I get many inquiries about coaching and training. I have seen the rise of people looking to improve their wellness now for the last six months and I’m overjoyed about that!
I do realize that coaching and training is not a service that everyone can fit into their budget, so I thought I’d share how YOU can get yourself started and then keep going on a plan if change is what you so desire! Here are five action steps and mental components I encourage people consider taking:
1. Action: Get a baseline of where you actually are. Take a few weeks to get info about how much water you drink daily, the amount of sleep you get, the time you go to bed and get up, your actual activity amount, food intake quality and quantity, sugar intake, fiber intake; How often do you dine out? What time of day do you eat? What does the scale read? How do your clothes fit? How often are you expecting yourself to workout or be active? What do you do with your time during the day (TV, social media, rest time)? All important questions!
Mindset: This is the hardest part, to look inward. Many people set goals to “lose weight” or “get fit”, then they attempt to slash calories and do tons of cardio all while never factoring in those important life systems that make an impact on your progress. Take a long, hard look at what you actually do and most of the time that is half the battle!
2. Action: Now that you have a baseline in all those areas, chart it. Take a few weeks to see what your trends are and then evaluate where you can make improvements in one to two areas at a time, NOT overnight on everything! Example: If you’re getting five hours of sleep, aim for six. If you’re drinking 50 ounces of water, aim to add 10 ounces weekly until your hydration is up. Apply these progressive steps to all areas.
Mindset: Be willing to get uncomfortable! Change comes outside of your comfort zone.
3. Action: Set up a schedule for your day and factor in self-care, activity time (gym or outdoors), sleep hours, social time with family or friends, work, hobbies, and rest days. Get UNBUSY! There is SO much power in saying “No, thank you” to opportunities that come your way and are not in alignment with your goals and priorities.
Mindset: Be realistic. Your day is 110% in your control. We do not have control over the outcome of many things, but we each have control over where we choose to invest our time, energy, and mindset.
4. Action: Focus on your food intake, quality and quantity. I promote eating whole, real foods as much as possible. I also promote tracking food intake with regards to quantity and portion sizes.
Mindset: The nutrition piece is one of the most underrated, yet highly impactful pieces that we as Americans miss. Eating is something we do daily, multiple times a day. It is NOT about making a list of “good” and “bad” foods, but rather about eating a variety of real, whole foods and then paying attention to our bodies and eating the foods that fuel us to function at our best. This is the piece that takes LOTS of time and intention. Stepping away from chemicals, fillers, high sugar and grain, processed foods as much as possible. Our bodies were never meant to digest most of the foods so easily accessible to us today.
5. Action: Keep working the plan. Start without a “due date” on the calendar! Your strategy needs to be realistic and doable for years to come, not just scraping by for six weeks.
Mindset: The biggest part to the reason so many “fall off” or stop is because they start off talking about the end. “When is this going to be over?” is never a promising sign when the journey has just begun.
The BEST mindset to have (coming from someone who is now 7.5 years in), is to start and give yourself time to learn about you. Have grace, chase the process, not perfection. Give yourself time to set up new daily patterns. Evolve them. Vow to forward focus and then strive to go after your most optimal you. The plan has to be realistic or it will not move your forward.
Again, if you’re only motivated by undoing the past or going for a date on the calendar or chasing a number on the scale, your focus is improperly set, established in negative, self disappointment. Instead, set out to discover who you were most optimally created to be, inside and out. Vow to change your ways and thought patterns, taking care of health first. AND THEN the exterior changes will come.
The progress and longevity of what you’re going to begin is all about working from the inside out, not just from the outside in! Keep going. You’re worth it!
-Mindy Irish
Coaching | Training | Inspiration
