Tips for Long-term Success!
February 13, 2020 -
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Happy Thursday, friends! Can you believe we’re finally into February!? Usually I say “we’re already” BUT I feel like January was quite possibly one of the longest months ever so YAY for new beginnings in February!
It’s really easy at this point to want to give up on something you may have started in January but I’m here to tell you that we want to focus on long term and overall health, not just killin’ it in January and not being able to keep up that pace all year long.
As a Trainer, it’s really common to see January be very busy at the gym and then start to taper off as the months go by.
My goal is for my clients and for YOU to find something you can stay consistent with doing over the whole year (and the rest of your life!) instead of quick fixes and extremes.
Super easy to feel overwhelmed with all of the messages out there about the new year, but by focusing on a few things & staying consistent, you’ll be better off than going to extremes.
I’m going to share all of my secrets with you ;] and if you could hear my voice, you’d hear my sarcasm with the word secrets because it can so be over-used in the fitness space.
There really aren’t any “secrets” – we’ve just got facts.
I’ve got nothing “sexy” or title catching but what I will tell you is that you will find progress in the basics over time, not extremes.
Here are my simple & BASIC keys for overall health:
- Lift the weights minimum 2X per week
- We want to build muscle so that we can not only be stronger, but also help with bone density, metabolism, & overall movement.
- Focus on movement throughout the day. MOVEMENT is important. Aim for 7-10k steps per day to stay in the active category. Your body and mind will thank you.
- Take walks on your lunch break, take your dog for a walk, or walk with a friend.
- Get your heart rate up minimum 1-2X per week
- You don’t need to be doing burpees until you throw up 1-2x per week, you just need to try to get into an “uncomfortable” space with heart rate where you can’t easily hold a conversation a few times per week to help keep the heart healthy & strong.
- Focus on nutrient dense food. We want to put into our bodies foods that have vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbs to fuel, fats to nourish, & protein to build/recover.
- Enjoy things that you…ENJOY!
- Giving yourself a base of nutrient dense foods + a harmony of “not so” nutrient dense foods means happy mental health without going to extremes because that food will always be there. If you want a donut, enjoy your donut, and just make sure your other meals are nutrient dense to help support the bod.
- Reduce stress (easier said than done) BUT where are areas you can improve on?
- Maybe going for that walk or taking time for yourself is exactly what you need to just chill out. I recently started acupuncture and now that my wrist is feeling better, I want to get back into Yoga to help re-center.
- SLEEP. Get that quality sleep every night. Seriously. SLEEP is so so dang important. Clock in 7-9 hours per night to help with overall health.
- HYDRATE. It’s easy to be so busy that we forget to drink the water but get yourself a big water bottle & make it a goal to finish 2 or 3 of them a day.
- Adding in electrolytes like these new tabs from Now Foods is a SUPER easy way to get hydrated and get in electrolytes!
- Surround yourself with people who lift you up & support you.
- It’s so easy to feel alone in our journeys but there really are people out there who feel the same way you do and having someone to check in with and feel supported by is so important for our mental health as well.
Obviously with February, we tend to think of all things love so I’m going to chat about a few products that I personally love from my friends at NOW foods that help me stay consistent with my journey.
Protein Powder – I personally have been NEEDING to get in a good 25-40 more grams of protein per day for my own goals and while I do believe in getting most of our macronutrients from real food, I find that supplementing with a protein shake each day is an EASY and TASTY way to get in those extra protein needs.
I’m loving the Organic Plant Based protein lately along and the hubs loves the Chocolate Grass-Fed whey.
I use the protein in my oats or just mix it with water or almond milk post-workout or anytime during the day to add to my totals.
Monk Fruit – I love using this in baking! I’ve always been a stevia fan but I have to admit, the monk fruit has a smoother taste and I’ve been using it to add some sweetness to baked goods or my coffee.
Electrolytes – these are something I always knew about but really started implementing this year. Electrolytes have sodium, potassium, and magnesium to help support your workouts, especially if you’re sweating a lot or working out in hot climates. I use these when I’m doing cardio based workouts or sip throughout the day to make my water taste better so I get in more ounces.
NOW’s new Effer-hydrate tabs are sweetened naturally & an easy way to get in some electrolytes! I pop 1-2 in my takeya bottle for the day.
Simple additions to your life from the list above can help maintain a consistent journey of fitness and wellness. Don’t over-complicate or go to extremes – the magic is in the consistency over time!
What’s one area you think you can improve on?
Be true to you,
xo Kasey
Thank you to my friends at NOW Foods Official for sponsoring this post and as always, all opinions are my own.