I’ve figured out how to be more successful at reaching my own New Years resolution goals. Tapping into my love of being a life-long learner, the year I got a little under my own hood I became more successful at achieving my goals. I learned a little bit about how my body works in order to care more about it. I’ve now built my work around this idea of movement and nutrition education.
Here are a few lessons I’ve learned that helped me up-level these health related ideas:
- Get your mind right by exposing yourself to sunlight upon waking – even through cloud cover is beneficial. This does 2 things: It sets the master circadian clock that aligns all the other clocks & cellular functions in your body. Second, it allows you to extract & consolidate the learning and memory of it. Every time I do this practice I come to some clarity about a problem or I am called to create an intention I need for the day. Mindset is everything.
- Up-level your nutrition knowledge beyond the outdated government guidelines. Learn about how bad sugar and seed oils really are and get them out of your life. Also learn about the benefits of eating animal proteins and fats. Google these points and you’ll find books/blogs to read further. I’ve done this – upping my protein and fats has improved my waist line, my sleep, everything. I also feel satiated longer – I’m simply fuller sooner and snack way less.
- Think bigger about the power of movement. This idea is at the root of my work and life. Movement isn’t medicine, it’s an essential nutrient for every cell in your body. This shift in thinking, along with the point above, helped me to no longer use exercise as compensation for my over consumption of food. Move to feel well, not just to burn calories. We have gone way off track in our rush toward a more comfortable, industrialized, technology-driven life. In the process, we move less. Find ways to get more daily movement in like taking a walk outside (yes, bundle up and DO IT!) or do 10 minutes of walking laps around your house. Keep a dumbbell in your work space and do 5-minute strength training moves 1-2x an hour. Use light to medium-ish weight; it doesn’t have to hurt to work. Sit forward on your chair for a minute, giving input to your posture muscles = core work.
- Loving your way to a better you. You are not broken. You are human. Your body is not a failure and you are not any of the worst things that have happened to you nor the things you’ve ever done to yourself. Forgive yourself by learning about your driving machine – your body. Humans are awesome and your body is very resilient. Light the fire of your self compassion and motivation with some self education.
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