Fun fact… my mission to help my clients “stress less, eat smart and move more” is in that particular order for a special reason. I didn’t just happen to think that “stress less, eat smart, move more” rolled off the tongue best, though it does do so quite nicely 😉 I put them in that intentional order because it serves as the guiding light for where to begin habit change. Our mind is where our health habits begin, from there we are best to focus on nutrition and an exercise routine is what allows us to find well-rounded health. I am not saying that you must give up your exercise routine in favor of meditating every day instead, but consider where you are putting your energy when working to shift your health.
Many of us focus on the wrong things to change our health because we are either unknowing of what we should be focusing our energy toward, or resistant to changing particular habits. I’ve had many clients come to me requesting an exercise program because it’s the first thing they want to change, but they later reveal that they are drinking about 25 ounces of water a day and getting 4 hours of sleep a night. You could put in hours and hours at the gym, but I promise that being dehydrated and exhausted won’t allow you to see the real results you are working toward.
Focus on the keystone habits that will allow you to see change quickly, and build from there. When working with clients, I always focus on shifting the most important habits in the beginning of our work together. This allows them to build a foundation that is so much easier to work upon as we focus on additional habits that will allow them to continue improving in their health journey.
Check out the pyramid below and take a moment to do the following exercise:
- Write down your current goal
- Make a list of all the habits that you think will help you to achieve that goal
- Circle the habit that falls closest to the bottom of this pyramid
- There’s your starting point for habit change
Some of you may be saying, “but Reed, it’s a never-ending list!!” It’s ok to feel that way… remember that starting in the right place with your habit change will allow you to see the results that motivate you to keep going. Creating sustainable change rarely happens over night, but when done right, it will leave you feeling and looking better for the long haul!!
If you would like to talk through your goals and health habits, let’s connect! I am best reached at fitfeedbyreed@gmail.com.
