
1) Find your WHY? – When you are first starting out, it is easy to make excuses or lose motivation so you need to make sure your WHY is stronger than any excuse you may come up with. Whether it is to be able to keep up with your kids, play longer or harder on the ice/field/court or just to be a stronger, healthier, more badass human. Find you why, write it down, share it with friends and family, but just don’t forget it or give up on it.
2) Hydrate More – Start every day with 16-32 oz of water. Consider adding a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of Himalayan Sea Salt or try adding a tablespoon of Organic Apple Cider vinegar to your first glass of H2O each day.
3) Take a cold shower – start your day with a refreshing icy finish to your morning shower. It helps kick start your metabolism, improves circulation, lowers stress and helps with muscle soreness. Ease into it with 30 secs full cold, then add 30 secs each week until you get to 3 mins.
4) Get better sleep – we can all probably use more sleep, but let’s be realistic, it’s hard to sleep more which is why I suggest you focus on sleeping better and then see if you can increase the length of your slumber. Try these few things to help you get a better night’s sleep:
– no cellphone 1 hour before bed
– make your room as dark as possible
– make your room as cool as possible
– take a few minutes before bed to journal (see next point)
5) Practice gratitude – you can do it simply by using a blank journal and writing 3 things you are grateful for at the end of each day which will help you unwind and help prepare you for bed. If you want to make a small investment in your journaling practice you can check out the 5 Minute Journal. It is a guide to help you build a strong journaling habit so you don’t have to overthink it and it will be easier to get your thoughts out at the start and end of each day.
6) Eat more greens – try adding a “big salad” to your day for any meal. Start with a dark green base, then add your choice of protein, a variety of veggies, and then finish off with a healthy dressing of olive oil, lemon and spices. Truly the sky is the limit with this and variety keeps it fresh (pun intended…haha).
7) Commit to your training – whether it is 5:30am or 6:00pm, make sure you are 100% committed to getting your training done each week. Start your week strong and ensure you plan ahead to make sure you don’t miss a workout. Set out your clothes the night before, prep your meals, reserve your class, make plans to meet a friend at the gym; no matter what, get it done.
8) Find your “tribe” – having a group of like-minded, strong, passionate individuals that have a common goal of being the best version of themselves will get you excited to train. Training with a group and having the support of others while you work towards your goal will make it easier to stay committed and continue to make lasting changes.
9) Set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely goals. Write them down and share them to help keep yourself accountable. Start small, with something like training 3x a week and then once you have achieved that and made it a habit, you can set more specific goals like increasing your squat by 50lbs.
10) Don’t overthink it – There isn’t really much you can do if you miss a workout, or indulge too much on a Saturday night, or don’t give the daily workout your best effort; other than accept it and move on. Take whatever lesson can be learned from the situation, learn from it and keep moving forward. Don’t waste your energy on beating yourself up, instead just get back on track by reminding yourself of your WHY, reviewing your goals, connecting with a member of your tribe and then pushing forward.
If you’re not sure where to start or need help with any of the things on this list, feel free to reach out and we can help you get started. We’re happy to be part of your tribe and more than willing to help keep you accountable.
Written by Coach Chris