The Power of Habit

So you made up your mind to make a healthy behavior change.  You've done the research.  You've weighed the pros and cons.  You've prepared ahead of time and are ready to face any challenges that come your way. 

And hot damn!  You make the change.  You're sticking to it.  You're changing.....and even better, this time it's going to last and you feel great about it!

And then something happens.  Slowly but surely your old behaviors start creeping back up and your new behavior starts slacking off.  You stay in the fight for a while.  You know if you just stay strong and stay motivated that you can do it, but before long the old behaviors are back in full swing, the new behavior is a distant memory and you're back to square one.  You feel guilty and disappointed and wonder why you have such a lack of will power.  You wonder what went wrong.

Never underestimate the power of habit.  Just as it took time for you to develop a bad habit or behavior, it takes time to develop a good one.  And it's not just about having the motivation or the willpower to do away with old habits and stick with new ones.  Studies have found that as we repeat mental and/or physical behaviors we build neural pathways that get bigger and stronger the more we use them.  Our habits are part psycho-physiological so our bodies, as well as our minds are involved in the process.  Once a habit becomes an everyday part of our lifestyle, much of how it operates travels along the equivalent of giant multi-lane highways in our brains.  So when you take on the task of changing a habit, you are literally hacking a new trail through the jungle.  You are re-wiring your brain.  As you might imagine, this takes time and many, many repetitions. (Real Balance Training Institute)

So next time you decide to make a change.....use this information to your advantage.  Be more patient with yourself.  Stay positive.  Expect setbacks.  Welcome challenges.  And know that if you repeat your new habit over and over and over and over and over and over, scientific evidence shows that it can and will stick. 

With Wellness,

Brandyn
www.wellfitrichmond.com

What a rainy, gloomy day.  What better day (or weekend) to start taking charge of your health and wellness?  You don't have to commit to going for a run, or doing a Yoga class or eating less or quitting smoking.  All you have to do is sit down on your comfortable couch, in your comfortable home and jot down some notes.  Take the thoughts that have been on your mind for so long and put them in writing.  Choose some realistic goals that you know you can accomplish and decide what action steps are easiest for you to commit to in order to help you reach them.  If you need more structure, ask yourself these questions: 

What does living well mean to me? 
If I could choose just one goal to accomplish that would help me live more well, what would it be? 
What are 3 small action steps that I can take to get myself closer to reaching that goal? 
When will I start these action steps? 
How will I hold myself accountable? 

This can be the start of your Action Plan.  This can be a start down your path to a healthier, happier lifestyle.  It's that simple.  Here is an example:

What does living well mean to me? 
~ To me, living well is being stress free, being happy and having plenty of energy to keep up with my two young boys.
If I could choose just one goal to accomplish that would help me live more well, what would it be?
~ I want to be more physically active every single day.
What are 3 small action steps that I can take to get myself closer to reaching that goal?
~ I can start taking a 5-10 break from work every couple of hours to take a brisk walk, do some body-weight exercises or stretch.
~ I can choose one household or yard chore to complete every day. 
~ I can start going for a 30 minute walk every evening after dinner.
When will I start these action steps?
~ I will start these action steps on Saturday, June 8th.
How will I hold myself accountable?
~ I will put a reminder in my calendar at work to alert me when it's time to take a break and do something active. 
~ If something is on my "list of things to do" I have to do them or I will continue to think about them so I will make a list of the chores that need to be done and mark them off as I complete them.
~ I will tell my kids and my boyfriend about my plan to go for a walk after dinner and ask them if they will support me and join in my efforts.

This simple behavioral change process will set you up for success and will gradually become easier as you accomplish your goals, start believing in yourself and start feeling healthier and happier.  And that's what Wellness Coaching is all about. 

With Wellness,

Brandyn

www.wellfitrichmond.com

I have found that more and more often I am working with clients that have Metabolic Syndrome.  This is a cluster of conditions (increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the mid-section or abnormal cholesterol levels) that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.  A lot of people don't know what Metabolic Syndrome is or that they have the conditions that are associated with it. 

The first line of defense is to take charge of your health.  Make an appointment with your doctor and ask them to run a blood test to check for the conditions listed above. 

The second line of defense is medical compliance.  If the doctor finds that any of your values are elevated they should send you home with a lifestyle prescription and/or a drug prescription in order to better manage the condition.  It is up to you to comply.  Following the doctors orders will save you from unnecessary hardship down the road.  And remember, just because you have to take a medication now, doesn't mean that you will have to forever.

The third line of defense is to make lasting lifestyle changes.  Regardless of what your doctor prescribes, making a few lifestyle changes can be the key to preventing or eliminating the conditions related to Metabolic Syndrome, thus preventing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. 

1.)  Exercise. 30-60 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise per day is recommended.  Just taking a brisk walk will do the trick.
2.)  Fill up on fiber-rich food.  Make sure you include whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables in your diet.  These items are packed with dietary fiber and can lower your insulin levels.  If you fill up on fiber rich foods then you're less likely to make other unhealthy food choices which will keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check as well. 
3.)  Lose weight.  Losing as little as 5-10% of your body weight can reduce insulin levels and blood pressure and decrease your risk of diabetes. 
4.)  Stop smoking.  Smoking increases insulin resistance and worsens the health consequences of metabolic syndrome.

If you have Metabolic Syndrome or any other health condition and want to make healthy and lasting lifestyle changes, I can help.  We can meet for a free consultation, discuss your health history and devise an action plan that will work for you. 

With Wellness,
Brandyn

www.wellfitrichmond.com

A couple of months ago I started attending Bootcamp classes at Glatter Fitness on Lakeside Avenue.  It was extremely convenient being so close to my house, I really liked the classes and I was starting to establish a routine of getting up at 5:30am to make the 5:45am class.  I was feeling stronger and really looking forward to the classes and then something happened.  I sabotaged my own efforts.  Yes, I said it.  I started making excuses and stopped going to class.  Why did I do this?  Well I have a lot of great reasons that I'm sure you would love to hear but in the end they all turned out to be excuses, thus not worth sharing.  I realized there was a reason that I was making so many excuses.  The early morning time-slot just wasn't working for my schedule.  I loved the classes but I did not love getting up that early.  And so I made some changes.  I have now rearranged my work and family schedule just a little so that I am able to attend either the 6:45am or 9:00am classes.....no more excuses. 

My point is:  Don't give up on the change process.  Keep at it until you find what works best for you and your life.  Change is all about trial and error.  Sometimes you have to try something different; different activities, different environments, different approaches, and even different times until you find what works best for you.  Once you find that, the excuses magically disappear. 

With Wellness,

Brandyn

www.wellfitrichmond.com

A huge part of living “well” is having a job or career that you love (or at least like A LOT).  There is nothing worse than starting your day with a feeling of dread because you have to go to work…….and it’s not dread because you “have” to work…..it’s dread because of “where” you work or “what” your work consists of.  There is a big difference my friends and I have to say that is one reason that I decided to start WellFit Richmond. 

I had a job for several years where I constantly felt over-worked and under-appreciated and I absolutely dreaded the thought of going to work.  When that job finally ended, I decided that I would never again let things get to that point.  So I got creative.  I wanted to do something that was in my field.  I wanted to do something that I was good at.  I wanted to do something that made a difference to others and myself.  I wanted to do something that offered a flexible schedule so I could spend more time with my family and I wanted to do something that I loved.  I started working a couple contract positions that offered good pay and flexible hours, picked back up with training some of my long-term personal training clients, took the time to take some continued education courses and slowly started carrying out my business plan.  And Voila!  WellFit Richmond was born!

Now I’m not saying that you should just up and quit your job.  And I’m not saying you should start your own business.  I’m saying, if you want to have a job or career that you love then YOU CAN have that!  Maybe you need to start looking for a new job, maybe you just need to make a couple of changes to improve the job you have or maybe you need to change your entire profession.  Whatever the situation, you have the ability to change it.   How?  Get creative!  Have a plan.  And don’t be afraid of success or failure.  Success does not come without failure and that goes for any lifestyle change that you decide to make.

First, (and you might wonder why I’m including this but…..)  Take the time to think.  Sometimes we’re just too busy to really think but it’s kind of tough to make changes if you don’t take the time to think of a plan.  So take 15-20 minutes per day, find a nice quiet spot, and THINK.

Second, Write everything down as soon as you think of it.  It’s kind of tough to put your plan into action if you forget what it is.  Have you ever had a great idea while you were taking a shower or driving to work and by the time you remembered to write it down, you forgot all the parts that made it so great?  Exactly.  So write everything down.

Third, Get organized.  Go through your notes and organize and prioritize.  What has to stay?  What can you do without?  What are your deal breakers (things that you will not accept under any circumstances)?  What are your short and long term goals?  What action steps will help you reach these goals?

And last, Start small.  Choose one or two action steps to work on and track your progress.  Were you able to complete the action steps?  Was it a success or should you have done something differently?  Sometimes you have to tweak your plan a little to get around road blocks and over hurdles but it’s all part of the process of change.  You and your plan will be much stronger in the end because of it. 

Thanks for reading my blog and remember, sometimes making lasting lifestyle changes is easier with a little extra help and support.  If you have tried to make changes in the past and they just didn’t stick then maybe it’s time to try something new.  Give me a call or send me an email.  I’ll be happy to meet with you and we can figure out if Wellness Coaching is right for you.

With Wellness,

Brandyn

www.wellfitrichmond.com

 

Famous Wellness Quotes to Live By:

Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. -John F. Kennedy

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. -Paul Dudley White

To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. -Buddha

To me, good health is more than just exercise and diet. It’s really a point of view and a mental attitude you have about yourself. -Albert Schweitzer

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far. -Thomas Jefferson

The five S’s of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit. -Ken Doherty

My own prescription for health is less paperwork and more running barefoot through the grass. -Terri Guillemets

The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don’t take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop. -Quentin Regestein

From the bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health. -Catalan Proverb

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination. -Tommy Lasorda

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. -World Health Organization

Feel free to share some of your favorite Wellness Quotes!