SPRING FORWARD PART 3:

WRITTEN BY: COACH MEL

WHAT IF IT’S SPRING AND I HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED MY HEALTH AND FITNESS JOURNEY YET?

Don’t panic! I have some great tips for you! I think my famous saying “how do you eat an elephant” applies here. What is the answer? “One bite at a time my friends!” Anything that is going to be great and last a long time “takes” time. I know you have heard this before, but I always ask my clients how long it took to put this weight on. You have to know by now, especially if you are an over 40 reader; that anything that is “fast” is a fad! A “fad diet” that is! It’s crazy how that sparkle in your eye that you have when you start dumping weight diminishes when the weight you lost comes back sooner than expected. It’s like the fastest carnival ride you've ever had. You sit stunned thinking………..” it’s over?” And follow up with this……..”what a waste of money!”

How “do” you start?

I think we all know the answer to this question, but we are afraid to admit it! JUST START SMALL! This sounds good, but most people want to go from couch surfing for the last couple of years to “all in”………….. “for a while.” Why I say this is that we all want FAST results and when we don’t get them we quit.

What if you actually “did” start small? What is the alternative? It’s “stopping and starting” is what it is! Grrrrrr………….don’t worry my friend we have all done it.

What if I actually “learned” how to live a healthy sustainable lifestyle? I always tell my clients “slow progress is better than no progress.” Here are some simple tips to start small and bring back your health and fitness routine. First, let’s compare this to school. What if we learned everything there was to know about Math in one semester? Would we be overwhelmed? Hopefully, we can all answer “yes” to this question.

We started with flashcards just recognizing numbers, then we started adding. After that, we did multiplication and then moved into Algebra and maybe Trigonometry. I remember Algebra in the 9th grade and Trigonometry came in your Senior year for most. If you think about how this “slow” roll called mathematics came about, why can’t we slow our roll with our health and fitness?

COACH MEL’S JUST-START TIPS:

W-W-W And I don’t mean the World Wide Web!

1. Start drinking WATER:

Figure out half your body weight in ounces and drink that. If that seems daunting, use 1/2 of your goal weight in ounces instead. Or, take the amount you are currently drinking, double it, and work up to the required amount. I always say if you can’t locate your water bottle you are already behind. Do not move on to a new step until you have made this step a habit.

2. Start WALKING:

It is the best low-impact exercise that you can do besides swimming. It’s free and you can do it most of the year outside. Use the same formula as step 1. Take what you are doing now and double it. If it’s nothing, start with 1/2 a mile and build from there. It is a great stress reliever and breaks up my office days. I can solve most of my problems on a long walk with Oscar my dog.

3. WHOLE FOODS:

This is huge! Use the same formula as step 1. What are you doing now? If you are eating out 4 times a week cut it down to 2. If you are eating processed foods, try replacing one meal with Whole Foods. My MelFit Green Smoothie is a great meal replacement. If you are eating pretty clean but find yourself not eating breakfast and overeating later in the day, start with a healthy breakfast. MelFit Avocado Toast is a great breakfast. You get the picture right? I always say “tell me what you are doing now and I will tell you where you will be a year from now.” If you don’t step forward into growth you will be standing in the same spot next year.

If you have read through all 3 of my articles for SPRING FORWARD I commend you! Knowledge is power! The more you know the more you grow! Now go forth and make me proud! For more information on my nutrition plans please find me on IG or FB or e-mail me at melfitcoaching@gmail.com I would love to be your coach in 2023!