FitTips Archives - SmartFitWomxn

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:

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?
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.
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!

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

FitTips

One Simple Idea to Navigate the Holidays Well

December 16, 2020December 16, 2020
by Smart Fit Womxn

The holiday season can be a tough time to prioritize our health in normal circumstances, but what about on top of all the stress and uncertainty we’ve been through this year? How do we both enjoy the holidays AND not feel guilty or like we’ve been too hard on our bodies once January comes around?

One simple idea: Take everything into context.

What does this mean?

It’s a way to see your life as a whole, and rather than focusing in on each minute thing (i.e., feeling guilty for eating a lot of Christmas cookies), it allows you to make decisions based on the big picture.

What does this look like in real life?

Here are three scenarios where this idea can play out:

Eating

The holiday season often includes eating food you don’t normally eat or eating more than usual. Instead of worrying about every little food choice (“Should I eat this? Should I not?”), and perhaps feeling guilty if you’ve indulged, you can instead take your whole day into context.

This looks like thinking through your meals for the whole day, and planning where you can get in something green, some protein, AND where you’d like to indulge.

For example, you could decide that at the end of each day, you want to eat some peanut brittle your grandma used to make, because it reminds you of being at her house for Christmas. Throughout the rest of the day, you can eat in ways that give your body energy, then thoroughly enjoy that peanut brittle as an evening snack.

You’ve not only fed your body well the majority of the day, but you also haven’t restricted yourself from a treat you only have during this season.

Exercise

Taking everything into context with your exercise is something we’ve discussed a lot on this blog, especially lately. This looks like assessing how much stress you have on a daily basis outside of exercise (because exercise is a stressor, though usually a good one), how much sleep you got the night before, how your body feels and what it needs, etc.

If you haven’t slept well and you’ve been fairly stressed, exercise could take the form of recovery…a slow walk around the neighborhood, a gentle yoga practice, or doing a few stretches.

But if you feel rested and your overall stress load is pretty low, a higher intensity workout, such as running, HIIT, or lifting heavy weights can feel great.

Taking into context the overall stress on your body each day can help you determine what type of exercise would be best and would serve your body well, rather than add additional stress.

Energy

Figuring out what depletes your energy and what fills you back up is a worthy endeavor. As you get clear on this, you can take into context if your day is full of energy filling or energy depleting things.

For instance, if having all your kids at home 24/7 fills you up, you might not need to carve out time to do additional energy-filling activities. But if this depletes your energy, then you’ll want to find a way to fill up your tank again so you can continue to engage your family in the way you want to.

When you take into context your entire day based on what will add to or subtract from your energy, you can see where you might need to take pockets of time to fill back up. This isn’t always possible, of course, but it can give you a sense of where you might delegate tasks or ask for help or time so you can pursue those things that give you life.

Taking everything into context-lifting your eyes up from the minute details to look at the bigger picture-can help you make decisions on eating, exercise, and energy in a way that isn’t caught up in feeling guilty about each little thing.

Rather, this helps you approach the holidays in a way that serves your body well and still empowers you to enjoy them to the fullest.

Photo Credits:
Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash
Photo by Marie Despeyroux on Unsplash
Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash
Photo by S&B Vonlanthen 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!

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 (2^nd 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!

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(10^thed.). 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!

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:

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

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

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:

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.
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.
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!

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

¹https://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!

For the Love of Exercise

August 9, 2018
by Smart Fit Womxn

How often do you do the things you should do? For instance, we should floss each day. We should get a good amount of sleep each night. I don’t know about you, but many times I find it difficult to maintain habits I know I should do, but I don’t actually enjoy.

The benefits of exercise for our health have been heralded for a while now. Not only does exercise help us feel good physically, it helps us feel our best mentally and emotionally as well. So really, we all should be exercising regularly. If you’re struggling to maintain a consistent exercise schedule, could it be because you really don’t enjoy exercise?

It’s a perfectly fine thing to admit.

There can be various reasons why we might not enjoy exercise. Some of us have had bad experiences being forced to exercise when we were young (“that’ll be 3 laps around the gym for showing up late to PE” – sound familiar to anyone?). Some of us loved being a part of a sports team, but once we left school, we found it hard to enjoy exercising on our own.

Whatever your reason for disliking exercise, let me reassure you that admitting your distaste is the first step toward enjoyment. You can then ask yourself the following questions:

What specifically do I dislike about exercising?

Perhaps certain types of exercise you’ve tried cause pain in your body (more than light muscle soreness), or perhaps you haven’t found the type of exercise that seems fun to you. Maybe running hurts your knees, but a Pilates class is more your style. Or maybe a spin class isn’t fun to you, but you find satisfaction lifting weights. Once you find out the reason(s) you dislike exercise, you can start to explore different options to find a type of physical activity that suits you.

Do I have a standard of exercise I think I must maintain?

Dr. Michelle Segar mentions in her book, “No Sweat”, that many of us believe we must exercise at a certain intensity and for a certain amount of time for it to “count”. So, if you think you must exercise hard for a full hour for it to matter, and you’re not able to fit an hour of exercise in each day, you may find yourself discouraged. If exercise is seen as a source of discouragement to you, it can be pretty difficult to enjoy it!

The reality, though, is that all exercise counts. As Dr. Segar explains, exercise guidelines can come across as confusing in this manner. When we as health professionals talk about getting “30 minutes per day of moderate intensity exercise at least five days per week for health benefits”, it can be misunderstood that if someone doesn’t reach that exact amount, then the exercise they did was useless. This can lead to all or nothing thinking: “If I can’t get 30 minutes in each day, then I won’t exercise at all.” It seems extreme, but if we’re honest, many of us fall into this line of thinking. Changing our thinking to remember all exercise counts can help us defeat our discouragement.

Have I stopped to consider the benefits?

If you’re trying to exercise regularly but finding it hard to build this as a habit, you might try considering the immediate benefits you receive from exercise. How does your mood change from before exercising to after exercising? Are you less stressed? Happier? How does your body feel? Do you have more consistent energy as you go through the rest of your day? Do you feel stronger? Taking a moment to reflect on the immediate benefits you receive from exercising can help your brain to see it as a reward you give to yourself. When your brain recognizes exercise as a reward, it is easier for you to solidify exercising as a habit.

If you currently dislike exercise, there is no reason to be ashamed. However, don’t let that stop you from exploring the reasons why. Once you do, you might find you actually enjoy, and quite possibly, even love exercise.

Written By Brittni Paris, SFC Blogger and Wellness Coach

Sources:

Segar, M.L. (2015). No sweat: How the simple science of motivation can bring you a lifetime of fitness. New York, NY: AMACOM.

Photo Credits:

Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash

Photo by Danielle Cerullo on Unsplash

Photo by Elizeu Dias 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!

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.

Be the best version of you!

10 Lessons I Learned from Lifting

February 24, 2015May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

One day I was at the gym on the StairMaster® and I saw this woman walk in front of me with the most beautiful, strong shoulders. I got off the StairMaster® and went up to her and said “You have beautiful shoulders”. She told me “Thank you, I do bikini body building competitions.” I was so interested that I got her number and we lifted the following week. I had lifted before then, but nothing like this. The next day I could hardly move my legs, sitting on the toilet hurt, and sleeping was uncomfortable. She inspired me to be a better version of myself. To be strong and confident, like she was. From that point forward, my life changed forever.

Be the best version of you!

Guess How Much I Weigh: Weighing Frequency Follow Up

August 16, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

It’s been a year since I’ve weighed myself. Yep…an entire year.

You may recall an article I wrote last summer about weighing frequency, which went into detail about what the current literature supports for appropriate weighing frequency; including the physiological and psychological effects. At the end of that article I vowed not to weigh myself for an entire year in hopes of finding out what really makes me who I am (which is WAY more than just a number on the scale). I bet you’re curious to know how much I weigh now, right?

Be the best version of you!

Carbohydrates and Proteins and Fats, Oh My

June 5, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Kellie and I get asked often about our diets- “What do you eat? What do you avoid? How much do you eat? Are you (insert giant-food group here, e.g., gluten, soy, meat, grain, dairy)-free?” Well, we’ve tried various things throughout our lives, and have both somewhat naturally settled into what is called, “IIFYM” or “if it fits your macros.” So, what is this term all about and why have we decided it’s the best way for us to eat?

Be the best version of you!

5 tips for improving self-esteem

May 15, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Oh Colorado how I’ve missed your beautiful scenery, fit-minded lifestyle, and most of all, really awesome people! Recently we were asked by Marissa of Barefootcolo.com to write a guest post for her blog followers. We think Marissa’s pretty damn cool (and super inspirational) so make sure to follow her on all her social media outlets for great fitness and health tips. Because we LOVE you all, we decided to share Chrissy’s post with all our Smart Fit Chicks followers as well. So here it is: 5 tips for improving self-esteem. ~KW

Be the best version of you!

Day in the life of a Smart Fit Chick…

April 5, 2014May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Like most people, we tend to think that our day-to-day routines are pretty normal. What else is there to do other than eat, sleep, and lift, right? We have recently been asked to reveal our day-to-day routines. So, here’s what it’s like to be a Smart Fit Chick.

A typical day in the life of KW

Fitness goal at the moment: Maintain muscle mass and strength as I continue to build mileage for my marathon training.

Fitness Education

Walk a Dog!

December 12, 2013May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Check out our latest Vlog! Did you know that dog owners are more likely to meet the daily physical activity recommendations compared to non dog owners? Stay tuned-we’ll be posting an article about the many health benefits associated with owning a dog soon!

Be the best version of you!

FitTip: Holiday Drinks

November 28, 2013May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone! This week’s Smart Fit Chicks FitTip of the week is all about healthy holiday eating/drinking. See our video on YouTube and learn how to make a great low calorie Hot Toddy-super delicious! Thank you Sean and Ingrid for taste testing this for me! For more healthy holiday tips, read our Thanksgiving blog from last year. 🙂 Have a healthy, happy, holiday!

~KW

FitTips

120 tips on strength training for women

March 5, 2013May 18, 2017
by Smart Fit Womxn

Bret Contreras, a fitness professional best known for his glute workouts, recently posted a blog titled: 120 Tips on Strength Training for Women. We read through them. Some of of them were spot on, others….not so much. But, now we’re curious.

What are your thoughts on his 120 tips?

Why Make a Plan?

Your Action Step…

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.

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

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?

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

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.

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

Know what you want to achieve and why it matters

Reflect on the strengths you bring to the table

Consider potential and probable challenges you’ll face

Leverage support from your surroundings

Recruit back-up

Credits

Photo Credits

It’s a perfectly fine thing to admit.

What specifically do I dislike about exercising?

Do I have a standard of exercise I think I must maintain?

Have I stopped to consider the benefits?

If you currently dislike exercise, there is no reason to be ashamed. However, don’t let that stop you from exploring the reasons why. Once you do, you might find you actually enjoy, and quite possibly, even love exercise.

smartfitwomxn