How to get the ball rolling on your fitness? Start small and build momentum!

The sunrises where I live in Santa Barbara can be pretty magnificent, and a great reminder that each day is an opportunity to make life the best it can be. And that starts with ourselves! I believe the key to maximizing our potential as human beings rests on our health, because without that we can't be as vital, dynamic, and energized as we're all capable of being! Of course there are aspects of health that we may not be able to control, but that's not the focus of this post - I'm just interested in how to tackle the variables that we can all make progress with on a day to day basis!

Sometimes when we know that we need or want to make a change, the whole process can seem overwhelming…. This is natural, and especially true for fitness and health. Though making lasting lifestyle changes can be challenging, the rewards are definitely worth it - increased performance, decreased disease and illness, and improvement in mood, not to mention looking and feeling our best! We only get one body, and treating it as kindly as possible will give us the best chance for a long, healthy, exceptional life.

Most people I’ve encountered expect a lot from their bodies, whether it’s physical capability, the need to handle pressure and excel at work, creating and caring for a family, or something else altogether, and helping our bodies function well guarantees that we will get the best out of them.

Many adults I know could use some serious improvement in their diets, don’t exercise enough, get very little or poor quality sleep, drink too much alcohol, are stressed at work, or a combination of these factors and more. Although most are aware of their issues, many feel like there’s so much stress in their lives already that they take the easy way out and succumb to the path of least resistance - whatever takes the least amount of energy. That might mean hitting the drive-thru, skipping a workout, not bothering to resist temptation… There are all kinds of ways this pattern can manifest, because we’re all so used to putting other things (and other people) ahead of our own health. This often means that the body takes a hit, and performance starts to fail in one way or another.

The good news? This can be fixed. Today. Now! Like RIGHT NOW. Literally every moment is a chance to take life by the balls and start to make some positive changes, big or small!

Growing up, my mom always told me that if a task seems daunting, pick the easiest part of it and tackle that first. Once that’s done, take the next manageable piece and knock that out. Before you know it, you’ll have built up some momentum and will be crossing things off your “to-do” list, whatever that looks like for you, left and right!

Also important to note is that focusing on perfection is NOT the way to go. The “all or nothing” mentality works for some people but it’s not sustainable for most, and thus ends up creating negative feelings of failure if 100% adherence to a new routine change or (even more unrealistic) complete life overhaul isn’t immediately achieved and perfectly maintained.

Instead, I suggest focusing on a small detail and working on that until it becomes consistent. Celebrate the creation of your new healthy habit, then tackle the next thing. Simple changes can make a huge impact, remember that!

So what’s your healthy habit you could start working on right now?

Drinking more water? Great, fill up a big bottle and get to work! Add a squeeze of lemon or some cucumber and basil for a little fresh flavor without any added sugar.

Eating more vegetables? Awesome, pick up a couple of your favorites and build your next meal around them.

Getting more workouts in? Instead of trying to commit to 6 days a week of sweating at the gym, set out a realistic routine of Mon/Wed/Fri to start, and add from there once you've stuck to that schedule for a few weeks. Packing your gym bag the night before and leaving it by the door so you don't forget can be a shockingly powerful tool!

Getting more rest? Make yourself a cup of herbal tea (no caffeine, please!) and turn off all electronic devices at least 45 minutes before your usual bedtime, and choose to cuddle up and read a little in bed or simply close your eyes and focus on relaxing your body and mind. Turn off your light early, giving yourself as much time as possible to sleep.

Already got these things under control? Fantastic! These are just some examples of things I frequently hear my clients hoping to make into habits - your goals could be completely different, and I’d love to hear about them!

Honestly, all of us have things that could provide huge payoffs in terms of health if we could just implement them MOST of the time. That’s all it takes! Remember that, in the grand scheme of things, your health is your greatest asset and worth some extra attention and effort. Take it a little at a time, one day at a time, and you’ll be a healthier, happier human in a hurry!

Please let me know in the comments if this has been helpful, or if there’s something you’d like to hear about in my next post!

Thanks for reading, Steemit family! Your support means the world to a girl just trying to help :)