Ge ing Back Your Motivation for a Healthier & Happier You

2017 World Miss Fitness America Pro

Welcome fall! I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward tocoolerweather,sweaters,apple picking,andpumpkineverything!It’s alsothebesttime tosavorthetime spentoutdoorsbefore colder weather comes. If you haven’t already it’s a great time to focus your fitness routine a couple of times a week getting out of the house. New England is well known for beautiful fall scenery, so why not get out and discover something new. you, it doesn’t change you.” Many times, my clients will do really well on a speci c nutrition and exercise regimen, which is great, however, sometimes when we do the same thing for too long, our bodies become comfortable with it. My advice for this is to ramp up your workouts. Add something new to your routine. If you’ve been doing steady state cardio like walking, jogging, cardio machines, switch to HIIT (high intensity interval training) or Tabata, a couple of times each week. Increase your weight for strength training and decrease reps. Please be sure that you are using a weight that is safe and that you’re using proper form. High weight, low rep strength training will not make you “bulky”; that is a misconception. In order to really increase muscle mass like that, you not only have to li heavy weights, but you have to eat more than you’re burning each day. Increasing your weight will help you build muscle and burn more fat; this just might be that your metabolism needs to get the extra boost to get o that plateau. Switch up your food choices. If you are eating pretty much the same thing everyday, try out some new foods. Switch up your protein and carbs, and be sure to make sure you’re eating enough for the exercise you’re doing. A healthy, balanced diet will help repair and build lean muscle mass and you’ll burn more calories, even when you’re just resting.

Although it may not yet feel like it, spring is here, once again. You might notice that the days are getting a little longer, and now that the clocks have been set forward, the extra sunlight feels good. As a tness professional for 20 years, this is the time when I see people lose some of their motivation. e winter months have had us in the house a bit more, with storms and freezing temps, so that comfort foods, along with snuggling up in cozy blankets, just feel right. Maybe you haven’t lost your motivation, but you’ve hit a plateau; either way, there’s a solution. I want you to get motivated before the warm weather gets here! If you’ve read any of my other articles, you know I truly believe that anytime is a good time to start.

Exercise doesn’t have to monotonous, there are plenty of great places to hike locally. There’s a wonderful book called Weekend Hikes in Rhode Island by Ken Weber that I was introduced to awhile back. He does an excellent job of breaking down each destination with detailed directions, approximate walking time, and the distance. A couple that are great for fall are Napatree Point and Browning Mill Pond- Roaring Brook. These are just a couple of the many that are close by. Always be safe when hiking new areas and do your research prior to heading out. As always never hike close to dark. If hiking new areas isn’t your thing take a walk or run in your neighborhood or local park.

Get your family involved in fitness! If you don’t have children take the dogs along with you. Children love to get outside and explore nature. There’s plenty to explore to stimulate the mind and get some physical activity in. When you’re having fun exercise doesn’t feel like a task. Most dogs are always up for a walk, you can train them to run while you’re training g yourself. Alternate between jogging and walking in 30 second intervals to start off and work your way up from there. Bring water for you and your pet to keep everyone hydrated.

Enjoy the beginning of this beautiful season and stay motivated. Just because it’s getting cooler out doesn’t mean that it’s not a good time to start working out. Anytime is a great time to start!

Let’s talk about that word…motivation. ere is nothing magical inside of us that’s going to get us moving. Motivation is a series of small actions we take to achieve a larger goal. Some days are tougher than others, but if you set a clear goal and specify your reasons for accomplishing your goals, it will keep you going each day. Let’s say, for example, you were working out 5 days a week and prepping your healthy meals, then your kids got sick, work got really busy, and you stopped. You’ve been telling yourself every week you’re going to start Monday, but when that day rolls around, you just don’t have the time or energy to get it done. Listen, I get it. Life gets hectic and exercise usually gets tossed onto the back burner. First, I want you to think of your workout and meal preps as an appointment that’s just as important as all of the other tasks you need to do each day. Schedule it in and make sure nothing else is planned at the same time. Block out a couple of hours on Sunday or Monday to prepare food and snacks for the next few days so that no matter what, there’s always a healthy option on hand. Essentially, this will save you time throughout the week, especially if life throws unexpected events at you. Exercise does not have to be long and you don’t even have to leave your house. If going to the gym or taking group classes is what you enjoy, however, then be sure to account for the time it takes to get there and back. If you can, add another half hour a er your meal prep to plan your workouts for the week.

Do not underestimate the amount of time it takes to gure out what workout you’re going to do, especially if you’re in the gym. You want your workouts to be short and e ective. Hitting the treadmill 5 days a week isn’t the best use of your time. Remember that a mix of strength training and cardio is the best way to go. If your goal is a weight or size goal, buy an article of clothing that is a size too small and hang it up. is will be a reminder of where you want to be and will motivate you to get it done. Strength goals can be measured by giving yourself a t test every couple of weeks. Pick 5-10 exercises, write them down, and track how many reps of each exercise you do in 1 minute. You can see your progress each time you track it.

Plateaus are very normal, so don’t let this get you down! You will get past it a er making just some simple changes. ere’s a quote you’ve probably heard that says,“if it doesn’t challenge

Stress is something that can cause a plateau. Not too long ago, doctors did not recognize the physical e ects that stress has on the body, but now more research has shown that it can indeed change our bodies. Too much stress and anxiety can produce a hormone called cortisol, which can cause weight gain and di culty losing fat. Although I’m sure we could all use some stress relief, if you feel that this is a signi cant issue, then there are ways to combat it. We rst have to accept that there are things we simply cannot change; once you make peace with this, you can focus on the aspects of your life you can control. What you eat, your physical activity, and your train of thought can all be controlled. Start out with a simple 10 minutes of meditation each day. You might want to start your day with meditation, or maybe you’re more comfortable meditating at the end of the day, but it really doesn’t matter when, just do whatever feels right. ere are now great apps that o er guided meditation that are very helpful. Increase your time, as you make this a habit. Try yoga or simply gentle stretches a couple of times a week to slow down your mind and to improve your strength and exibility at the same time. Yoga isn’t about headstands or fancy poses, it’s an individual’s practice of strengthening the mind and body. Let go of judgment and comparison. Take some time to be outside and enjoy nature. Even though it might be cold outside, bundle up and enjoy the fresh air. Keep a journal of your feelings each day; sometimes, just the simple act of expressing yourself through writing down your thoughts, can really reduce your stress level.

Lastly, keep in mind that you are not alone on this journey. ere are many others who experience similar struggles, and they, also, have to continue to remind themselves why they started working towards being healthier, in the rst place. Take care of your mind and body, not just because you want to look great, but maybe even more importantly, to feel great, as well.

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