Fitness expert, Johnny Harrison, gives us his top tips to take control of our wellbeing.
So, it’s the start of a new year and maybe our New Years’ resolutions will be a bit more reserved. We are restricted on what we can do and with a big focus on health and wellbeing maybe our resolutions can be more personal and achievable.
Chatting with clients over the last few weeks since the 4th January, it was good to hear people talking about goals and targets that will help them stay well and motivated, particularly if they are working from home or even the office for long periods.
The lack of sun and bad weather can demotivate us when it comes to exercise, particularly in the outdoors. The goals that were being set were more controlled, however, and linking them together would be a significant improvement on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Some of these goals were ones that you may have used before and you may wonder why you haven’t managed to sustain them, such as:
- Drink 2 litres of water per day.
- Stretch every hour (use your video stretches for this).
- Eat the correct number of calories depending on your goals.
- Walk every day, even for 10 minutes.
- Relax or meditate even for 1 minute.
- Interact with friends, family, or colleagues.
- Eat some fruit or vegetables.
I think you will agree that these are easily achievable tasks to do every day. We may even feel we do some of them, but do we do them all every day? We know some of our clients have not done some of these ever day and there are a million valid reasons why. This is harder than you think, but if we can achieve every day, what a great starting point we have for our health and wellbeing.
What can you do to ensure you achieve your goals?
Well, the first step is to make yourself accountable. Some people only need to be accountable to themselves, that is enough, they will stick to it. Personally, like a lot of my clients, I need to be accountable to someone else. So, you can use a personal trainer or a friend to help keep you on track. If you are supporting someone, notice how they inform you with passion when they have achieved their goals, but if they go quiet, give them a nudge ;).
The most effective way to achieve these goals or any wellbeing goals you set, is to plan your day.
Plan everything and put reminders in your phone, prompts on your smartwatch, use post-it notes or a diary. Do whatever you need to be accountable, to ensure you do what is required. After 10 weeks, when you think you’ve cracked it, continue to plan or I promise you, life will take over and bad habits will creep in.
- Measure your water. Use a bottle if you can and mark off when you drink them.
- Break your stretches down so they are for 2 minutes every hour. If you can’t remember them or you want a specific stretch for a specific issue, drop us an email.
- Have a rough idea of how many calories you want to eat and plan. If you don’t know how many you should be consuming, drop us an email. If you don’t get it right, you will certainly be at the biscuit barrel at 3.00 pm.
- Take that short walk, whatever the weather. It may be the last thing you want to do, but I promise you will feel better. Do it every day for a week and you will feel the difference.
- Meditation may feel like too much for some people, but it may be that you are just mindful whilst doing one of the 2-minute stretches.
- Interaction is so important, and you must interact with people that boost you, not take your energy. We are all looking out for each other, but it is vital you look after yourself too.
- Fruit and vegetables need to be handy and ready to go. Processed food is usually closer to hand, and on your mind, so be proactive and have it prepared and planned into your day.
So, first of all, be realistic with what you would like to achieve. It could be you take one option from above or one goal that is personal to you, but make yourself accountable and plan your day, every day.
Good luck and if a few days slip by and you realise your energy levels have dropped and your motivation has diminished, start again, and stay on plan.
Johnny