Does It Have to Be ALL or NOTHING?!

When you embark on a health and fitness journey it can be completely overwhelming - almost paralyzing! You are supposed to go from a routine of no intentional physical activity to a 5-6 day per week workout plan. Your diet consists of mostly brown food (fried, breaded, etc) and now you think you need to switch to a 100% clean, organic diet full of foods you have never even heard of!?! Just the idea of making such a drastic change can make your mind want to explode. Lots of people look at this and think, "Why start? I'll just fail."

Well, I am here to tell you that it does NOT have to be all or nothing. Not for everyone. As a coach I get to experience and work with all ends of the spectrum. Some of my fellow coaches or challengers need to go all in - it is what works for them. They know that if they allow for SOME slip ups they'll allow them all. So they throw out all the unhealthy food in the pantry, they buy a dozen new sports bras, and they get it done. If this is you, I sincerely applaud you!!! You are a rare breed that not only focuses on what needs to get done but can get it all done at once!

I am the other kind.. the kind that gets easily overwhelmed and shuts down. I have learned over time that it is okay to incorporate changes over time. But TIME was the key word for me. If you looked at my life, my pantry, and my fitness routine a year ago and then fast forwarded to today you might think I made some drastic changes. And I have! But I have made them SLOWLY! I didn't throw all of the food in my pantry out. I didn't go from being completely sedentary to being active 7 days a week. When I tried that, I failed MISERABLY. 

My recommendation to people who are like me is this: Start slow. Incorporate Shakeology once a day as a healthy meal and try to do each workout. Don't change anything else in the beginning. The next week, incorporate more vegetables in your other two meals. Spinach salads, celery, broccoli, etc. That is going to keep you full. Also, eliminate something. Starbucks? Do you need it?! Can you cut the creamer and change to black coffee? Do you need to go to lunch with your co-workers each day or can you pack a homemade lunch 3 of those days? The next step is to start making healthy swaps! I LOVE peanut butter and I was a JIF girl. I switched to organic, natural peanut butter. I also love cheese - now I buy part skim cheese and have it only a few days a week. I switched from cow's milk to almond milk., white bread to wheat bread. Some of these swaps are SO easy, and some take time. But if you shoot for a few positive changes a week, they will LAST LONGER and you'll be on your way to a lifestyle change!

Even now, I have challengers come to me and tell me that they at like crap on Friday and then just threw the whole weekend up in the air and made bad choices. I ask them this: if you got a flat tire, would you pop the rest of them before putting on a new one? NO! A bad choice or a missed workout are NOT reasons to quit! Yes, you need to stay motivated. Yes, you need to remember WHY you started. But once you do, you'll realize these are simply steps on your long, winding journey. 

My call to action for you today is to think about 2 things you can change this week! Can you eliminate creamer? Make a healthy swap? Add 2 days of exercise? Whatever you can do NOW will only benefit you more in your future!