Health and fitness information is everywhere. It’s in our newspapers and magazines. We find it in our online newsy websites and delivered to our emails. We are inundated with health-oriented circulars in our mailbox and by infomercials on too many television channels. And health and fitness is one of the hottest topics in social media – there are fitness, weight-loss, and wellness bloggers on almost every social media page, channel or forum you come across.
And much of the information is all so varied and is so often sensationalised to gain hype or attraction that it’s no wonder so many of us are getting increasingly overwhelmed and simply just have no idea what to believe; let alone where to start!
First things first – we are all unique. We are each built of entirely different DNA, we each have different priorities in life, and similarly, each and everyone of us has different ideals and values.
Accordingly then, if (or rather when) we choose to embark upon a healthier lifestyle (which, I might add, we should ALL be doing without question – for the sake and joy of our lives), there will never been a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. For you to be successful, and for your new healthy lifestyle to have sustainable qualities that you are able to continue for a long, long time, you must choose health, wellness, and fitness strategies that are going to work for you.
It’s about being real to who you are and to your life as you know it. If you’re a solo Mum who works full time, for instance, you probably can’t commit to five one-hour exercise sessions every week for as long as you have dependent kids in your care. The idea alone will probably add to the stresses you face on a daily basis, so you need to avoid putting something into your routine that’ll negatively affect your health. However, you can most definitely commit to 3 x half-hour exercise sessions each week, and a walk (aka adventure) in the weekend with the kids. This you can do, you can fit in, and it will positively affect your health.
Are you one of the overwhelmed people who would love to leap into a lifestyle which constructively serves your health and fitness, but you just don’t know where to start? Firstly, you are not alone – there are plenty of health and fitness professionals out there who will happily help you out. Secondly, here are my simple steps to success when getting started:
- KNOW YOUR WHY – Why do you want to change? Do you want to change because someone told you to, or do you want to change because you know you can live in a happier and healthier way than you currently do? You need to be emotionally sold on the idea before you can every truly go places with it. You must have a good reason and a good why.
- KNOW YOUR WH0 – Who is going to help you make this change? Will you seek a health professionals advice, or will you start with a local support group or forum? Find a friend or family member who is in the same boat and be accountable to them. Statistics show you’ll have greater success if you get others involved and if you let others know your intentions.
- KNOW YOUR WHAT – What is it that you’d like to change? Would you like to start exercising regularly? Would you like to gain more understanding around eating in a healthy yet sustainable way? Whatever it is that you’d like to undertake to live a healthier lifestyle, you need to know exactly what it is that you enjoy, that you’d like to know more about, and that you’d like to include into your life on a regular basis.
- KNOW YOUR HOW – How are you going to make these changes? The most important thing here is to put your focus on no more than 2 or 3 things. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Any change you implement in your life needs to be able to develop into a life-long habit. Therefore, changing just a couple of things at a time is the way to go. A couple of new additions will challenge you, but it’s unlikely to overwhelm you. For example, this could be: 1) walk 3 times each week; 2) eat out only once per week, and 3) limit yourself to a wine on just the weekend nights. I cannot emphasise this point enough. You need to remain real, you need to remain realistic, and the new changes you want to include must be achievable. Only once you can sense that your changes have developed into habits should you perhaps consider your next level of change.
- KNOW YOUR WHEN – This is easy; you must MAKE time. FINDING time doesn’t happen. We prioritise what we truly want, and if we want something bad enough we will make the time for it. There are people who lead extremely busy lives out there, but yet they manage to have the time to fit in the activities that they wish to fit in. It’s because they MAKE time for them; there just simply is no other way.
Health and fitness is totally achievable for everyone. If all else has failed you in the past, then try this tried and true method. Keep it simple, and find success.