Is it time to have a back up plan in your wellness journey?
When it comes to our health and wellness, I know how stressful it can feel to try and tick all the boxes of everything you need to follow to feel like you’re actually getting somewhere. Between work, the kids, getting that workout in, eating 5 a day and hitting those macro goals, you can start to drive yourself crazy which is usually the point we think, “F*** this I’m getting a take away and putting Netflix on.” It happens to the best of us. The problem is, we think, “well if I’m not going all in there’s no point. “ We look at our health as if it’s a straight road to success when the truth is there are lots of detours and turns along the way. Everyone’s body is completely unique and no one size fits all so it’s about working out what works for you and guess what, that’s going to take time. We often look at our health as a sprint when in fact it’s a marathon and this simple shift in perspective could be the wake up call you needed to finally say goodbye to eating 1200 calories in hopes that dress will fit next weekend and instead setting realistic targets to get results slowly but keep those results long term. If it’s not working for you then it’s time to try another approach.
So let’s look at one thing you can do today to help you take the first step.
Start setting yourself non-negotiables.
These are the bare minimums you ask from yourself each day that no matter how tired or busy you are, you put your big girl pants on and get them done, so even though you might not have the energy for that hiit class you had planned, you have your back up class like a 10 minute yoga practice ready to do instead. It doesn’t have to be an hour workout each day when you know that isn’t realistic for you or fits your lifestyle. Instead, it could look like, 3 x 15 minute workouts each week. Your non-negotiables are the base line minimum effort you need to commit to each week to ensure you’re making progress, no matter how small. Anything above these non-negotiables are extra wins. This way, even when you don’t do what you had originally said you would, you’re still doing something no matter how small towards your goal that if feels like a win and that feeling can fuel motivation because it feels like progress.
So how exactly does this work?
You figure out your goal and set a realistic timeline (this isn’t 7 days to loose a stone I’m afraid).
Work backwards, what necessary steps do you need to take to make it there? What is the ideal weekly routine to get you there?
Then look at what the basic musts that you need to do each day that will become your new non-negotiables. Your commitment and promise to yourself that no matter how much the week throws at you, you’ll still be a winner because you know you’re moving forward.
Let’s look at an example:
Goal: To hold a headstand in 6 months
Steps to take: Build confidence, practice my form, get stronger
Ideal: 10 minute practice each morning, 3 x 20 minute yoga classes, 1 x 20 minute strengthening workout
Non-Negotiables: 2 Minutes practice each morning, 2 x 15 minute Yoga Practices each week, 1 x 15 minute full body strengthening workout each week.
This will help you create the habits you need to get to your goal and create a basic foundation you can build on. The ideal routine is when everything is going right, and the non-negotiables are what you fall back on if your ideal routine isn’t working for you that week.
This way, no matter how crazy things get, you know that you can always fall back to these small habits and keep working towards your goals no matter how small. Let’s take action… Write down a goal you have, with this write down your ideal routine and then a list of the non-negotiables you can fall back on.
If you want to find out more about how I can help you make wellness simple, creating new habits you can stick to and help you finally get results you can keep consistently, then my new 6 week programme Thrive could be for you. We’ll be diving in deep to your habits and routines, looking at creating a lifestyle that supports your goals and help you finally get the results you desire. More info will be released VERY soon, join the waitlist today by clicking here.