10 Simple Steps To Get You Back On Track For Fall

fall-fitness I’m sure you’ve heard of the 80/20 rule. It’s a balanced approach to eating- without dieting- that is realistic to maintain and won’t sabotage your results or leave you feeling deprived. I think it’s one of the best “diets” out there and works for most of us, 80 % of the time.

And what about the other 20% of the time? Call it summer and here’s what you can do to get back on track.

Start today.

Every time we misstep on our quest for a healthier, fitter lifestyle, we are faced with two choices:

Keep sliding down that slippery slope backwards, that is sure to take you even farther from your goals, or
Accept that this lack of perfection is perfectly normal, quite often necessary, and take not one, but two positive steps down the road that will bring you closer to how you want to feel.

Push the reset button and start small

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and those healthy habits that slid away over summer will take a bit of time to come back. Picking 2 small things that will improve how you feel is all it takes to get the momentum rolling again.

Work on implementing these 2 action steps until they become habit (I suggest 2 weeks) before adding anything else to you list.

This is exactly what my one on one clients do when working towards their health and fitness goals. It works. The number one reason people quit a new fitness program or diet is because they take on too much all at once. These new habits become overwhelming, frustrating, and they usually don’t last.

Did you know it takes about 30 days for our bodies to adapt to a new lifestyle behavior until it starts to feel easier?

So embrace the small wins along the way…..slow and steady quite often wins the race 🙂

10 Tips For A Healthier, Fitter You

Have a green smoothie daily. Load up a cup with greens & fresh squeezed lemon juice, add some fruit for fiber and antioxidants, protein powder or plain Greek yogurt and blend. It’s easy on your digestion and will provide you with a steady stream of energy to get you through your morning until lunch time hits. Here’s a simple recipe.
Go for a walk. Whether it’s 15 minutes when you first get up, or 30 minutes on your lunch break, it all counts. This is especially effective if you are fighting a craving or feeling kinda blah. Forget reaching for that comfort food and walk it off. You will feel better for it guaranteed.
Drink your water. Did you know that our body’s signal for thirst is the same for hunger? Aim to get half of your body’s weight (in pounds) in ounces of water per day. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice (it has an alkalizing effect and other health benefits). #1 tip I start with when clients want to lose weight.
Aim to get 8 hours of sleep. Our bodies use the time we sleep to rejuvenate and repair tissues, and this is especially important if you are working out. No one performs well when they are tired, and more likely to skip their workout and make poor food choices.
Track your food. Most health and fitness experts recommend using My Fitness Pal. It syncs with your other devices as well. It calculates how many carbs, proteins, fats and sugar grams add up for your day so you can see where you fall short or over do it.
Do a kitchen clean out. Go through your pantry and fridge and get rid of anything that doesn’t serve you well.
Commit to just 15 minutes of exercise. For my 3 FREE workouts click here.
Start your day with a healthy breakfast. CLICK HERE for some breakfast ideas and read why its so important HERE.
Work in the yard everyday. Gardening and yard work is a great way to get more active and clear your mind.
Work towards getting 10,000 steps a day. This is equivalent to walking 5 miles which translates to both health and fitness benefits. There are many different choices for tracking your steps. Fit bit watch or an app on your phone work great. Start with a goal of 5,000 and build from there.