Pay yourself first. Live below your means. Invest for long-term growth and don’t worry about short term fluctuations. This is solid financial advice that most of us have heard dozens of times. Hopefully, it’s advice we’re all taking to heart. Or trying, anyway.
If you think about it, this advice is also very relevant to health and fitness.
During the MOB bootcamp, I’m doing four weight-bearing routines and one cardio day a week, plus I’m following a nutrition plan that’s high on protein, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and eliminates processed or fried foods completely.
I’m paying my bones and muscles first. Eating below my usual calories. It’s an investment that I’m hoping will start to pay off by my daughter’s wedding in July. And I have to write about my progress and share it, along with photos, with all of you. It’s a great motivator to stay on track.
This morning, I got on the scale for my weekly weight check and was surprised to see a gain of 3.5 lbs.
I messaged Coach Leanne, feeling discouraged and unsure what to do next. She reminded me that sometimes, the scale throws us a curve ball. She gave me some suggestions to help reassure me — check my weight in the morning after using the bathroom but before eating. Remember that high-sodium foods attract and retain water. Same goes for the morning after leg day — quads are big muscles and if they’ve had a good workout, they’ll hold a bit of water for a day or two. Stay the course. And remember there are other ways to chart progress.
She was right. She usually is.
Part of my fitness reporting protocol is to provide photos and measurements each month to document my progress. In the past month, I’ve lost an inch off my waist, my hips and my thighs. This is significant progress — signs my body composition is changing and hopefully, building muscle (I will get another body scan at 12 weeks to check on that.)
Weight bearing workouts and healthy meals are an investment in my long-term health and fitness. I may not see returns in a week or two. But over a month, a year, or a lifetime of good choices? Those choices will pay off to help prevent a loss of muscle mass and bone density, and lower my risks of heart disease, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. It’s worth the work.
So why is it so hard to think long term and make consistent choices that help pay into that investment? I think willpower has a lot to do with it. Or rather, that willpower alone is not going to cut it as a strategy.
There are more research studies than I can mention that will back me up. (But here’s one, if you want it.) It turns out willpower is finite, affected by stress, your environment and other factors. But if you can’t rely on your willpower to help you reach your goals, now what?
Here are the most common suggestions from life coaches and psychologists:
- Remove temptations or distractions. There are no potato chips in my house right now because I will eat them if I see them. We’ve stocked our little wine fridge with sparkling water and kombucha instead of beer and wine. I’d have to drive somewhere to make a bad choice. (There are days I am ready to grab the keys!)
- Set goals and break them into tiny, manageable actions you can do every day. Then, start stacking those habits with new behaviours to help them stick. I get up every morning at 6:30 and finish my workout before I start work so I know it will get done. Once I’m done, I keep my water bottle on my desk so I drink more water throughout the day.
- Plan, plan, plan. Coach Leanne talks about decision fatigue — if you can eliminate as many decisions from your day as possible, you’ll be more likely to make good choices because you planned for it in advance. I meal prep on Sundays, planning out healthy protein choices, cutting up fresh veggies and washing fruit so it’s easy to grab. Set out your workout clothes the night before so you can change into them when you wake up.
- Be accountable to someone else. Share your goals with your bestie (or your coach!) Track your progress. Be part of a group — TEAM IRON elles members can access a private Facebook page to get information, ask questions and share success or setback stories.
- Be kind to yourself. Setbacks are inevitable. Be honest with yourself, learn from your mistakes and remember your “why” — you set a goal for a reason and you’ve got what it takes to reach it.
Trust in the process. If you’ve got a good investment advisor — whether it’s with your money or at the gym — you know you’ll benefit from long-term gains as long as you keep contributing.
See you next time,
Michelle
