  As you answer that, you’ll find you DO have the motivation to live a healthy life – it’s just that it’s unique to you and may look different from someone else’s.  Knowing your WHY empowers you to find the time and the energy to live the healthy life you want.

Your Action Step…

If sitting down to make a plan sounds like just the thing to help you move forward with your health goals, then grab our checklist of questions to ask yourself to make it a productive time!

Never underestimate the power of a plan when you’re making health changes, as it will help you overcome the big three lacks:  lack of time, lack of energy, and lack of motivation.

Photo Credits:
Photo by Aviv Rachmadian on Unsplash
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Helping Loved Ones Live Their Healthiest Lives

  • February 4, 2023February 4, 2023
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

We’ve all been there.

Watching someone we know and love dearly do things that aren’t good for them.

In fact, we’ve likely been that person, ourselves!

But what do we do if someone we love isn’t making healthy choices, and we long for something better for them?

We know these conversations can go poorly.  It can feel like we’re nagging them or telling them they don’t measure up, even if that’s not how we mean to come across.  So, it can be hard to know if and when to say something or how to offer our help.

A tool that is incredibly helpful in these situations is the Stages of Change model.

It says that each of us are in a different place when it comes to our willingness to change our behaviors.

And we can all be in a different stage for different behaviors – even different health behaviors.

For example, we can be farther along in changing our exercise behaviors than we are in changing our eating habits.

So, when thinking about our loved ones’ health, it’s important to understand what stage of change they’re at so we can meet them there. 

Mastering the skills to listen and determine where your loved one is in their willingness to change, and using the tools for that particular stage, will help them know they’re fully supported and encouraged, and you’re on their team.

And knowing you’ve got someone in your corner is extremely motivating.

Sources:
Moore, M., Jackson, E., & Tschannen-Moran, B.  (2016).  Coaching Psychology Manual.  Philadelphia, PA:  Wolters Kluwer.

Photo credits:
Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

Coaching

Signs of Life

  • September 23, 2022September 23, 2022
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Too often those of us in the health and wellness space focus on what’s going wrong with our clients.  What risk factors for future disease do you have?  What bad habits should you break to help you be healthier?  Why aren’t you (fill in the blank)…exercising more, eating more fruits and vegetables, sleeping more, spending less time on social media, releasing your stress in ways that don’t involve eating, etc., etc., etc.?  Basically, why aren’t you being a superhuman?!?

There’s typically a beautiful intention behind this: we want you, our client, to suffer less and experience health, wholeness, and confidence in your body.  We want you to have all the energy and vigor you need to live life to the fullest.  We want you to see yourself as beautiful and strong, and in turn, bring more beauty and strength to the world.  We want good things for you.

But what happens when we focus on what’s going wrong instead of what’s going right? 

We get more wrong than we get right!

And sadly, we see our wonderful clients start following our lead.  Perhaps you’ve experienced this, too.  You start focusing on what’s going wrong and how you think you’re failing.  No matter how much progress you make towards a goal, you only see when you don’t fully achieve it, and understandably feel discouraged.

While there is certainly a time and place to discuss things like risk factors for a disease and ways those could be addressed, this doesn’t mean all our focus should be on finding what’s wrong so we can fix it.  When we do this, the track record of outcomes isn’t great.

So, what can we do instead?

We can start looking for signs of life, places where you’re thriving.  And as we do so, our hope is you’ll follow our lead.

We may see that someone isn’t exercising regularly, but they rank a 5 out of 5 for relationship satisfaction.  Or they struggle with liking what they see in the mirror, but they found a job they absolutely love. 

Everyone has something that is working in their life.  Something that is going well.  Some strength they’re utilizing to make life better. 

Our job is to help you see what those strengths are and where things are going right.  Then we can help you apply this to other areas of your health and well-being so you can thrive there, too. 

Here’s how this can play out in a coaching session:

While reviewing how a client’s goals went for the week, we hear they didn’t achieve their goal of eating fruits and vegetables each day.  But as we keep asking questions such as “What was the best part of pursuing this goal?”, we find out they planned and prepped lunch for the week for the first time ever.  Thanks to our discussion during the previous coaching session, they realized the organizational skills they use at work can be applied to creating healthier habits, like meal planning and prepping.

If we only looked at what was wrong, our client would leave feeling discouraged about not completing their goal.  Instead, they see a fuller picture of the truth – yes, they didn’t perfectly complete that goal, but they took steps in the right direction to make achieving that goal more feasible in the future.

When we look at what’s going right and where you’re thriving, you’re a lot more likely to continue making progress on your goals and achieving all those things you want and we want for you – health, wholeness, energy, vigor, and confidence in your body.

So, what happens when we focus on what’s going right instead of what’s going wrong?

We get more right than we get wrong!

Ready to try out wellness coaching for yourself?  Sign up here for a free 30-minute session and see if it’s right for you!

Photo Credits:
Photo by Andre Furtado on Unsplash
Photo by Milan Popovic on Unsplash
Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Are You Really Ready to Make a Change?

  • September 7, 2021September 7, 2021
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Have you ever experienced the frustration of setting a goal for your health…perhaps it was to eat differently or exercise more, limit your social media time or go to bed sooner…and though you knew it was a good idea, you just couldn’t bring yourself to do it?

Then you feel frustrated and ashamed because you think you lack the willpower to do what you know is good for you.

Shame doesn’t propel you to make changes, rather it drives you to further unhealthy behaviors to cover up the discomfort it brings.

It can be such a hard cycle to get free from!

But something can help you stay out of this cycle, and it starts even before you try to put a new health goal into motion.

It is simply this:  recognizing the difference between “I’m thinking about making a change” and “I’m ready to make a change”.  

Thinking about making a change isn’t enough to propel you to carry out your new health goals because the desire to change hasn’t fully formed in you yet.  

That doesn’t mean that desire won’t come.  Eventually it does.  But setting goals when your own internal motivation isn’t ready to support you often means your goal will fall by the wayside, especially when there isn’t anyone or anything externally to motivate you.

How can you tell the difference between thinking about making a change and truly desiring to make that change?  Here are a few telltale signs of each:

Thinking About Making a Change:

  • You’re beginning to sense your current status quo isn’t all it was cracked up to be
  • You’re seeing the benefits to your health and life if you were to make this change
  • Though you see the benefits of changing, you still feel the benefits of staying the same.  If asked, you can easily list the pros of changing, but can also list the pros of staying the same
  • Your whole heart isn’t in it yet…rather you feel like you SHOULD make the change, but not that you WANT to make the change

Ready to Make a Change

  • You know this is something YOU want to change, rather than something you feel you MUST do or SHOULD do
  • The pros of changing far outweigh benefits of staying the same…”when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change”1
  • You’re in planning mode.  You’re not only figuring out the specifics of your new goal…what you will do and when and where you’ll do it…but you’re assessing challenges that will inevitably come up and what your backup plan will be

What does this look like in real life?

Let’s take a goal of eating healthier as an example.  If you were in the “thinking about making a change” stage, this would look like the following (in bold)…

Thinking About Making a Change:

  • You’re beginning to sense your current status quo isn’t all it was cracked up to be.  The way you’re currently eating makes you feel lethargic and bloated.
  • You’re seeing the benefits to your health and life if you were to make this change.  If you changed how you were eating, you would feel energetic and lighter, better able to tackle the demands of the day.
  • Though you see the benefits of changing, you still feel the benefits of staying the same.  If asked, you can easily list the pros of changing, but can also list the pros of staying the same.  You would list the pros of eating differently as more energy, feeling lighter, feeling more like yourself, feeling better inside.  You would list the pros of your current eating habits as more convenient, possibly cheaper, fulfilling the cravings you have for certain foods, and meeting the need for comfort after a stressful day.
  • Your whole heart isn’t in it yet…rather you feel like you SHOULD make the change, but not that you WANT to make the change.  You know that it would be “good for you” to eat healthier, but you don’t want to give up the treats you’ve been enjoying.

As you can see, being in this stage means experiencing ambivalence.  Though you’re thinking a change may be worthwhile, you still see the good in your current way of eating.

Now, what would this goal look like if you were in the “I’m ready to make a change” stage?  See below in bold…

Ready to Make a Change

  • You know this is something YOU want to change, rather than something you feel you MUST do or SHOULD do.  You’re not making changes to your eating because someone else is telling you to do so.  Even if you had no one checking in with you (loved ones, doctors, accountability partners), YOU would still want to make this change.  You’re excited and ready to get started.
  • The pros of changing far outweigh benefits of staying the same.  Though you know it will be tough to make changes, you’re so tired of not feeling good in your body that you see the pain of changing as less than the pain of keeping the status quo.
  • You’re in planning mode.  You’re not only figuring out the specifics of your new goal…what you will do and when and where you’ll do it…but you’re assessing challenges that will inevitably come up and what your backup plan will be.  You’ve decided to start by eating one vegetable at every meal. You know this will be challenging when you go out to eat for Tuesday trivia with your friends, so your backup plan will be to eat two vegetables during Tuesday lunches.

It’s a different feeling when you’re ready to make a change.  The excitement is there, as well as the thought process of how to implement these changes.

What happens if you find yourself in the “thinking about making a change” stage?  Should you be ashamed that you’re not further along?  

Though it’s understandable that may be your first thought, it works better in the long-run to have patience with yourself and not rush this process.  It’s natural for all of us to start with simply an idea to make a change, and then eventually it will blossom into full-grown motivation to reject the status quo.

There are things you can do in the meantime to help move yourself along the change continuum.  

First, seek out the help of a wellness coach.  We help people through the entire change process and know the questions to ask and support to give to help you move forward.  

Second, continue thinking through the pros and cons of changing AND staying the same.  Using a chart much like the one below is helpful.  

Finally, assess your personal strengths and how you could apply those to making the health changes you’re thinking about.  

For the example above, if your strength is organization, then you would be good at scheduling weekly meal planning, grocery shopping, and food prepping to ensure you eat one vegetable at each meal.

Discovering you’re only in the “thinking about making a change” stage is actually quite hopeful.  Your struggle to stick with your health goals is less likely due to a lack of willpower and motivation, but rather a need to let that motivation further develop. 

Sources:
1Quote attributed to Tony Robbins:  https://quotefancy.com/quote/922520/Tony-Robbins-Change-happens-when-the-pain-of-staying-the-same-is-greater-than-the-pain-of

Photo Credits:
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash
Photo by Kristopher Roller on Unsplash
Photo by Nikola Jovanovic on Unsplash
Decisional Balance Chart:  https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/tools/obesity-kit/obtoolkit-tool14.html

Be the best version of you!

What Brings You Life?

  • March 24, 2021March 24, 2021
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Do you know the answer to this question, “What brings you life?”  

Often this feels daunting to answer.  It’s easy for us to get caught up in the day-to-day urgent needs of those around us…what our kids need, what our jobs are asking of us, what our spouses or partners or friends or aging parents need.  

Add in all the daily things we do to simply keep life running, and we find ourselves unable to articulate or even know what would bring us life!

Be assured if you don’t know your answer(s) right away, you’re not alone and you don’t have to feel shame in not knowing.  

Rather, take this as your invitation to pause, peel off the veil of daily life and distractions, and ask yourself…

“If anything was possible, what would bring me life?”

What would fill your tank, get you excited or hopeful, or simply help you feel more (fill in the blank) or less (fill in the blank)?

What were those things you did as a kid or a younger adult that brought a smile to your face?

What would your loved ones say you enjoy?    

Why is figuring this out important?  As we slowly make our way out of a traumatic global experience, our bodies, minds, and hearts will need to heal.  

John Eldredge, a counselor, speaker, and author was recently discussing this season of healing as a guest on a podcast.  He mentioned one aspect of healing would be to “write a prescription for your recovery”1.  

In essence, write down what brings you life!  

Knowing what this is for you is the first step, which hopefully leads to the next step: finding ways to implement these things into your life more often.

It seems we all are in need of healing and doing more of what brings us life is one way we can walk down the road of recovery.

So…what brings you life?  

If you’d like help processing that out loud, wellness coaching might be right for you!  Check out our free PDF to learn if wellness coaching is what you’re looking for, then book a free 30-minute coaching session to try it out!  

Sources:
1Downs, A.F. (Host). (2021, March 22). John Eldredge + A year of the pandemic (No. 281) . In That Sounds Fun. That Sounds Fun Network.

Photo Credits:
Photo by Jimmy Dean on Unsplash
Photo by Colin Maynard on Unsplash
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Coaching

New Year, Clean Slate?

  • January 13, 2021January 13, 2021
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

What is it about a new year that makes setting resolutions so enticing?  Even if you don’t set New Year’s resolutions, there is most likely talk of it all around you.  Why is this the case?

Though there are probably many reasons, we’ll focus on one today:

The lure of a clean slate.

Isn’t there something refreshing about having a clean slate?  All the past failures and disappointments wiped away, leaving a blank page ripe with all the possibilities.

That’s what a new year can signify.  And perhaps that’s why it’s a common time to resolve to do or be something different.

But it seems a clean slate draws us not only for this newness, but for the perfection of it all.  The future has no mistakes, no failures, no disappointments.  It only has possibilities.  

While that is great (and quite helpful to get our creative juices flowing!) seeing it this way can prove problematic:

  • We think of our future selves as living out those perfect lives-finally!
  • Once we do experience a setback, a mistake, a goal not achieved, we think we haven’t lived up to the perfect version of ourselves that we had in mind, so we might as well toss those resolutions out the door.

Sound familiar?  

So how do we take advantage of the clean slate moments, as this can prove helpful when starting new habits, while not getting off course when perfection doesn’t happen?  

  1. Set resolutions/goals/intentions/habits in the context of your real life.

Take into account all the things you have going on and how this new way of operating can fit into your life (ex. If this is going to be a really busy year for your family, how can you still achieve what you want, knowing this is true?).

  1. Squash all or nothing thinking. 

Thinking we have to do something perfect or not do it at all really upends our health goals.  When you see this pattern of thinking crop up, employ the “win-learn vs. win-lose” mentality.  There’s always something to learn about what didn’t go right, and this gives you new information that can help you as you pursue your goals.

  1. Create more “clean slate” moments.

New Year’s doesn’t have to be the only clean slate moment.  A new week can serve as this, and so can a new day.  In fact, you can even start over every hour!  Adopting a clean slate mentality as often as possible can encourage you to keep going when you face setbacks.

If you find you’d like some assistance in adopting this new way of looking at resolutions or health goals, consider hiring a wellness coach!  

We walk you through goal-setting for your real life and out of the all-or-nothing mentality.  And we believe a “win-learn” rather than “win-lose” mindset is key for the self-compassion necessary to make lasting health changes.

Wondering if wellness coaching is for you?  Check out our free PDF:  5 Ways to Know If Wellness Coaching Is Right For You!

Photo Credits:
Photo by Beth Rufener on Unsplash
Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash
Photo by Tim Arterbury on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Rediscover Your Motivation

  • August 19, 2020August 19, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Odds are, due to the pandemic, you’ve found at least some of your normal routines have been thrown off.  Whether it’s no longer commuting to work or the loss of a job, no gym to exercise at or group fitness classes to take, or being more isolated from community if you live alone or surrounded constantly by family members or roommates, it’s likely what you previously thought as “normal life” is not currently the case.

So, what do you do if you thrive from having routines?  How do you set yourself up for success in the midst of the uncertainty of how long shutdowns and social distancing will last?

The first step is the same way we start every initial wellness coaching session with new clients:  

Get really clear on what you want.


You can do this by asking yourself a variety of questions:

  • When I look back on this time, what do I hope I’ve accomplished?
  • Who do I want to be when this is over?1
  • What do I truly value?
  • What is important to me?  What are my top priorities?
  • What good do I hope will come from what I do (or don’t do) during this time?

Knowing what you want helps you know what direction to move forward in.  It parts the clouds of vague goals and feelings and the pressure of “I should do ___” and sheds light on what truly motivates you.  

Take 5-10 minutes today to write out your answers to the questions below (we put them in a journal page format for fun) 😊.  For added support and accountability, post a picture with your responses on our Instagram page or Facebook page with the hashtag #discoveringmymotivation so we can all be cheering you on. If you don’t want to post for the whole world to see, you can also direct message us your responses so only us coaches can see and respond. 

By thinking through these questions, you’ll have a better understanding of where you want to go and how you want to feel. 

And what do you think happens when you get really clear on what you want?  The next right step becomes a whole lot easier to see.  

Written by Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

Sources:
1Ponder, S., Acho, S., & Carter, S. (Executive producers). (2020-present). Home team: A new podcast [Audio podcast]. https://www.hometeampodcast.com

Photo Credits:
Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash
Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash
Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

3 Tips if You Don’t Currently Have an Exercise…

  • August 12, 2020August 12, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

I don’t currently have a regular exercise routine, but I’d like to…someday

That’s great!  You’ve started thinking about adopting a regular exercise routine, which means you’re beginning to think of the benefits exercise might bring to your life!  Here are the 3 tips for you:

Get specific on what you’re hoping to gain
There’s a reason (or maybe several reasons!) you’re considering making exercise a habit.  What are those reasons?  Take a moment to answer the following questions to help you get really clear on this.  You can either jot down your answers, or talk them out with a friend or family member:  

What is the driving force behind the desire to change now?  Why now?

Picture yourself living your healthiest life.  In that picture, what types of exercise are you doing?  How are you feeling in your body?

If you’ve exercised in the past, what have been your best experiences to date with exercise, times you felt fully alive and engaged?

Getting clear on the reason you want to start exercising (or start again) helps you begin to get a picture in your head of what you’re aiming for, as well as start tapping into your internal motivation.  You’re much more likely to stick with goals set not from external motivation (I SHOULD do this), but rather, internal motivation (I WANT to do this).  

Consider what you bring to the table
Think for a moment about your strengths.  This can be a tough one, but I don’t want you to be modest here.  We all have strengths that we bring to the table, things that come more naturally to us or skills we’ve honed over time.  If it helps, think through strengths you exhibit in other areas of your life besides your health…what strengths shine in your work?  Your home life?  What strengths would your closest friends and family say you have?  Recognizing 1) that you DO have strengths and 2) what those strengths are can help you start to creatively leverage those when you begin to implement an exercise routine.  

For example, if one of your strengths is organization, it may be hard to spot initially how this would support a new exercise habit.  But actually, it’s an amazing strength to leverage for this!  You can much more easily see how to put exercise into your schedule, and how to organize your days so that you have time to exercise.

Assemble your squad
Yep-that’s right!  Even though creating an exercise routine that becomes a consistent habit is ultimately up to you, having a squad or team of folks in your corner can only help you.  

Think about it as the people along a marathon race course, cheering you on with handmade signs they made especially for you, or standing at fueling stations to hand out water or Gatorade.  Those marathon runners, though they’ve put in the time and effort, have not gotten to the finish line on their own, and the sooner you invite people into your desire to start an exercise routine, the better!  So start thinking about who would support you…family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and ask them to come alongside you as you begin to figure this out.  

For your next step, check out our IGTV for an IG Live about the Stages of Change, and assume that with exercise, you’re in the “Contemplation” phase.  This video will give you tips on how to progress through the stages of change and begin setting goals at the right time to ensure you the most success!  As always, feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions!

Be the best version of you!

3 Tips if You Struggle with Consistently Exercising

  • August 1, 2020August 5, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

I sometimes have a regular exercise routine, but struggle with consistency

First off, please know that you are not alone!  Sometimes this stage can just feel so FRUSTRATING right??  But all of us, whether we’re currently in this stage or not, have been here before and can relate.  So again-you’re not alone!  Now, for the 3 tips!

Consider it might not be a willpower thing
When we know we desire to make a change, or implement a consistent habit, AND we know the benefits of said change or habit, we can be really dumbfounded when we find it tough to follow through with the goals we’ve set for ourselves around these habits.  But consider this:  it might not be a lack of willpower.  It might actually be the stage of change you’re in, and the fact that you’re not yet ready to set and carry out goals around this behavior.  (If you haven’t had a chance to listen to our IG live about the stages of change, you’ll find it on our IGTV page!)  

When we start the process of wanting to change something in our lives, one of the first stages of change we go through is called “Contemplation”.  Contemplation is where you’re starting to see the benefits of changing…all the good that can come of adopting a regular exercise habit, for instance…and YET.  And this is a big YET.  There are still benefits to staying the same.  We may not recognize that right away, but there’s always a reason we continue with the status quo.  For example…you know that exercising will help you have more energy overall, but you also know that adding an exercise routine will mean less time with your kids after work.  See-there’s a benefit to NOT adding in an exercise routine.  So, what do you do if you realize…oh yeah, I’m still getting benefits from NOT changing?  That brings us to our next tip.

Think through the pros & cons
It sounds so simple, and if you’re like me, you’ve done pros and cons lists for big decisions like “where will I attend college?” and “should we move to this place and take this job?”  Shoutout to my Dad for getting me started with this!  But rarely do we stop to think about this for our habits.  

So take a bit of time…even 5 minutes would do!…to jot down all of the pros for adopting a regular exercise routine that you can think of, and all of the cons of adopting that routine.  For example, a pro would be “It can help me reduce stress” and a con would be “I have to wake up earlier to fit it in my schedule”.  Then, and this is the important part, make a pros and cons list for maintaining the status quo, as well.  For example, a pro would be “I don’t have to do the work of figuring out what type of exercise I like” and a con would be “I’d continue feeling a bit lethargic every day.”  

Build up the pros, and overcome the cons
This is the third and final tip.  After you’ve made your pros and cons list, is to continue adding pros to the “adopting an exercise routine” side over the course of the next several days.  Talk to friends or family about what you’re doing and see if they can brainstorm pros with you.  And always feel free to reach out to us as well!  The goal is to tip the scale in favor of the pros, which actually helps tip your internal motivation in favor of adopting an exercise routine.  And when the motivation turns from external (which can feel a lot like “I know I SHOULD do this”) to internal, you’re much more likely to stay consistent once you set goals, because it’s something you truly see the benefit of, want to do, and have chosen to do.  

BUT!  And this is an important BUT.  We cannot forget the cons, because usually these are barriers or challenges to you making exercise a consistent routine.  First off, know that it’s normal to have challenges-that’s true for all of us!-and it doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong (in fact many times, it means you’re doing something right!).  But, thinking through ways to overcome these challenges PRIOR to goal setting will help you have a plan b, or c, or d in place BEFORE those challenges arise.  Once again, you can chat through these with a friend or family member to brainstorm ideas and backup plans to help you overcome these barriers.  Talking things out typically helps us see that there’s a way forward. 

Be the best version of you!

3 Tips if You Currently Have an Exercise Routine…

  • July 30, 2020August 1, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

I currently have a regular exercise routine and want to keep going

Amazing!  This most likely means you’ve done a lot of work to determine what works for you…what you enjoy, what is available to you, and how exercise fits into the rest of your life.  So, don’t forget to celebrate that!  And now, the 3 tips to keep you going and motivated are:

Don’t sweat the little things

If you miss a day here and there that you planned to exercise, don’t let it freak you out.  This is NORMAL and life happens.  Trust that you’ve built this as a habit, and just get back to exercising tomorrow.  Having grace and compassion for yourself in these times helps you continue to see exercise as a joy and privilege, rather than something you HAVE to or MUST do.

Mix it up

When a health behavior becomes a habit, you’ve moved into the Stage of Change called “Maintenance”.  If you haven’t had a chance to listen to our IG live about the stages of change, you’ll find it on our IGTV page!  The thing to watch out for when you hit the Maintenance phase is boredom.  So to prevent against boredom, see how far your creativity can take you.  How can you mix up exercise modalities, or locations, or goals?  And if you need assistance with this-simply reach out to us!  

Get inspired, not…tired

Finally, if you have current exercise routine, find ways to stay inspired, not tired.  What does that mean?  It means following accounts, reading books, listening to podcasts, and chatting with friends/family who are also pursuing exercise and health habits in ways that inspire you to keep going, while feeling good about and celebrating what you’re currently doing.  Additionally, watch out for times when you fall into comparison (which is essentially when you place your hard days/valleys next to someone’s best days/mountaintop experiences).  This can lead to feelings of guilt, like you’re not doing enough, which can then lead to discouragement and, once again, feeling like exercise is something you HAVE to do or MUST do.  A simple question you can ask yourself when you find comparison creeping up is “is this me or the people I’m surrounding myself with?”  If it’s you, find ways to mourn the tough or frustrating things happening in life right now, but then get back to work.  Possibly even find a way to encourage that person…it’s amazing what empowering others can do to raise our own spirits.  And it it’s the people you’re surrounding yourself with, figure out what you can learn from them, but make sure they’re not the loudest voices in your lives.  Remember-you’ll know a tree by the fruit it produces, so if guilt comes up and it’s not from you, it will be good to find some other trees.

Be the best version of you!

Exercise to Sustain You

  • May 14, 2020May 14, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

There is a beautiful thing happening right now, even in the midst of the darkness this pandemic has caused.

People are rediscovering a love for moving their bodies.

Many across the country are finding ways to get outside and simply take a walk or stay indoors and do a home workout (using whatever equipment they can find!).  

And why is this such a beautiful thing?  

Because the hope is that more and more people will realize exercise is not meant to be a punishment or something you should do or have to do.  Rather, it can be something that sustains you…bringing many health benefits and a greater quality of life along with it.  

Keep in mind, however, that exercise (and all of your health habits!) are meant to serve you, not the other way around.  

In times like these, it’s important to check in with yourself to understand what health habits would be helpful to you.  Habits like exercise, while something that produces so many benefits, is still a stressor.  

When you exercise, you’re putting a stress on your body, which tells it to produce favorable adaptations so it can be prepared to do those movements in the future, should you ask it to do so.  This is a wonderful thing, unless…

You’re already under a lot of stress.

Though exercise is a “good’ stressor, it is still a stressor.  We all have an allostatic load, or an amount of stress we can handle1.  In times when your stress levels are low, exercise-even intense exercise-can be a wonderful tool to help you feel your best.  But at times when stress is high, adding an additional stressor, even a good stressor like exercise, will cause harm.  This could show up in a variety of ways, from simply feeling overwhelmed to getting sick because your immune system can’t keep up.

Taking a moment to recognize how you’re doing and what your current stress level is can help you see what the next best step for your health would be.  In the case of exercise, perhaps that next step is one of the following…

  1. Simply starting to add more movement into your life
  2. Your usual exercise routine
  3. A gentler form of exercise
  4. A rest day

But quite possibly exercise and other health habits are the farthest thing from your mind.  

Perhaps access to safe places to exercise or healthy food isn’t an option right now.  Perhaps you’ve lost your job and are simply trying to keep food on the table and the lights on.  

As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows us, we must meet our basic needs (food, water, warmth, rest, and safety) before we’re able to move toward thinking about other privileges like being physically active2.  If this is what you are experiencing right now, perhaps the most beneficial thing for you to do is provide yourself grace and surround yourself with the love and support of others. 

As you consider your current stress level and how health habits fit into that, we hope you’ll feel empowered to take the next step that serves your health and sustains you…right now, where you are.  And we’ll be here, cheering you on.

Written by Brittni Paris
Wellness Coach & Blogger

Sources:
Photo by Sue Zeng on Unsplash
1https://www.precisionnutrition.com/good-stress-bad-stress
2 https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Be the best version of you!

Healthy Living: The Great Experiment

  • March 3, 2020March 3, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

You have high hopes heading into the New Year.  You’re clear on your goals and you’ve determined steps for achieving them.  Your new year of life is looking bright, and no one can stop you!  But then…

Life happens.

You or one of your loved ones catches the latest winter bug going around.  Or you have big projects with fast-approaching deadlines to complete at work.  Or your parents are aging, and you decide to spend more time helping them do things around the house.  Or you begin a new semester and all the things you’ll have to do in a few short months are glaring at you from the syllabus.  Or you’re realizing the toll a new baby AND a toddler are taking on your energy.  Or your best friend is getting married, and you’ve taken on the role of bachelorette party coordinator…for 11 bridesmaids.

Can you relate?

It seems even when we set out with the best intentions to create a healthier life, things inevitably try to get in the way.

So, what do we do?

There is one big mindset shift that can change everything, and help you make progress on those goals:

Viewing healthy living as your great life experiment.

What does this mean?  Rather than looking at our goals as win-lose (it’s a win when you achieve them, and a lose when you don’t), you can look at them as win-learn1.  When you decide to learn from yourself and about yourself while working to achieve your goals, you find meaning even in the times you don’t succeed.  

You gather information, much like any scientist, from what worked, what didn’t work, and from there, you can determine what to do next time.  As you acquire information, you find ways to creatively overcome the obstacles that arise when “life” happens.

Additionally, you eliminate all or nothing thinking.  This mindset is more of a hindrance than a help on the path toward a healthier life.  All or nothing thinking says “I missed that workout, so I guess I’ll quit going to the gym this week, and start again next week,” or “I ate more sweets than I wanted to this morning.  I’ve blown it trying to eat healthier, so I’ll eat whatever today and try again tomorrow.”

All or nothing thinking tells us if we’re not PERFECTLY performing, we might as well not try at all.  But win-learn thinking tells us “Hey, that didn’t work, but what are the takeaways?  How can I be successful later today?”

Eliminating this perfectionism allows us to show kindness to ourselves.  I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather follow a thoughtful, kind leader than a harsh taskmaster. 

If you find yourself struggling to keep up with the goals you set for 2020, don’t despair.  Instead, find ways to adopt win-learn thinking and see those small wins add up to something big.

If you’d like assistance changing your mindset, you’re in the right place!  As wellness coaches, we coach you through setting and reviewing goals, so you can have dedicated time to being the investigative scientist into your own life.  Ready to make a dent in those goals?  Sign up for wellness coaching today!

Another helpful resource:  “Never press ‘pause’ on your health and fitness again.”2

Written by:
Brittni Paris
Wellness Coach & Blogger

Credits:
1Moore, M., Tschannen-Moran, B., & Jackson, E. (2016). Coaching psychology manual (2nd edition). Wolters Kluwer.  
2Precision Nutrition:  precisionnutrition.com
Photo by Charlotte Karlsen on Unsplash
Photo by Science in HD on Unsplash
Photo by Nicklas Bajema on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

What if the problem isn’t your motivation?

  • January 24, 2020January 24, 2020
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Yep-that’s right.  What if the frustration you feel when trying to live a healthy lifestyle isn’t due to a lack of motivation or even willpower?  What if there was something else going on?

What if you don’t know what you really want?

Woah.  Let that sink in for a moment.  

“How could you even ask me that?” you might be thinking.  “Of course I know what I want!  I want a body that looks good in all my clothes and in pictures.  I want a body I love and I want to feel good in it.”

That’s all well and good.  But you may have simply scratched the surface into your true desires.  

Let’s experiment a bit.

Close your eyes, and picture yourself living your healthiest life.  What would you feel like?  What would be happening in and around you?  What would you be doing?  Where would you be?  Who would be with you?  

Get as detailed as possible with this picture in mind.  Then, ask yourself a very simple question:

Why?

Why do you want to feel that way?  Why did you picture yourself that way?  Why did you picture those particular people around you?  Why did you picture yourself doing certain things?

The reality is, we typically don’t sit still long enough to really dig deep into the motivation behind what we say we desire.  Because of this, we don’t truly know what we want!  

For example, when I picture my healthiest lifestyle, I envision waking up at sunrise, meeting up with friends for a morning surf session.  My body is strong and limber as I swim through the waves and balance on my board. The rush of the cool water and the waves is invigorating and stays with me for the rest of the day.  

Why does this picture come to mind?  Perhaps it reveals a longing to enjoy my favorite part of nature and share that love with those I most care about.  Perhaps it reveals a longing to prove to myself that I can hone the skill it takes to master surfing.  Perhaps what is means is, my real motivation for getting healthy is not only to look and feel good, it’s to experience connection with friends while fully enjoying this grand world-and THAT’S a powerful antidote to the lack of motivation I can at times experience.  

When what we really desire is this tangible to us, it’s tangible enough to make the necessary changes in our lives to make it happen.

This is good news.

It means you’re not worse than someone who seems to be crushing it with their healthy habits.  It means you didn’t miss out on some sort of motivation gene that others must have.  Rather, it means your motivation, your “why”, is in there, deep down.  It’s simply waiting for you to uncover it.    

Wellness coaching is the art of uncovering motivation.  If you don’t want to go through this process alone, sign up for wellness coaching today!  We love helping womxn find their motivation and live the healthy lives they’ve longed for. 

Written by Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

Photo credits:
Photo by Leighann Blackwood on Unsplash
Photo by Erke Rysdauletov on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Do Small Steps Really Matter?

  • October 30, 2019November 1, 2019
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Dispelling the myth that a healthy lifestyle requires all or nothing commitment

Let’s start with a question.  When you’ve considered making health changes in the past, how many times have you thought you needed to completely overhaul your life to do so?

For instance, if you got your numbers back on a yearly physical and realized you could make some changes to get those numbers into a healthier range, would you start thinking the following…

“I guess I could eat a little better.  And that means I shouldn’t eat my nightly dessert anymore.  And I probably shouldn’t go out for fast food with coworkers each Friday.  And my Starbucks Frappuccino, that’s going to have to go.  And I’m only going to eat clean food!  I don’t actually know what “clean” means, but my friend Kim was telling me she was eating clean, so that seems like something I should do.”

“Oh, and then there’s exercise!  I’m going to have to hire a personal trainer.  Thankfully there’s a gym down the street and they have trainers.  I’m going to need that person to kick my butt.  I’ve been lazy, so I need that.  If I can’t find someone who makes me sweat, then it’s not worth my money!  Gotta sweat for it to count, right??”



Has this ever been the rabbit hole your brain has gone down when you’ve considered making changes for your heath?

If so, don’t worry!  You’re not alone.

We’ve seen for our clients and ourselves that this all or nothing thinking is pervasive when we consider making changes that impact our health.  It makes sense, as the fitness industry has made a lot of money advertising quick, “guaranteed” fixes to us.  These quick fixes aren’t typically sustainable and can be drastic in nature.  This leads us to think we need to make drastic changes to improve our health, otherwise we’re not doing it right.

But the problem with this thinking is we often get overwhelmed attempting to completely change our habits, and we simply quit and do nothing at all.

What if there was another way?

What if the goal instead was to move the needle forward, if ever so slightly?

Think about the following statement:

“I don’t have the capacity right now to hire a personal trainer and get to the gym, but I could take a walk once a week on my lunch break.”

How do you feel when you read that statement?

Does something rise up in you that says “But that’s not enough!  I need to be crushing it at the gym to be healthy!”?

Again, this all or nothing mentality is PERVASIVE.  This means it’s lodged deep down inside us.  The key, then, is to start recognizing when we jump to these grand conclusions about what we need to do to be healthy, and realize this…

The walk you DO take is far healthier than the gym workout you DON’T do.

When we realize the options are “do everything perfectly, but eventually get overwhelmed and quit because it’s not sustainable” or “make small, sustainable health changes that may not feel like a lot right now but will add up over time,” it starts becoming easier to see which is the better choice in the long run.

So the next time you start heading down the rabbit hole of all the habits you need to change to be healthier, we want you to picture a spectrum chart like the one below and think, “What would it take to move the needle forward?”


Remember-doing something small every day (or most days) adds up over time and is ALWAYS better and more beneficial to your health than the grand, “perfect” habits you eventually quit because they aren’t sustainable.

If you’d like assistance in figuring out what small, sustainable habits would move the needle forward in your life, you’re in luck!

That’s exactly what we help our clients figure out when they work with us.  Click here to sign up for wellness coaching and get started on making small changes that add up over time.  Your first appointment is free, so why not get started today?

Written by Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

Photo Credits:
Photo by Devin Edwards on Unsplash
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Why a Lack in Creativity is Keeping You from…

  • September 11, 2019
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

I was out on a morning run (I can usually talk myself into 1-2 of those per week), when I saw them.

A group of women, circled up, all wearing activewear and doing lunges.

“Okay,” you might think.  “That seems pretty normal.  What’s so interesting about this scenario?”

But what I didn’t mention was that these women were clearly moms.  How did I know?  They were all doing lunges…next to their STROLLERS.

“What an amazing idea!” I thought as I stopped listening to my podcast and pondered what I’d just seen.

These women represented a lot to me in that moment.
Women who were busy-but were still exercising.
Women who were consistently sacrificing for a little person (or people) they loved-but were still exercising.

Women who rallied together with others in their same stage of life-and helped one another keep exercising.

The biggest reason people give for not exercising is a lack of time1.  Though I didn’t know any of the women personally, I’m guessing they didn’t have a lot of time either.  If any of you currently have, or have had, kids who were still small enough to ride in strollers, you know that time is not your greatest resource.

But instead of giving up and giving into a perfectly understandable reason not to exercise, these women got CREATIVE.

They found others who would hold them accountable, all while empathizing with the ups and downs of having small children.  They found a space in a little corner of a park and figured out a creative way to exercise.

The point of sharing this story isn’t to say we all should mimic exactly what these women were doing, nor is it to shame us if we haven’t been exercising-whether due to little kids, lack of time, lack of workout partners, etc.  Rather, the point is to learn from these women.  On our journey towards health, sometimes a dose of creativity, like they exemplified, allows us to overcome obstacles to make the changes we desire.


So-how about you? 
Is there something in your health journey you’d like to change, but you can only see the barriers, challenges, or lack of resources standing in your way?
What would a dose of creativity do to help you overcome those obstacles and pursue the changes you want to make?
How can creativity fuel the healthy life you long to live?

Note:  Sometimes we can run out of ideas ourselves, and our creativity can be jogged by inviting someone else in to help with our health journey.  A wellness coach can do just that!  By meeting with a wellness coach, you have a guide, an outside perspective, looking at your health journey with fresh eyes.  Through a coach’s questions and reflections, you can dream up new options you’d never thought of before.  And someone just might be writing a blog post about how inspiring YOUR creativity was to them!

Want to keep that creativity alive and work with a wellness coach?  Simply follow the steps below and get started today!

 


Written by Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

Sources:

1Riebe, D., Ehrman, J.K. Liguori, G., & Magal, M. (Eds.). (2018). ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription(10thed.). Philadelphia, PA:  Wolters Kluwer Health.

Photo Credits:
Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash
Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Welcome to Smart Fit Womxn!

  • July 4, 2019July 4, 2019
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Welcome to Smart Fit Womxn!  We’re so glad you clicked on this post.  Here you’ll find the one thing we think will revolutionize your health (spoiler alert:  it’s wellness coaching!), how we seek to serve you with your health goals, and how you can get started working with a wellness coach today!

You know you want to live a healthy life.  You want to look and feel your best, having energy to live out your full potential, be there for your kids and grandkids, or simply enjoy the body you’re in.  But each tip, trick, new exercise, or new diet you’ve tried has only left you feeling worse about yourself when you inevitably give it up because it’s not sustainable.

We get it.

It seems like new habits won’t stick, as if we’re all doomed to living in a perpetual state of unhealth and low energy.  Simultaneously, we’re bombarded with expectations of what we should look like to be beautiful, successful womxn.  The whole system makes us feel like failures.

Enter wellness coaching.

When you work with a wellness coach, you uncover your deepest internal motivation for why you want to get healthy, which will then inform the goals you set.  Why is this a better process?  Instead of listening to the outside voices of what you should be doing, you find what actually drives you and we help you leverage that to make sustainable changes. Turns out the magic happens when we stop “shoulding” on ourselves.

And you know what?  People are seeing success.

The research on wellness coaching is in its beginning stages, but the outcomes are promising.  When used as an adjunct therapy, coaching shows positive psychological outcomes for cancer patients, lowered A1C values for diabetics, and improved risk factors for heart disease patients1. And while more studies are needed, coaching has the potential to be a valuable method of helping with weight reduction in obese patients and effectively increasing exercise and healthy eating behaviors.1,2,3,4,5

Why this success?  Coaching helps you pair your personal motivators with your unique strengths and resources, so you can achieve your health goals in the midst of real life.

And that’s not all.

A wellness coach will help you clarify your own personal vision of health, which will take that ambiguous phrase “I want to be healthier” and turn it into a detailed picture of what success on your health journey looks like to YOU.

So, how do you get started?  It’s easy.  Simply follow the steps below:

  • Sign up here!
  • Watch for an email from us to set up your first online appointment (the first one is free!) and fill out a health form so we can get to know you better
  • Your coach will call you on Skype or Zoom when it’s time to meet!

We’re tired of seeing womxn feel like they’re failing at living healthy lives.  Let go of the old cycle of starting and quitting unsustainable health habits and begin working with us today!

 

Written by Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

 

Sources:
1Sforzo, G.A., Kaye, M.P., Todorova, I., Harenberg, S., Costello, K., Cobus-Kuo, L.,…Moore, M.  (2017).  Compendium of the health and wellness coaching literature. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 12(6):  436-447. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617708562

2Clark, M.M., Bradley, K.L., Jenkins, S.M., Mettler, E.A., Larson, B.G., Preston, H.R.,…Vickers Douglas, K.S.  (2015).  Improvements in health behaviors, eating self-efficacy, and goal-setting skills following participation in wellness coaching.  American Journal of Health Promotion, 30(6):  458-464.  https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.140627-QUAL-304

3Blackwell, J., Collins, M., Scribner, C., Guillen, J., Moses, K., Gregory-Mercado, K.  Health and wellness coaching implemented by trainees: impact in worksite wellness. (2019).  Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 8.  https://doi.org/10.1177/2164956119831226

4Rutten, G.M., Meis, J.J., Hendriks, M.R., Hamers, F.J., Veenhof, C., Kremers, S.P.  (2014). The contribution of lifestyle coaching of overweight patients in primary care to more autonomous motivation for physical activity and healthy dietary behaviour: results of a longitudinal study. Int J Behav Nurt Phys Act., 11(86).  DOI: 10.1186/s12966-014-0086-z.

5Lancha, A.H., Sforzo, G.A., Pereira-Lancha, L.O.  (2018).  Improving nutritional habits with no diet prescription details of a nutritional coaching process.  Am J Lifestyle Med.  12:  160–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827616636616

Photo Credits:
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
Photo by Jerry Wang on Unsplash
Photo by Court Prather on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Want to Live Your Healthiest Life? Three (More) Behaviors…

  • April 26, 2019
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Last month, we discussed three behaviors to reflect on that can move us forward in our health journeys. You can check that out here if you missed it!

This month, we’re talking about three more behaviors you can start today.  Rest assured, these are not meant to upend your life, but rather they are small tweaks that, over time, will actually have a large effect on your health.  Small steps, when taken consistently, add up to big change. (For more on this topic, check out Aimee Suen and her Small Steps podcast!)

As a reminder from last month, you can look at each of these behaviors through the lens of the diagram below, answering “yes” or “no” according to what you’re already doing. Based on your answer, the diagram will give you the next step(s) to take.

Are you ready?  If so, snag your journal or piece of paper so you can jot down your answers as you think about them.

3 more behaviors (broken down into smaller parts) that will help you live a health-filled life:

  1. Planning
    •  Nutrition
      1. I schedule time to make a shopping list and shop for groceries (either online or in person)
      2. I plan ahead for when I will cook or meal prep
    • Movement
      1. I plan out when I will exercise each day (and have a back-up plan in mind for when “life” happens)
    • Money
      1. I plan how I will spend my money so I’m not (unpleasantly!) surprised at the end of each month
    • Rest and rejuvenation
      1. I build in transition time between running from one thing to the next
      2. I keep open space on my calendar for resting and relaxing
      3. I plan specific time to do things (either by myself or with loved ones) that rejuvenate me
  1. Social support
    • Time
      1. I make time for relationships, especially top priority ones
    • Help
      1. I ask for help when I need it and offer to help others when I am able and willing
    • Teammates
      1. I have people in my life who are cheering me on to be the best version of myself

  1. Spiritual
    • I take time to pray, meditate, journal, reflect, be in nature, be with community, or some other practice to promote the health of my soul
    • I have a place or people I can go to, and/or habits established that cultivate peace of mind and rest from the constant busyness of life

Remember, as you go through each of these, it’s important to pause and celebrate the things you’re already doing.  Well done! Recognize the benefits you’re receiving from incorporating these things into your life and keep it up.  If you’re not already practicing some or all of these things, this is not a cause for shame.  Rather, this is a place to start, and we suggest picking one behavior at a time on which to focus your efforts.  As we said before, small steps, when taken consistently over time, will add up to big change.

As we close out this two-part blog series, we wanted to give you a bonus behavior that will help you live your healthiest life:  seeking professional help.  This can come in an array of forms, from counseling, to chiropractors or physical therapists, to personal trainers, to doctors, to dieticians/nutritionists, and, of course, wellness coaches!

It is never a sign of weakness, rather it is a sign of strength, to ask for professional help when you feel stuck in your progress, or you just want someone who has the tools to help guide you on your health journey.  If you think this would be right for you, take the next step today to get connected with one of these providers.

As always, we would be honored to work with you as your wellness coaches!  Feel free to reach out on our website, Facebook, or Instagram, and we’d be happy to provide you with more details.

Until next time, cheers to making progress on your health journey!

Written by:
Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

 

Photo Credits:
Photo by rishikesh yogpeeth on Unsplash
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Photo by Peter Boccia on Unsplash
Photo by Juan Jose on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

Want to Live Your Healthiest Life? Three Behaviors You…

  • March 1, 2019May 1, 2019
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Over the past two months, we’ve been discussing the difference between focusing on weight loss and focusing on healthy behaviors (you can catch up by reading this and this!).  But what exactly are the behaviors that will lead to living our best, healthiest lives?

For starters, it’s not the typical “overhaul everything in my life that’s unhealthy and only do healthy things from here on out” sort of lifestyle.

If you’ve ever tried that approach, you know it’s extremely hard to maintain.  Instead, we advocate for a more gracious approach in light of all the things you’re already doing in your life:  working, parenting, going to school, maintaining relationships, being awesome, etc.

So, to keep us from the all or nothing approach, a helpful way to think about these behaviors is through a simple check-in with yourself.  Ask “Am I pursuing this already?” and if so, take a moment to celebrate the ways you’re currently prioritizing your health and the benefits these behaviors have brought to your life.  If you’re not pursuing a behavior, have compassion on yourself.  We all have to begin somewhere, and we all (including us wellness coaches!) have things we can do to improve our health.  So, consider which behavior you would like to start, then jot down the next small step you can take to begin incorporating this behavior into your life. Here’s a diagram you can use as you peruse the list at the end of this post:

Notice that working on one behavior at a time is plenty, especially if you’re in a particularly busy season of life.

Change takes time and effort, so we’re more likely to stick with something when we allow ourselves to focus on one change at a time, and set small, achievable goals around that behavior.  Then, when we see success, we’ll gain the confidence and momentum to continue.

Are you ready?  If so, grab a pen and paper, or open up a Word doc or “Notes” app, and consider these behaviors using the diagram above:


3 behaviors (broken down into smaller parts) that will help you live a health-filled life:

 

  1. Paying Attention
    1. Nutrition
      1. I take a moment to recognize how my food/drink made me feel after consuming it, and whether I have higher or lower energy afterwards.
      2. I pay attention to whether or not my food/drink choices bring me pleasure when consuming them.
      3. I know whether or not I feel better abstaining from certain things rather than trying to eat/drink/experience them in moderation.
    2.  Movement
      1. I check in to see how I feel after I take time to exercise, and whether I have higher or lower energy afterwards.
    3.  Rest
      1. I check in to see how I feel after taking a nap or getting adequate sleep at night.
    4.  Hobbies
      1. I check in to see how I feel after taking time to do something I love, like a hobby, favorite pastime, spending time alone or with a close friend/family member.
    5.  Energy
      1. I pay attention to what gives me energy and what drains my energy.
      2. I recognize that I am an introvert/extrovert and need alone time/people time to fuel me.
  2. Nutrition
    1. I shop the perimeter of the grocery store when my budget allows, so that I can consume less processed foods.
    2. I cook a majority of my meals at home so I have more control over the ingredients I ingest.
    3. During a majority of my meals, I ensure half of my plate consists of fruits and vegetables.
  3. Movement
    1. I have scheduled time to move/exercise in a way I enjoy.
    2. I creatively find ways to move daily, even outside of scheduled exercise time.

We hope this reflection exercise encourages you as you think about the behaviors you’re already doing, as well as the behaviors you can start today to be on the path to your healthiest life.  Join us on April 1 for the next post about three more health behaviors you can consider for your health journey!

 

Written by Brittni Paris, Wellness Coach & Blogger

Photo Credits:
Photo by Chris Murray on Unsplash
Photo by Emma Dau on Unsplash
Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash

Be the best version of you!

What Exactly is Wellness Coaching?

  • December 11, 2018December 11, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

We’re so glad you asked! You may have seen us posting that we’re offering a holiday deal on wellness coaching (if not, check this and this out!), and wondered what it is.  You are not alone!  Wellness coaching is relatively new to the health and fitness scene, so we’d love to share what it is and how it can be beneficial to you on your health journey.

Many of us know the basics about what we should do to live a healthy life.  We generally know that we should exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep, have healthy relationships, and not stress out too much.   We may even know some of the details about how to do these things.

But, many of us aren’t doing what we know we should do to live healthy lives.  Why is that?

There can be a variety of reasons, ranging from a lack of time or energy in the midst of a busy life, to feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start.  We may also lack access to safe places to exercise, healthy food
options, or support from loved ones to make healthy choices.1 These are just a few of the barriers we face when considering making healthy changes.

So, we find ourselves in a place of having some knowledge, but little success in implementing that knowledge into our everyday lives.  This can make us feel like living a consistently healthy life is frustrating and discouraging, rather than what it is supposed to be:  freeing and life-giving.

Enter wellness coaching.

Working with a wellness coach can help you bridge the gap between knowing what you should do and actually doing it.  You can think of us like a guide on your wellness journey:  someone who comes alongside you, helps you clarify what a healthy life means to you (we call it your Wellness Vision), and points out the strengths and resources you have to succeed.  We work with you to figure out how you can live the healthy life you want, even in the midst of your current circumstances.

 

How is this different from other “get healthy” schemes, you ask?

This is a great, and necessary, question.  Unfortunately, there are many quick fixes and gimmicks out there (haven’t we all tried at least one?), that usually leave us feeling more discouraged than when we started. There are two main differences between wellness coaching and these schemes:

  1. Wellness coaching isn’t concerned with fast results, but rather sustainable change.  In fact, it’s backed by research to help produce changes that last.
  2. Wellness coaching is designed to have YOU in charge. Though we coaches are trained and educated to give you the best information out there, you are actually the one who determines what changes you want to make, what goals you want to pursue, and how you want to go about doing so. Wellness coaching is tailored to you and your autonomy, which means you’re more likely to stick with healthy habits and goals…because you’re the one who made them!

We hope this gives you a bit of clarity on what wellness coaching is and how it can benefit your health journey.  But don’t simply take our word for it.  You can also hear from our clients about the successes they’ve found thanks to wellness coaching.

Our goal here at Smart Fit Chicks is to help you define your vision of health and feel empowered to become the best version of yourself.  If you’re ready to get started, sign up for wellness coaching today!  If you have any questions about coaching, feel free to reach out to us here.

We can’t wait to join you on your journey to health!

Written by Brittni Paris, SFC coach and blogger

 

Sources:
1Riebe, D. (2018).  ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription(10thed.).  The American College of Sports Medicine.

Photo Credits:
Photo by Florian van Duyn on Unsplash
Photo by Bewakoof.com Official on Unsplash
Photo by Nqobile Vundla on Unsplash

 

Be the best version of you!

Taking the Long View

  • October 26, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn
Growing up in Nebraska, you learn there are two things you learn:
  • Always say “hi” to those you pass, whether you know them or not.
  • Remain a Husker football fan for the rest of your life, no matter where you live.

As you can imagine, this first one can be awkward when you live in larger cities, or places where folks aren’t used to being talked to by strangers.  And yet, I’m grateful for this being instilled in me, as it makes every place feel a bit more communal.  The second item, I embrace with gusto, even though I’ve lived in four different states since I left Nebraska.

Read more “Taking the Long View” →

Be the best version of you!

Fall Fitness Tips

  • October 6, 2018October 6, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Is fall your favorite season?  If so, perhaps you’re getting excited to break out the scarves and boots, spend evenings wrapped in a blanket out by the firepit, or simply surround yourself with pumpkin everything.  However you plan to spend fall this year, we’ve got five tips to keep your fitness on point:

Know what you want to achieve and why it matters

Getting a clear picture of what being healthy and fit means to you is the first step toward achieving your health goals.  As Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.”1  Additionally, getting clear on why being healthy is important to you and the good that can come of it is an excellent motivator to make your picture of health a reality.

Reflect on the strengths you bring to the table

Did you know the strengths you bring to other aspects of your life can bring you success on your health journey?  Sometimes we forget this and compartmentalize our strengths to certain areas of our lives.  But you can leverage your unique skills and talents to overcome challenges and achieve your goals.  Have your organizational skills made your family’s lives and schedules simpler?  Does your aptitude to dive deep into research and come out with understanding make you an amazing professor?  What about your ability to gather friends around you and form a solid community?  Organizing meals for the week, diving into nutrition research, and gathering friends for workout classes are just a few ways these strengths could be translated to your health journey.  When you know the strengths you bring to the table, you are better able to use those in pursuit of any goal, including your health goals.

Consider potential and probable challenges you’ll face

It can be frustrating when you’re motivated and excited to start new health habits, and you find yourself meeting challenges and setbacks.  But, knowing these will come in some form or fashion can help you plan for them beforehand.  As we’ve mentioned before, when you’ve planned to fail, you can have a method in place to help you navigate challenges and stick with the habits you’re building.

Leverage support from your surroundings

If you were to pause for a moment and think about the people in your life and the resources you have access to, you may find things in your surroundings that can help you be successful on your health journey.  Who in your life can support you if you asked them to?  What resources do you have nearby or in your home that you could draw on to help your vision of health become a reality?  Simply asking for help and getting a little creative can make a big difference in accomplishing your goals.

Recruit back-up

As mentioned in the first tip, sometimes we experience failure merely because we do not have a vision of what success on our health journey means to us.  If you’re interested in determining what your vision is, and having a partner join you on this journey, wellness coaching could be right for you!  When you work with our wellness coaches, they’ll help you gain clarity on your vision, and walk you through the tips above (and more!) so that you can look good, feel good, and live the healthy life you long for.

If you’re ready to focus on your fitness this fall, following these five steps is a great start.  And don’t forget to add wellness coaching to the list of all the quintessential fall things you’re enjoying!

 

~Written By Brittni Paris, SFC Wellness Coach and Writer

 

 

Credits

1 https://www.forbes.com/quotes/10405/

 

Photo Credits

Photo by Alex Geerts on Unsplash

Photo by Charis Gegelman on Unsplash

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

 

 

 

Be the best version of you!

Back to School + Thoughts on Healthy Habits

  • August 29, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

It’s that time of year again-back to school!  Whether you’re a mom, a relative of school-aged kids, an employee at a school or university, a student yourself, or simply noticing all the school supplies showing up at your favorite stores, it’s hard to miss the transition back into the school year.

Regardless of your involvement with school, there are a few ways we can use this change of the season to benefit us on our health journeys:

Take advantage of the “Clean Slate” phenomenon to start new habits.

When we experience a change (a new season, a move, a new rhythm of life), we can use this “Clean Slate” to our advantage, as it is an excellent time to begin new habits.  Why?  Those new habits are more likely to stick!  We associate new habits with a fresh season of life, which helps our brains recognize that this is simply our new normal.  For more information on this topic, check out the post, “So Fresh and So Clean”.

Cultivate grace and patience for yourself.

If you are directly affected by a new school year, you may find your summer routine thrown for a loop!  Recognize that it is normal to be a bit shocked when your day-to-day schedule suddenly changes, and most likely, becomes much busier!  If you find it’s difficult to maintain the healthy habits you developed this summer, take it as an opportunity to show yourself grace and patience.  Give yourself the opportunity to get used to your new schedule, and time to figure out what habits you’d like to keep or change now that you’ve switched into school mode.

Revise your habits or routine to fit your current life situation.

Michael Hyatt and his daughter, Meghan Hyatt Miller, talk about this process on their podcast for high-achieving leaders.  Though many of their recommendations are applicable to running businesses, they can also be useful when we look at our personal routines.

They discuss when we are revising or creating new routines, we should begin with the outcome we want in mind.  For instance, what healthy habits do you want to incorporate during the school year?  Once you know this, you can think about what needs to be true for you to successfully implement those habits now that the school year is underway.  Then, you can “reverse engineer” the process, which is essentially working backward from the outcome you’d like to see, thinking through all of the aspects of your new school schedule, and creating new habits or routines that fit into that schedule and help you reach your desired outcome.   They also encourage listeners to remember that you may have to go through this new routine several times before you find something that actually works.  This is another reason to have grace and patience for ourselves as we set out to create new habits and routines.

As you embark on a new school year (or watch others do so), thinking of it in terms of an aide to reassess and/or begin new healthy habits, rather than something that is detrimental to your summer healthy habits, can enable you to take advantage of this new season of life.

Cheers to your best school year yet!

Written By: Brittni Paris, SFC Blogger and Wellness Coach

 

Sources:

Hyatt, M., & Hyatt Miller, M. (2018, August 14). Engineering Success:  How to create with the end in mind. Lead to Win Podcast. Podcast retrieved from https://michaelhyatt.com/podcast-engineering-success/

 

Photo Credits:

Photo by Renan Kamikoga on Unsplash

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

 

 

 

Be the best version of you!

A Healthy Life For Good

  • July 1, 2018July 1, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Have you ever found yourself in this situation?  You decide you’re going to get healthy.  Now is the time and you’ve made up your mind to do so.  You buy new workout clothes and shoes.  You find a running partner or sign up for a gym membership.  You purchase the latest meal delivery service or buy more leafy greens at the store than you know what to do with.  You KNOW this is the time when you’ll start living a healthy life for good.

 

And then…you stop.

 

Life happens, old habits creep back in, and suddenly you’re back to where you started.  Except this time, you’re a bit more skeptical that you could actually live a consistently healthy lifestyle.  You blame it on a lack of motivation and wonder why you can’t just get it together.

Read more “A Healthy Life For Good” →

Be the best version of you!

The Beauty of Reflection

  • April 22, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

When you were little did you own a diary?  Maybe it was one with hearts on the front that came complete with a key so that no one could steal it (and read about your crush at the time).  Or was that just me?  😉

The great thing about having a diary, a journal, or taking pictures is that it gives us something to look back on.  We can look back at what we wrote in our journals two or three years ago and see how much we’ve grown-how we were able to work out a problem or gain perspective about who we are and what we value.  Read more “The Beauty of Reflection” →

Be the best version of you!

The Benefits of Paying Attention

  • March 26, 2018March 26, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Pay attention.  Be present.

These are words I’ve heard a lot lately when it comes to considering how we live our lives and the pace we keep.  Maybe it stems from the feeling that we need to do more and more, adding things to our schedules to keep up with someone or something, and we’ve realized we need to slow things down a bit.  Or maybe it comes from the influx of yoga or yoga-type workouts over the past few years that challenge us to stop, breathe, and see what’s going on in our bodies.

Read more “The Benefits of Paying Attention” →

Be the best version of you!

A Little Help from My Friends

  • February 12, 2018February 12, 2018
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Is the song stuck in your head now that you’ve read the title?

Though a fun song performed by the Beatles, the lyrics actually point to a great truth for us as we look to make positive changes in our health journeys.

Surrounding ourselves with people who are also committed to their health journeys-be it friends, family members, accountability partners, coaches, trainers-can be a huge source of support and encouragement as we seek to create and sustain healthy habits.

Read more “A Little Help from My Friends” →

Be the best version of you!

What Does Healthy Mean to You?

  • November 6, 2017November 6, 2017
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

It is easy for us to use words like “healthy”, “wellness”, etc., but sometimes these terms are so general and broad that they lose their meaning.

For instance, if you say, “I want to get healthy”, what exactly does that mean to you? What do you picture yourself doing if you’re a healthy person? What do you picture yourself not doing as a healthy person? Read more “What Does Healthy Mean to You?” →

Be the best version of you!

An Ode to Our Bodies

  • October 18, 2017October 18, 2017
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

It happened today-my jeans didn’t fit.

They came really close, but in the end, they wouldn’t zip.

I started to panic and thought “This can’t be right!”

Immediately I regretted dressing up for our date night.

 

I wanted to feel beautiful, to glow from the inside, out

But thanks to my jeans, all I did was pout.

Read more “An Ode to Our Bodies” →

Be the best version of you!

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

  • September 26, 2017April 7, 2021
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Every day we are bombarded with information:  some good, some bad, some helpful, and some we should just forget.  We’re constantly fielding information from the outside and deciphering whether we should let it inform our lives or not.

But how often do we stop to listen to our internal dialogue each day?

Read more “The Stories We Tell Ourselves” →

Be the best version of you!

When It’s Time to Make a Change

  • August 29, 2017October 18, 2017
  • by Smart Fit Womxn

Have you ever found yourself longing to make a change?  It may sneak up on you, like a quick thought that happens to catch your attention.  “What if I made a change in (fill in the blank) area of my life?”  Other times it may be something you’ve been mulling over for a while, and finally decide it’s time to take action.

If you find yourself desiring to make a change in your health journey specifically, I’d love to offer you some encouragement.  Change is hard-we all know this to be true.  Even if it’s a good change that we choose to make, it doesn’t typically come without effort.  But if we keep a few things in mind, we have a better chance of successfully implementing those changes.

Read more “When It’s Time to Make a Change” →

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