A little while ago, I wrote a blog on post emphasizing the things we "can" do as we are stuck in a time where there is a ton of things we "cannot" do. In this post, I briefly touch on habits, and I thought I would dive in a little more on this subject.
I started working out in 2013 at a Crossfit gym. I trained here for about 4 years and I was heavier and stronger than I have ever been in my life. Unfortunately, my diet was not the greatest and I quickly realized that I was not doing my body any good by not picking the right foods. Since then, I made a conscious effort to pick wholesome foods.
When it comes to eating and exercising, I always strive to have good habits. Of course, being in quarantine changes everything. The days just blend together and there is no division. Before all of this happened, I had a well planned out schedule that I followed for approximately 90% of the time. Below is is a snapshot of my pre-quarantine and current routine:
My pre-routine schedule is very different form my current schedule although it kind of looks the same on paper (weird how that works). For example, when I am physically at the office, I am on my feet more running from meeting to meeting, walking to get a coffee etc. I am definitely more active and burning a lot more calories. My current routine involves a lot more sitting, and a whole lot more of eating! My current office is basically my kitchen. This is kind of hard to capture in a snapshot but its important that I am honest with you!
It took me a few weeks to try to get into a quarantine routine, and I am still not there (I don't think anyone is) but it's definitely getting better because this is where a habit shift comes in. I really had to think about what more I could do that felt good for my body because although getting on the Peloton for 30 minutes after my workday felt really amazing, it just was not enough for me. I had to incorporate more strength training (I am blessed to have a little gym set up in our basement and Peloton has strength training classes on their app as well). I also try to do more training throughout the day (i.e. yoga, core work, HIIT workouts which are also through Peloton's app). Staying more active in quarantine takes a little more creativity and mindfulness. So here are some tips that I find helpful habits to help maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
1) Set Goals
This is an important part of life in general. Always ask yourself what do you want to achieve and make a plan to get there. I am not a "goal setting" expert, but I strongly believe in setting small, achievable goals and working your way up to the top! For example, it is easy to obsess over our body image and weight. Do not get caught up in this, and do not let this bog you down! Make a goal to get healthier and and only if it suits you, set a target goal of a weight you would like to be (do not ever feel obligated to do this! This is a personal choice). This now leads us to the next point.....
2) Consistency is the key to achieve your goals
This can be a difficult thing, but I promise you it pays off! Show up everyday for yourself by making one healthy habit at a time. This can be anything from getting your daily water in-take to working out 2-3 times a week (of course none of us can attend gyms at the moment). So let's talk a little bit about what you can do to stay consistent to achieve your goals!
3) Always schedule your workout and sprinkle them throughout your day (if possible at all)
Start small and work your way up to longer increments. I am a big Peloton fan (their app is currently free for 90 days) however there are so many other resources i.e. Youtube that offer free classes. Browse all the options to see what works best for you, save the video and carve out time in your day to do it! Throughout my quarantine working day, I schedule a short 15-20 minute HIIT, core or strength workout during my lunch hour and jump on the bike in the evening (or vice-versa). It's important to also listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, or out of it, simply schedule something a little less intense. You are only human, so it's natural to have these days.
4) Learn to substitute and portion control
This can be tough but practice makes perfect! Try to substitute unhealthy options for healthier ones and pay attention to the portions in your plate. For example, swap out fries for a baked sweet potato, or a lasagna for a zucchini lasagna. Now is your time to become that pro chef Pinterest has inspired you to be!
It is also important to listen to your body to try to determine how hungry you really are. Sometimes I just keep eating, even if I am not hungry and I think it comes from boredom perhaps. So I make a conscious effort to not do this because let's be real, I gained quite few pounds.
5) Schedule your treats/cheat meals and use it as a reward for working out.
If you know that you want to have a treat, but you consistently keeps having treats and then feel terrible about it right after, you may need to try a different approach. Sometimes impulsive eating will give you a few seconds of happiness so you need to ask yourself if its worth it. If it is, go for it! If you second guess yourself, think about designating a special night where you will allow yourself that treat. For example (and this does not always happen), but I aim to workout 6 days a week and as apart of my reward, we order takeout and I have some liquid happiness! Think of an encouraging and motivating way to reward your consistency!
It's only human nature to splurge and to have lazy days. However, I do strongly believe in having a strong will-power and good habits for the majority of the time will result in a healthy lifestyle! I hope these tips are helpful for you to take your habits to the next level and I would love to hear what works for you!
Love,
Big T
xoxo
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