There is a lot of conflicting information out there about what it takes to be healthy and fit. It can be hard to know what really matters OR where to start!
As a Paleo Transformation coach, I don't work with athletes, fitness pros, or bikini models. I work with REAL women (and a few men!) who want to feel confident, clear-headed, energetic, and healthy. They don't want to devote their lives to My Fitness Pal, the gym, or rigid meal plans. They want balance. They want joy. They want to eat nutritious food that tastes delicious. They want an end to yo-yo dieting. They want to feel awake and ALIVE.
I am proud to say that I help my clients reclaim their bodies AND their lives, often in ways they never expected.
The tips below are key tenets of my coaching/transformation process. None of them are revolutionary. None are trademarked (lol). None are very sexy! But I guarantee that if you incorporate these, you will move the needle in areas that you currently feel stuck.
You will start to build new habits that feel easy sooner than you can believe.
You will begin to feel a sense of calm ownership over your choices rather than constantly feeling frustrated and inconsistent.
You will start to get perspective on what truly matters to you and what you're willing (or not) to do about it.
If you're scared to try anything new because you're afraid of yet another failure, please know these tips are designed to help you get back on your own team, not add to your Dead Sea Scrolls to-do list!
They are meant to help you nourish, replenish, and care for yourself. Read through them with this in mind. xo, Lisa
1. REAL FOOD FIRST
Creating meals around protein, veggies and healthy fats insulates you against cravings, allows you to trust your hunger and fullness cues, and restores health at a cellular level. New to Paleo? Check out my Paleo Start Guide.
2. FOOD/MEAL PREP
Having healthy food prepared and ready to go is your #1 tactical tool. It ensures that the healthiest option is also the most convenient option. Pick a day or two each week and MAKE IT HAPPEN. My article, Simple Meal Prep on a Paleo Diet, will help get you started if this is new to you.
3. FOOD ENVIRONMENT
The food within easy reach of you is the food you’re most likely to eat. If it’s going to take willpower not to overeat something, don’t bring it home or to your office. Instead, fill your refrigerator and pantry with the foods that will make you feel healthy, proud, and peaceful.
4. OWN THE PAUSE
The space between trigger and response is where your power lives. This is your opportunity to assess whether the choice you’re about to make is one you’ll feel proud of an hour from now. Skip the pause and you give away the power to make conscious choices and own your destiny.
5. BE A FOOD SNOB
You are worth SO much more than stale tortilla chips, store bought cookies, or fast food. Be sure your indulgences are genuinely worth deviating from your goals. Rate indulgences on a scale of 1-10. Is this worth it? If it is, savor every bite. But be honest and make a conscious choice.
6. MOVE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
We humans are meant to move. Make a standing work desk, set your phone alarm to go off every hour and do 2 minutes of body weight exercises, walk over your lunch hour. What you choose to do matters less than the fact that you just move. This approach will have a profound impact on your body composition, food choices, brain function, and energy, I guarantee it.
7. FILL YOUR MOJO BUCKET
We need things to look forward to which remind us that life is not all about work, errands, chores, bills, and a sense of drudgery and dread. When we let the things fall away that light us up, we are much more likely to resort to food or alcohol for joy and relaxation. Each Sunday, make a plan for the week ahead. Reach out to people and schedule get-togethers (walks, a coffee, a class, etc.). Block out time each day for restorative activities such as outdoor walks, crafting, taking a hot bath, or whatever activity makes you feel calm, centered, and happy. Note: If you don’t get these things on the calendar, the likelihood they will happen is close to zilch. Don’t wing it. Schedule your mojo time.
Listen to The Mind Your Body Podcast Episode #15 where Jenny and I discuss the importance of filling your mojo bucket!
8. TRACK AND/OR JOURNAL
It’s very easy to drift without realizing it. Simply writing down what you’re eating (and approximately how much) as well as movement and sleep, dramatically increases self-awareness. This gives you the opportunity to determine what’s working and what needs to be adjusted. Journaling your thoughts, fears, dreams, self-limiting beliefs, and goals will help you figure out what's holding you back and what you really want. Don't commit to more than 5 minutes per day to start, otherwise you're likely to ditch the whole thing.
9. ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND REESTABLISH SELF-TRUST
Your past choices and your current circumstances do not dictate your choices. This is a fact but it takes practice to internalize this. Use this knowledge to break free of the limiting narrative you may have about yourself and your life. No one else can put food in our mouth. You don't need someone else to give you permission to take care of yourself (food, exercise, sleep, relaxation). In order to effect meaningful change in your life, you have to assume responsibility for every choice you make. This is not about shame or self-judgment; this is about having integrity and building self-trust. When we wake up in the driver’s seat of our life, we can finally start building a life we’re excited about.
10. MAINTAIN HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE
You are worthy now, at whatever weight, size, or health status you are. Stay calm. Avoid the lure of emotional drama about your choices. Avoid black and white thinking and, instead, be a solution seeker. If you drift, simply course correct with your next choice. You do not need a complicated 30 day plan. You need to make one good choice after another and then one more. Laugh, play, take responsibility, create healthy connections with others, and schedule time to care for yourself. This is how you keep perspective and avoid over-complication, isolation, and obsessiveness.
I hope you find these helpful. I would love to hear your comments, questions, and feedback, either on this post or on my Primal Transformations Facebook page, or by email: lisa@primaltransformations.com.
Be sure to check out The Mind Your Body Podcast where Jenny Helms and I dive into all the things that help you get unstuck and on your way to living a healthy, fit, and epic life! Find all the ways to listen here and be sure to subscribe!