5 Day Challenge: Reset Your Mind, Body, and Habits
DAY ONE
DAY THREE
DAY ONE
Challenge Day 1: Go for a walk
Movement.
Our bodies are made to do it. We’re built to move. There are many adults living very sedentary lives in the United States today. The health effects associated with living a sedentary lifestyle are vast and can be extremely detrimental. Especially over long enough time periods.
The first challenge I am assigning to you is to go for a walk. It may seem overly simplistic. That’s the point. We are starting with one simple and actionable step.
Perhaps you walk all the time. Perhaps you walk across a large parking lot before sitting down for the remainder of the day.
We sit in our offices and our cubicles. We sit when we eat. We sit on the couch after a hard day. Unless you’re already participating in regular daily activity, or you have an active job, you’re probably sitting most of the time. This can manifest into long term negative health effects such as:
- Weight gain
- Reduction in muscle tissue
- Higher risk of diabetes and heart disease
- Reduction of bone density
We need to build more activity into your daily life if you are currently experiencing a sedentary lifestyle. Think of it as daily body maintenance to help you live a healthier and happier life.
Taking A Walk
I want you to take a 20 minute walk today. I’d prefer it if you had no distractions during this 20 minute walk. That’s right! I want you to put away your phone. If you must have it on you, please turn it on silent or in airplane mode. The world will not crumble without you for 20 minutes, I promise you.
If you can, I want you to walk outside, under the best possible circumstances. Do you prefer shade? Find a shady walkway. Do you want to feel the warmth of the Sun? By all means.
When you take this walk, I want you to be mindful with each step. I want you to be deliberate and intentional with each step. Notice how it feels to take each step. Are you experiencing pain of any kind? If you aren’t then I want you to consciously be aware of that fact, and do your best to express gratitude for it. Moving freely is a wonderful thing that we often take for granted.
I want you to focus on your breath during your 20 minute walk as well. If you need a count to focus on, try doing a 3 second count breath in, hold for 5 and then breathe out for a 4 second count. Try to take in your surroundings. Look at the buildings. Look at the sky. Look at the nature surrounding you. Take it all in. Observe yourself in space.
I want you to observe your thoughts. Simply observe them. There’s no need to judge them or linger on any one particular thought. Simply observe them without judging and then return to focusing on your breathing. Whenever you have the opportunity, return to your breath. Even if you only return to your breath once throughout the 20 minute walk. It’s a win.
Complete this task and you will get a sense of relief knowing you have completed something. I want you to feel a sense of accomplishment. You have earned credibility with yourself, and I want to congratulate you for it!
If you want to go the extra mile, sit down with a pen and piece of paper when you have the opportunity, and I want you to journal your thoughts from your walk. I want you to journal about your experience and any revelations you may have had during.
Source for further reading: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/the-dangers-of-sitting
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
DAY ONE
Challenge Day 2: Consume 20-30 grams of protein with breakfast (first meal of the day)
Most people are not getting an adequate amount of protein in their diets. We tend to be heavy on processed carbs and fats.
Carbohydrates and fats are necessary for a healthy balanced diet for most of the population. However, it’s in the ratio of macronutrients that can sometimes get skewed.
Protein is responsible for a number of important things. Protein is responsible for building and repairing lean muscle tissue, and it plays a vital role in facilitating a fat burning metabolism.
Having enough protein in your diet can reduce feelings of hunger pangs throughout the day. It is the most satiating of the 3 macronutrients. It also slows down the release of carbohydrates into your bloodstream. This process prevents spikes in blood sugar that are thought to increase fat storage, and deplete you of energy.
It is worth noting that protein will not energize you in the same way that carbohydrates and fats will, but it will help you feel fuller longer. With reduced feelings of hunger, you’ll be less likely to reach for that candy bar you keep tucked away in your office drawer.
If you don’t like eating breakfast, or don’t typically consume food early in the day, that’s okay. Try to get 20-30 grams of protein in your lunch or dinner.
The purpose of this challenge is to help you become aware of what protein food sources are and how they fit into your daily meals. It also allows you get a sense that it’s possible to get that many grams of protein in one meal. Preparing protein doesn’t have to be overly complicated either, it could simply be tossing a scoop of protein powder into your shake or coffee mug as you’re rushing the kids out the door in the morning.
Overall daily calories are going to be the most important factor to overall weight loss or gain, but getting more protein (for most of the population) will greatly benefit body composition.
Examples of lean and healthy sources of protein-packed breakfast meals:
- Turkey sausage or bacon (2 to 3 pieces)
- An omelette with veggies
- 3 eggs (can add egg whites for additional protein)
- Greek Yogurt with fruit
- A Whey protein or vegan protein shake or smoothie
- Whey or Vegan protein powder pancakes
Sources of protein are going to be lean meats, egg whites, Greek yogurt, or whey/vegan protein powder supplements.
We’re introducing the inclusion of protein into your diet, because getting enough protein will serve you greatly in resetting your body, and achieving a healthier physique.
Getting an adequate amount of protein in conjunction with physical activity can help you achieve the body of your dreams.
Enjoy it!
Source for more protein packed breakfast meals: https://www.eatthis.com/high-protein-breakfasts/
DAY THREE
DAY THREE
DAY THREE
Challenge Day 3: Write out 10 things you’re grateful for, + 10 things that you like about yourself
Mindset is such a crucial element for anyone who decides to change for the better. Whether it be to lose weight, or gain muscle, or change your body composition completely, we must address the mind before we can attempt to change the body.
We must make some breakthroughs within first.
Our emotions are inextricably linked to our physical manifestation of ourselves. If we have a toxic mindset, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to change our bodies for the better.
One of the reasons gratitude practices are all the rage right now is simply this: they work.
We get what we focus on. If we focus on all of the negative aspects of our lives, (how no one respects us, how we’re always getting shy around new people, etc.) we will inevitably find the negativity in our lives.
We all have a negativity bias. We scan our environments to confirm the theories and beliefs we have stored and wired into our brain over a lifetime of good, bad, and neutral experiences.
We all have a subconscious, which is our “automatic mind.” Our mind that is on autopilot. We all have automatic thoughts that we’ve conditioned ourselves to believe and reinforce on a daily basis. It’s easier for our subconscious to latch onto negative thought patterns and beliefs because our mind is always trying to keep us safe and out of harm's way, physically and emotionally.
Writing down the things that we’re grateful for disrupts this negative cycle. It disrupts the automatic negativity that so much of us fall prey to. Science has even proven that if we do this often enough and on a consistent basis, we can literally rewire our subconscious into more easily retrieving positive and healthy thought patterns.
There are so many things in which to be grateful for.
Write them down!
Even the seemingly small things that we tend to take for granted. A comfy pillow, modern plumbing, fresh drinking water, Netflix. It’s all worth celebrating and showing appreciation for.
Many people practice writing items that they’re grateful for first thing in the morning. They are priming their mind to appreciate the small things in life. They are setting themselves up for success by cultivating a small win, and a positive outlook on life before they even start their day.
You’ll be amazed at how many things you can be grateful for, if you focus and think about it.
The same process can be said for writing 10 things that you like about yourself. We have a very easy time tearing ourselves down, endlessly criticizing ourselves, and picking ourselves apart. We wish our hair wasn’t so unruly, we wish we were born with a different body type, or a different face shape. We spend so much time tearing ourselves down that we rarely stop and celebrate our best attributes.
It doesn’t have to be a physical trait. Perhaps you’re a great listener. Write it down! Maybe you make the best cherry pie in the world. Perhaps you’re a grammar wizard and all of your friends come to you when they’re crafting a new document for work.
Everyone has amazing qualities about them. It’s good to write them down and recognize them from time to time. Take pride in the qualities that you love about yourself, and repeat them to yourself often. This will leave an imprint on your subconscious and give you a sense of wholeness in a thoughtful and strategic way.
It takes practice, but the art of recognizing things that you are grateful for, and the things that you like about yourself can have lasting and profound effects on your journey to better health and a better body. Most importantly, you are worth it.
Sources for further reading:
DAY FOUR
DAY SIX - BONUS
DAY THREE
Challenge Day 4: Get 7-9 hours of sleep at least one night this week
There are books written on the importance of sleep (and with good reason).
Good health indicators are spawned as byproducts of getting enough rest and recovery. Our bodies need to rest. Our minds need to recover. Getting good quality shut eye is required in order to attain good health. There are those who try to avoid this inescapable fact, and some can last longer than others, but eventually, without enough sleep, it eventually catches up with us.
With this challenge, I want you to get a good night’s sleep.
I want you to give yourself permission to sleep, and sleep well. Ideally without interruption.
I know getting plenty of sleep is not always easy to do. Sometimes it’s downright impossible. We sacrifice our sleep in order to get things done. Sleep isn’t always an option when you have young children who periodically wake up in the middle of the night. Sometimes you’re going to have a deadline at work, and the first thing to go will be a full night’s rest. There are those with medical conditions that prevent them from sleeping well.
But making sleep a priority, and doing our best to get enough can be a healthy force multiplier. It’s a habit that can profoundly impact all other areas of life. Especially in the context of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Sleeping well can enhance athletic performance, it can aid in fat loss, increase cognitive function, boost immunity and increase overall mental health and clarity.
Here are a few things that can help you get to sleep, and most importantly, get the kind of sleep that will help you in your quest for greater health:
- Set a bedtime alarm. We often set an alarm to wake up, but what about when to call it a day. Set an alarm for bed that allows you to get at least 7-9 hours, and resolve to go to bed when the alarm sounds.
- Keep the temperature in your room cool or cold (anywhere between 65-69 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Try using a sleep mask, or keep the room as dark as possible (blackout curtains are a good investment)
- Consider supplementing with Melatonin an hour before bedtime
- Keep the room as quiet as possible, or consider using a white noise machine or a box fan
- Meditate before bed
Sit at the foot of your bed, and set a low light. Sit upright with your hands on your knees or at your sides. Rest and be still for at least 5-15 minutes. Try to focus on your breath. Inhale count for 5 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds and then exhale for 8 seconds, and repeat. Observe your thoughts. Try not to judge your thoughts or linger on any one thought. Simply observe them, and when you can, try to return to your breath. Practice this and you will surely prime yourself and your nervous system for restful, recoverable sleep.
- Use aroma therapy before bed, sprinkle essential oils on your pillow
- Try listening to calming music before bed
- Avoid computer and/or phone screens for 30-60 minutes before bed
- Take a hot shower or bath before bed
- Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages 3-4 hours before bedtime
- Avoid drinking water right before bed, as to avoid going to the bathroom in the middle of the night
- Track your sleep using a wearable device/app
- Journal before bed, especially if something is bothering you (a “word dump” can be a very helpful exercise because you’re getting it out of your mind and onto paper)
Try one or many of these tactics to help you restore yourself and rest appropriately. The importance of getting enough sleep can not be overstated.
Sources for further reading:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#section4
DAY FIVE
DAY SIX - BONUS
DAY SIX - BONUS
Challenge Day 5: Drink a half of a gallon of water (64 ounces)
A half gallon. Make sure you’re near a restroom.
Don’t attempt to drink an entire half gallon at once, it’ll make you ill.
Hydration is key and it’s often overlooked when attempting to alter your body composition. But, staying hydrated can have a positive effect when trying to lose body fat or even gain muscle.
Most people are not drinking enough water every day. A lot of us are drinking caffeine loaded drinks like coffee and energy drinks to wake ourselves up in the morning, and many of us switch to sugary drinks in the evening.
It’s important to note that your body can go weeks without food, but only a few days without water.
There are many other reasons to stay hydrated, and this is a habit that takes some practice, so the challenge for today is designed to show you that it IS possible to get an entire gallon in relatively easy in a day.
Some of the reasons hydration is so beneficial is:
- It can increase overall energy and reduce feelings of fatigue
- It flushes waste products and toxins from your body through the liver
- It helps promote weight loss
- It reduces hunger
- It improves skin and keep skin and organs hydrated
- It can result in mental health benefits
- It helps aid in proper digestion
- It helps regulate body temperature
Now that we know some of the many benefits associated with getting enough water throughout the day, let’s discuss some tactics on how you can get more water in throughout the day:
- Add fruit or zero calorie flavoring to your pitcher
- Drink a glass after each bathroom break
- Drink a glass before every meal
- Use an app to track your water intake
- Get a water bottle that tracks how much water you’ve drank
- Keep a gallon jug near you at all times throughout the day
- Choose a sparkling water over soda
- Use a marked water bottle
Staying hydrated is going to make you feel amazing, and it’s going to help you get the body you’ve always desired.
It’s a keystone habit that influences many others and that’s why it shouldn’t be overlooked.
Stay well and stay hydrated.
Source for further reading:
https://www.self.com/story/how-to-drink-more-water
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I want to thank you for participating in these 5 daily challenges.
I hope they’ve inspired you to continue making gradual and progressive positive changes in your life.
Remember, that you are worth striving for.
Always work to become your best self. Your better self.
DAY SIX - BONUS
DAY SIX - BONUS
DAY SIX - BONUS
Challenge Day 6: Bonus Challenge
Read this brief summary on the nature of change and attempt to reframe how you see change.
I want to welcome you to the wonderful world of change.
Change is constant.
Things are always changing, whether we recognize it or not.
We shy away from it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not inevitable.
One thing we can do that will help prepare us for change is to become acquainted with it, and that is exactly what you are doing.
When you were young, you probably loved to swim. What was the fastest way to get used to the temperature of the water? You dove right in! Perhaps you cannonballed in. That’s great! I like your style.
For some, change is difficult. For some, change is scary. It may induce anxiety and uncertainty within you.
These are all great things.
It helps us to redefine terms. This is a process known as reframing.
Instead of scary, let’s reframe change in a positive light.
Let’s make friends with change.
Change is exciting.
Change is life altering.
Change is vitality.
Change is the path to success.
Change is wonderful.
You have chosen to do things differently. You’ve adopted the attitude that change is necessary in order to get what you want out of life. You’ve chosen to step outside of your comfort zone and I want to applaud you for it. I want to congratulate you.
Make friends with change, and be gentle with yourself on this journey of change and self-discovery.
It take courage to do what you’re doing. It takes guts. One day, you will look back and say that this was the defining moment for you.
This was the day that you elevated your standards and proudly declared “I can do better.”
You had the courage to go against the status quo, and dared to change.
This is only the beginning of your journey, and I am honored that you’ve decided to allow me to help guide you on this path, in this season of your life.
We're so excited for you!
Healthier Eating can be broken down in steps
Phase One:
Self Awareness: Knowing where you actually are
Mindset:
Your own personal mindset regarding food, getting in better shape, health and wellness all play a major role during the process of pursuing and cultivating a better version of yourself.
Below is a brief overview of how beliefs affect us, our behavior, and ultimately shape our reality:
Your beliefs drive your behavior.
We all have core beliefs. The concept of beliefs goes well beyond religion or spirituality. We have beliefs about everything. We have ways in which we think about things pertaining to who we are, what we stand for, what is possible, and what our limitations are. We all have stories about past seasons of our lives and we engage daily in our own narratives of our present and future.
Our narrative is how we describe our world and our role within it at any given time. Narratives are how we make sense of the world around us by interpreting what’s happening around us and how we make conscious choices in response. We use narrative to describe ourselves and who we are.
I am someone who… I used to be… I want to become...
These stories we tell ourselves to describe who we are become a structure or a core belief shaping our filter of how we perceive the world. It’s within these beliefs, through the lens of these filters, that our identity and behavior is directed and influenced.
We are influenced by the story of our past. We attach a story to everything that’s happened to us that’s had a lasting impact. You grew up being told that you were shy. Now you have a tendency to play that role in life, and you have a hard time meeting new people or introducing yourself. You defeat yourself before you begin because you identify as shy and you are content to fill that role, that narrative, of yourself. You filter each social situation through that lens of being shy and respond accordingly.
You grew up believing that the only way to be attractive was to be “skinny,” and the only way to be skinny was to eat very little and essentially starve yourself. You now hold the belief that in order to be thin, or “attractive,” you must also be miserable. You must suffer in order to be given approval by others.
You grew up watching your parents complain and argue about money. Your father continuously said the words “Money is the root of all evil.” Mom lamented about things that were “not in the budget.” Therefore, you grew up subconsciously believing the same thing. Now, when you think of the prospect of making additional income you feel bad or guilty. You never have enough and yet you can’t acquire too much. These are all examples of how our beliefs can directly affect and influence our behavior--in negative ways.
The good news is the opposite is also true. If you feel like you are competent and capable of landing your dream job and you feel that you are deserving of it, then you will be MUCH more likely to get the position you seek. If you pride yourself on being a learner then you’ll be happy and content pursuing to learn as much as possible and opportunities will present themselves to you as you expand your knowledge base.
If you tell yourself that you’re a healthy individual who takes time to implement healthy practices, you’ll begin to identify with those thoughts and beliefs. You cultivate a narrative that you are someone who cares about their health. You will notice the ways in which healthy options are available, routines will establish themselves, and you will continue to engage in behaviors that create a lifestyle that is rich in wellness. You will act in accordance with how you identify yourself.
“Research suggests that people are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors like eating well and exercising if they have a greater sense of self-efficacy—that is, if they believe that they are capable of effectively performing these behaviors.” - Psychology Today
This is why it’s so important to build awareness around your beliefs and how they may be holding you back or propelling you forward.
Your beliefs can also indirectly influence how others perceive you or treat you. We teach people how to treat us. If you value yourself, you are more likely to set healthy boundaries in relationships. Our beliefs about our basic human characteristics can be incredibly power. If we believe we’re a good, honest, patient person, we may be inclined to be more cooperative, patient, and helpful.
Research has indicated that there is a significant difference between believing we did something wrong and believing we’re a bad person that does wrong things. Guilt is associated with the former. Guilt is the emotional response causing you to recognize that you made a bad choice. Shame is a destructive emotion tied to the belief that we are a “bad person.” This tends to diminish hope for doing better and prevents people from making necessary changes. You can make a choice you would identify as “bad” without being a “bad person.” Recognizing the choice as a behavior without identifying with it can inspire us to improve and do better. Instead of shaming yourself into repeating the behavior, you can use your self awareness of it to propel you forward.
Our beliefs can even affect our health. Studies have shown that people who tend to be more optimistic about aging tend to live longer! Creating a narrative where you see yourself as a healthy individual capable of progress and change can lead toward not only a fuller life, but a longer one!
Actionable steps to cultivate positive beliefs that serve you and propel you forward:
- Start writing in a “Gratitude” journal, list all of the things in which you are grateful for, including very small items such as: “I’m grateful for a bed to sleep in”
- Journal out your thoughts that frustrate you or limit you, become aware of them
- Meditate and observe your thoughts, don’t judge them, just observe
- Set clear intentions on how you want to start and end each day - Tell yourself that you deserve the best, and be gentle to yourself
- Recognize that suffering is a part of life although not necessarily deserved or invited
- Recognize the power of thoughts and beliefs and how they drive our behavior
- Practice compassion for those whose beliefs may be holding them back
Setting Goals:
First, be sure to write it down. You’re 42% more likely to reach your goal if you physically write it down. Your chances increase even more if you tell a friend about your goal.
What is it that you want?
Are you wanting to feel better?
Are you wanting to look different?
Are you wanting to lose weight to better your health?
Are you wanting to lose body fat to improve athletic performance, or just to move more optimally?
Are you wanting to learn about food and how it can better integrate into your life?
Why?
Why do you want this particular goal to happen?
How would it make you feel if you reached your goal?
How would it make your life different?
Once you’ve written down your goals, I want you to keep that piece of paper somewhere it’s going to be easy to see for the foreseeable future.
Put it on your refrigerator. Put it on your bulletin board above your desk at work. Tape it on your bedroom wall. Put it on your bathroom mirror. Put it anywhere and everywhere – just make sure it’s visible every day!
If you can’t see your goals every day, then you will forget about them. It’s easy to lose track of your goals if you’re not constantly reminding yourself what they are. Keep them in the forefront of your mind and you will gravitate towards them daily. Write down sticky notes with motivational phrases on them and put them on your computer at work and at home.
It may seem silly to write all of this down, but it will prevent you from slacking and losing personal accountability. Don’t accidentally give up on yourself!
Below is a list of some things to consider when you are setting goals:
⦁ Be Specific – It’s very easy to say we want to get healthy.
Most people have that as a goal at some point in their lives. “Get healthy” is not a very specific goal. There are too many variables and too many open questions. Think of specific examples of what will propel you to a healthier lifestyle.
Specific Goals:
- “I’m going to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night this week.”
- “I plan on meditating every day after work before I greet my family so that I can be calm, rested, and present with them.”
- “I want to lose 3% body fat in 3 months.”
With these specific goals you are much likelier to meet your goal because it is specific and there is a timeline attached. You set yourself up for success when your goals are created and thought of in this way.
⦁ Make Sure Your Goal Is Something You Can Measure – It’s important to measure your progress as you work towards your goals.
The more we measure our progress, the more we can see our progress. This allows us to stay motivated and engaged in the process, and it allows us to continue making small goals for ourselves. You should never stop setting new goals. As a species we are meant to challenge ourselves and strive for better. We are purposeful beings that thrive when we aspire towards something every day. It gives us hope for a better future. The only way to truly progress in life and in living is to set measurable goals for ourselves and then work daily to achieve them.
You can measure your goals on paper or in spreadsheets on your computer. You can track food in apps or in simple notes on your phone.
You can take pictures of your food to simply become aware of the things you are consuming day to day. One of the great things about technological advancements in the nutrition/fitness industry is that there are many tools and applications that can help us keep track of our progress.
Today, we can measure our heart rates during exercise, our workout duration times, calories burned, water consumption, food, how many steps we take in a day, sleep, and even our hormones.
MyFitnessPal is a free food tracking app and it’s very simple to use.
Below is a video explaining how to track your daily food with MyFitnessPal:
⦁ Make Sure Your Goals Are Realistic and Attainable – Generally speaking, we can only achieve goals that we believe in our minds that we can realistically achieve.
It is unrealistic to set a goal of making 1 million dollars in a year when you’re current annual income is 25,000 dollars. Our minds aren’t capable of making such a leap. Setting goals that pertain to changing our body composition are no different. It’s not possible to have a total body transformation in one week, or two, or even three.
There are goals we can achieve in a weeks time. Things such as eating well most of the time, meal prepping for the week, making sure we have fruit and healthy snacks on hand at work, drinking 6-8 cups of water in a day, and getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night are specific and measurable. These are small goals that occur in a shorter time period, making achieving them more accessible and attainable. In the meantime, you are also working towards your bigger goal.
This is called the snowball effect! Just like a small snowball rolls downhill picking up extra snow and speed along the way, slow and sustainable progress builds on itself, each win piling into another win. As they accumulate and you gain momentum, the impact is that much greater toward the bigger goal!
Once you have achieved a goal – celebrate your victory and then set a new one.
Eventually, little by little, you will be in the best shape of your life – and even then – you will want to continue setting new goals to reach for and work towards.
⦁ Make Sure Your Goal Is Attached To a Deadline – Attaching a deadline to your goal helps you monitor your progress.
If you have a timeline associated with something you want to achieve, then you will progressively work towards it. In the proper context, you may develop a sense of urgency to achieve your goal if you know you have a specific amount of time to achieve it. If there is no timeline attached to your goal, it’s much easier to put it off and procrastinate.
You want to make sure your goal has a realistic time period that is short enough to see results, yet it is not daunting, intimidating, or overwhelming. If you give yourself too much time it is very easy to lose focus and to not stay dedicated to what it is you hope to achieve. What amount of time is manageable for your goals and lifestyle while still maintaining safe and sustainable progress?
Often when we hear of deadlines for goals related to health and fitness, we hear things like “run a 5k next year” or “deadlift 300 pounds in 6 months” but there are a variety of goals and deadlines you can set for where you are in your life. Perhaps you want to reduce your markers for being prediabetic before your yearly birthday checkup or be able to take your grandson to the park and swing alongside him by Spring. Find deadlines that mean something to you to help keep you motivated.
Having a deadline also forces you to have a point to evaluate your progress. We have to take time to reflect on what we have achieved since we started our journey. If there are places where you have struggled, you can problem solve to find new approaches or new motivation to better succeed. This is also an opportunity to find and celebrate your wins so you can continue to make new goals with renewed enthusiasm!
⦁ Follow Your Coaches Advice – Follow it with due diligence. Do not give up. Give it your all.
Do this – and you will change your perspective, your lifestyle, and even your body. We at Better Self have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours researching and studying evidence-based practices that work. We use the best available habit-building strategies for fat loss and muscle development. We have studied the psychology of what makes a person stick to a particular habit.
In the case of habit building there are few things that make them automatic:
- There are incentives attached.
- There are rewards attached to the habit if they are implemented.
- There may be a punishment for not completing the habit.
In order to create good habits and replace bad habits there are 3 steps:
- Every time we perform a habit, we execute a four-step pattern: cue, craving, response, reward.
- If we want to form new habits, we should make them obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.
- You can use a habit tracker as a fun way to measure your progress and make sure you don’t fall off the wagon.
We have collected and curated all of the information that you will need to reach your desired outcome.
Every individualized program must suit you, the individual. Nutrition can not--and should not--be the same for everyone. We all have different preferences, backgrounds, constraints, mindsets, and past experiences. All of these individual aspects create different ideas about food. Food is more than the nutrients (or lack thereof) that you consume daily. Food holds memories, emotions, and cravings beyond flavor.
When we talk about curating goals we are talking about reshaping and redefining how we view food and nutrition. You can’t avoid it. You can’t ignore it. You have to eat. You have to deal with your perspective on what and why you eat the way you do. If we are going to unlearn and relearn habits that are deeply rooted in our narrative, then we must start at the beginning and find as many opportunities to succeed as we can. This means science-based practices, documented growth, monitored timelines, and authentic conversations.
Allow us to coach you on an individual basis. Allow us to help guide you along this journey.
Diligence:
So many people try to lose weight. So many people join gyms. So many people purchase programs, or app subscriptions, or machines, or personal training sessions. So many people try for a week. Two weeks.
Then they get discouraged and quit.
This is due to one thing:
Lack of accountability.
We are here to help you stay accountable. We are the coach in your pocket that you can reach out to when things are hard. We’re here to answer your questions when you’re feeling overwhelmed and confused.
Make a declaration to the universe right now that you will not give up!
Tell yourself that you will succeed.
Tell yourself that you deserve it.
Tell yourself that you deserve to change your body.
Tell yourself that you deserve to be healthy.
Tell yourself that you deserve prosperity and happiness.
Because you do.
When you begin to tell yourself the items above, you will begin to believe in yourself. You will begin to believe you can do it. Even if you don’t fully believe in yourself currently, we believe you can do it.
We believe you can do it, because we’ve seen people just like you do it.
Search the depths of your inner-being and know you can do it too. Know you can accomplish anything you want in this life - and go for it!
People have literally transformed their entire lives for the better using our methodologies. It has worked for many, and if you give it all of your concentrated effort and commitment, it will work for you too.
Believe in yourself. We’re here to help you change your life.
Photos:
Take a picture with your body facing the camera, your profile, and your back. Make sure to include your entire body.
We want to measure the progress of your upper body, as well as your lower body.
We know it can be daunting and perhaps even overwhelming to take these photos of yourself.
These photos are for you.
These photos will be invaluable when looking back on your journey. They are documented proof of your transformation.
Day to day, you’re going to be examining your body in the mirror.
We all do it, especially when we first start any type of new routine involving fitness and nutrition.
It will be very difficult to see your body changing day to day and this can be very misleading.
Measuring your progress with photos will be the proof you need to ensure you’re headed in the right direction. It’s the most qualitative data you can have.
Pictures can often be a driving, motivating force that helps keep people on the right track.
We need to see our transformation taking place to really believe in it.
Once you believe in the transformation that is taking place in your body--as well experiencing it in your thoughts and mind--it will inspire you to keep going.
why track your food?
Is there a need for tracking your food?
Tracking food is important for a few reasons.
One of the most important reasons is because it creates self-awareness.
Tracking food intake should initially be used as an awareness tool. To bring about awareness of what a person is eating.
Once we become aware of our food intake, and the choices we are making on a consistent and regular basis, we can make a calculated effort to change what we don't want to continue.
Busy adults tend to live much of their lives in autopilot. We tend to do the same things over and over again. Our habits have been pretty well cemented by the time we reach adulthood. The same goes for our food choices and our food routine.
We may get decent variety of foods in, but if we were to look at our choices for an entire month, we would see some of the same things being chosen week to week.
Tracking food allows us to see what these choices are and how they are affecting us.
Tracking also allows us the ability to see how many grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat we are getting each day. This in turn allows us to become more acquainted with macronutrients (what they are and how much) and how they fuel our lives.
Another aspect of tracking is it allows us to see when we might be over-consuming food. For some it’s in the evening. For some it’s on the weekends. Tracking gives us qualitative and quantitative data that acts as a source of metrics for our eating habits.
Discoveries are made. When we become aware of what our food choices are, we can then make a calculated and appropriate plan to do more of what we want, and tweak what we may not want to continue.
We can strategically plan ahead to set ourselves up for success.
Success that exists not only in the short-term, but success for life.
There are a few ways to track:
- MyFitnessPal App - MFP is an easy to use application on your phone. It’s free and very user-friendly. You can scan food items and it will give you the calorie count as well as the macronutrient profile. You can also search for food items in the Search bar. This app even gives you the ability to track water intake and physical activity. Based on your information it will give you a calorie amount, and you can tailor your macros in the app as well.
- Food Journal - You can keep a food journal where you document all of your food for the day. This is where you jot down what you ate, and you can also document how you were feeling before and after the meal and any other items that you might find significant.
Keep in mind that unless you look in an app, or google the calorie count + macro profile, you will not have the quantitative data as it pertains to your food.
- Food Snapshots - This method is when you literally take a picture of everything you consume (food and drink) with your camera phone. As with food journaling, you will not have calorie or macro profiles that accompany your food choices, but you can at least get a sense for what you are consuming on a daily basis.
Tracking your food may seem like a daunting “pull-back-the-curtain” exercise, but it can be a profoundly informative practice if you let it.
It sets a precedent of being intentional with your choices, and it gets you out of autopilot mode.
I don't necessarily recommend that you track your food for an extended period of time. We want to breed self-awareness, because that’s the most important element to tracking.
Once you have a healthy eating plan or strategy set in place, you can ride the wave for however long it is creating a desired result. This includes maintaining a healthy weight. It's not necessary to always be in a caloric deficit.
Maintaining a healthy weight is a win in itself. There are going to be seasons where simply maintaining is not only great for your overall health, but considerable progress as well.
Know that you can always refer back to tracking your food to become more aware or to really dial in your process at any time in the future.
*Why should I track my food intake?
Balanced Meal Plates
Portion sizes
A balanced portion is going to have balanced macronutrients.
So, on every plate you're going to want to include some protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Ideally you'll also include some veggies or fruit as well.
Portion size is different than serving size.
Remember:
A portion size is not the same as a serving size.
A portion size is an amount of food on your plate. A serving size is a specific amount of food that represents a certain number of calories. Often the portion you eat contains more than one serving.
Keep this in mind when cooking and making food selections.
Eating at home.
Studies have indicated that, on average, modern-sized pizza pans and serving dishes are getting bigger and they can add an additional 50-200 calories per meal. That may not sound like a lot but it equates to 10-15 extra pounds per year.
Even our drink holders in our modern cars have grown in size to accommodate large beverage containers.
This plays tricks on our minds because we begin to normalize larger serving and portion sizes, and this leads us to continuously eat larger and larger amounts of food.
The calories can add up.
There are some meals that are being served at restaurants that might add up to someone's overall calorie amount for the day.
A study published in 2012 found that 96 percent of restaurant meals exceed USDA recommendations for fat, salt and overall calories.
Source: Wu HW, Sturm R. Public Health Nutrition 2013;16(1)87-96.
Being mindful goes a long way.
By learning to eyeball portion and serving sizes you will set yourself up for success with food in the future.
If fat loss is the goal you want to be mindful of portion sizes.
As we stated above, it's not necessary to track and measure each bite of food you consume for the rest of your life. However, the initial stages of tracking your food can be extremely useful when it comes to determining proper portion/serving sizes.
Being mindful and intentional during food planning and preparation will always be beneficial when moving forward.
Portion sizes continued
Most of the time portion sizes in the US are simply too big.
Portion sizes.
They’re generally too big in the US.
We don’t need as much as we think we do.
Restaurants prey on us and exploit our scarcity mindset.
A scarcity mindset is one that perpetuates the idea that there’s never enough.
A scarcity mindset also promotes over consumption, and not just with food.
This is where tracking, measuring, and assessing serving sizes comes in handy.
It rocked my world when I saw what 4 ounces of white rice looked like compared to what I thought it looked like.
It was plenty of white rice, BTW.
Portions may look different for everyone depending on the food, the meal, and the purpose.
But the point of this post is to highlight the fact that we’re being given too much food on purpose.
Cheap food, too. In excess.
When it’s expensive, the portions are itty-bitty.
Action item:
Measure your white rice next time you eat it. What does a serving size look like compared to your usual serving size?
Watching serving sizes is easy when you know what to look for.
5-6 ounces of chicken or meat is the size of the palm of your hand or one deck of cards.
1/2 cup of potato or rice (starch) is the size of a cupped hand or a computer mouse.
1 tbsp. of peanut butter is the size of your thumb or a poker chip.
1 cut of fresh fruit is the size of a fist or a baseball.
1 tsp. of butter is the of your thumbnails or 2 dices.
portion/serving size continued - click to expand
Meal Prep
Prepping meals ahead of time can be extremely helpful
You've probably heard the old adage: "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail."
This may be true when considering making healthier food choices.
There are so many decisions that a person must make on any given day. We have kids, jobs, and daily life to navigate. All while making a concerted effort to take care of ourselves and our health at the same time.
It can be overwhelming. Preparing a convoluted dinner recipe at the end of a long stressful day at work may not be an option. So we opt for something quick, processed, and highly palatable. These options are usually high in calories and loaded with extra unnecessary ingredients.
There is a solution and it's a practice known as meal prep. Being intentional about preparing food ahead of time can save a lot of time, money, and stress in your pursuit to better health.
You don't need to prepare everything in advance. We recommend you prepare your protein sources at the very least, because protein generally takes the longest amount of time to cook. You can create breakfast meals the night before. You can bag up fruit or protein bars to take with you to work or the gym.
You can cook all of your meals for the week on Sunday afternoons, or you can prepare food for 2 - 3 days in advance. You get to decide.
You don't have to be a Master Chef either. Your meals can be as simple as you'd like. They don't have to look polished as if they are ready to be photographed and shared on social media, they just need to taste good and suit your dietary preferences.
Tailor your meal prep practice to your life and have fun with it!
Benefits of Meal Prepping:
Removes Temptation
Ever find yourself in a situation where you’re starving but you don’t have any food prepared? It’s no bueno. You’re left with two options. Either consume something quick and processed in your cupboard, or visit the fast-food restaurant down the street from your house. Meal prepping ensures that you have something on hand that fits your dietary needs and is reasonably healthy and delicious. By having healthy food available during the week, it means you have planned ahead, and you’re prepared.
Helps You Manage Hunger
Meal prepping gives you the added ability to manage your hunger more efficiently, because it allows you to eat when you’re hungry. You won’t have to wait until after you’ve prepared food. This is beneficial because if you eat when you are hungry, you’ll be much less likely to over-consume food after cooking a meal that may take a long time to prepare.
Prevents Waste
Once you’ve established a healthy routine in which you're consistently preparing food ahead of time, and it consists of food that you’re excited to eat on a weekly basis, you’ll find that you’re not wasting as much food. It’s easy to buy food at the grocery store that we have every intention of eating but don't. We’ve all been in the scenario where our produce has gone bad because we didn’t eat it. Prepping your food will help you cultivate a routine that includes buying certain specific ingredients at the grocery store that you know you will use and eat.
Saves Money
After adopting the practice of making food before hand, you’ll notice that you’re eating out a lot less frequently, and this is going to help you save money. Not only that, but now you have a general idea of how much every ingredient you need week-to-week is going to cost, allowing you to control it a bit. You can even purchase default ingredients in bulk, saving you more money and time.
Saves Time
Meal prepping on your terms can save you a ton of time in the long-run. You can cook all of your meals for the week on the weekends, prepare protein only, or you can simply get your ingredients ready by chopping up some veggies ahead of time. Every little item you choose to prepare beforehand is going to allow you more time to work out, practice self-care, read, or veg after a long hard day at work. You can spend more time with your kids or your significant other. You’ll have more time and you’ll be choosing healthier options, which means you can enjoy your life considerably more guilt-free. Go ahead! You deserve more time to do with it as you please.
Helps to Remove Stress
Whenever we find ourselves making an effort to get in shape and lose excess body fat, we start thinking and even obsessing about food all the time. The willpower train will stop when we don’t feel like making a healthy choice after a stressful day, and nothing is conveniently prepared for us. Preparing your food ahead of time can eliminate the stress associated with healthier eating. By having your healthy food mapped out and prepared in advance, you can avoid stress and anxiety that comes along with making a dinner decision. This in turn can really help you to reach your goals faster and with more ease.
Gives More Control
When planning your meal prep for the week, you get to be in the driver's seat of your choices. This is great because it allows you the freedom to make premeditated decisions about your health and routine. You get to choose foods based on your personal preference, without unnecessary additives like salt, fat, and sugar. You get to choose what the macro ratio is and how many calories your meals have. You’re also guaranteed that the selection of quality ingredients is fresh and chosen to meet your personal preference
Meal prep continued
Plan Out Meals
Collect Recipes
Plan Out Meals
Having a planning session with yourself or your family and determine what kind of meals you'd like to eat on a regular basis.
Meal Calendar
Collect Recipes
Plan Out Meals
Consider using a meal calendar for planned meals and recipes that you enjoy. There are even apps that you can use that can track all of this info for you. PlanToEat is a really helpful app.
Collect Recipes
Collect Recipes
Collect Recipes
If you find recipes that you enjoy, log them and save them. You can use a sheet of paper placed on your fridge, a binder, or an online spreadsheet.
Meal Days
Keep It Simple
Collect Recipes
Consider having specific meal days. Some people/families enjoy knowing what to expect food-wise on specific days of the week.
Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple
Try not to pick recipes that are overly complicated. You'll want meals that are easy to prepare. If you prepare meals ahead of time, you might want to just throw the ingredients into a skillet or microwave.
Start Small
Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple
In the beginning stages of your meal prep, you might shoot to just plan for 2 - 3 days in advance. When you become a little more familiar with your process, you might try to meal prep for the entire week.
taking Measurements
Taking circumference measurements can be a better way to measure progress
Another extremely valuable metric for measuring progress, that isn’t the scale, is using a measuring tape to track circumference measurements. When a person begins to take action to get in shape, lose excess body fat, or gain muscle, the scale can fluctuate quite a lot. Our weight can fluctuate 5-8 pounds in a single day. This is why taking circumference measurements can be a much more accurate indicator of progress.
Taking measurements indicates where we are losing tissue
We can determine if we are losing body fat in certain areas of our frame when we take measurements. This can also indicate that we are making progress that we may not see day to day in the mirror.
Taking measurements lets us know if we are gaining muscle
It’s possible to lose tissue that is body fat tissue, and it is then possible to gain muscle tissue in the same area. This takes a bit of time, which is why measuring is so important.
Taking measurements gives us a clearer picture
You want to always measure at the same time of the day, under similar conditions. If you do it in the morning, after your bathroom break and before food, you want to make sure that you measure in the same manner the next time. Always measure the right side of the body for continuity.
Always measure the right side of the body for continuity. Every part un-flexed.
⁃ Right Bicep:
⁃ Right Forearm:
⁃ Shoulders (start on the collarbone)
⁃ Chest (thickest part, under arms)
⁃ Abdomen (bellybutton)
⁃ Hips (start at the top of the hip bone)
⁃ Thigh (halfway point between hip bone and kneecap)
⁃ Calf (thickest part)
Taking measurements should be done every 4-6 weeks
It takes time to see tangible results, so you want to make sure that you’re waiting at least 4-6 weeks to take your circumference measurements. Try not to give too much importance to certain areas of your body. Some areas of your body will lose a significant amount of tissue, and other areas of your body may lose a small amount of tissue. Your body will lose tissue how it wants to lose tissue. You can’t target specific areas of your body. You’re body will determine how and when it loses tissue.
Taking measurements give not only quantitative evidence that progress is being made, but also qualitative evidence
This is because it will allow you to see exactly how the qualities of your body are changing in a tangible way.
staying hydrated is important
Hydration Benefits:
Helps aid in fat loss process and digestion
Increases amount of calories burned (resting energy expenditure)
Reduces appetite and elevates mood
May decrease calorie intake, long-term weight gain and obesity
Studies indicate that 1-2 liters of water per day is enough to assist in weight loss
Boosts exercise performance
Sleep is vital for fat loss
Sleep is very important and necessary for overall health as well as for fat loss.
Poor sleeps can mean:
- A much harder time losing weight
- Your performance can be negatively affected
- A much harder time regulating hormones
- A difficult time acquiring and sustaining lean tissue
- Challenges managing stress
Ways to get more sleep:
- Set wake-up and bed time
- Be physically active
- Journal your thoughts to clear your mind
- Use a sleep mask
- Keep the room dark (use blackout curtains)
- Keep it cool in your room (65-69 degrees)
- Eliminate noise, or use calming music
- Avoid screens for 30-60 minutes before bed
- Use aromatherapy