Hi squad!

I have a feeling I have written some similar advice down before but in transitioning over to my Four Corners space on the internet, wanted to apply some fresh perspective to my thoughts on starting off on your healthy lifestyle journey. We’re a few weeks away from the kickoff of the 6 Week Summer Tone Up, and since a lot of you know me through TIU, thought there is no better timing than now for addressing some of the FAQs around these challenges.

I hosted an Instagram live last week and it prompted some really great nutrition discussion. Since the world has largely moved to Shelter in Place in response to COVID-19, the amount of fitness content available for free and at a low price has exploded. This is really awesome to see, but frankly any form of movement is going to help you with your goals. We absolutely have to address diet as well which I know for myself is where I have fallen short in the past and I know is a struggle for many of you.

It doesn’t help that a lot of information out there is contradictory and super-opinionated so I always come back to that it’s about your individual experience and goals.

That said, if you are making to look some changes, these are some good high-level tips to follow.

Really take some time to think about thorough, concrete goals and your WHY behind them. When you think you have your Why, take it a level deeper and question the reason behind it. Then question the reason behind that. This is going to be your beacon you turn to when the going gets tough - you have to remember why you started! So make sure this is a really powerful, emotional, bring-you-to-your-knees reason; a little bit more inspirational than just wanting six-pack abs.

In addition, think really thoughtfully about your goals. If you want to lose 10 lbs, what is that going to mean from a calorie perspective? Does that actually fit your lifestyle? Do you truly want to just weigh less or are you trying to look and feel stronger? Women especially have been so conditioned to fall back into some of these stereotypical goals but I think sometimes we forget what is the reasoning behind them or to even question if they are right for us. It seems like everyone talks about how they still have those “stubborn last 5 lbs to lose!!” but where did we get that idea in the first place? What do we think losing 5 more pounds will do for us? What would happen if you actually did? 

This is another topic that could deserve its own post :) 
 Ease into it! Challenges like the ones that TIU puts on each year can be really fun and motivating because it feels like a shared experience, but it’s also not realistic, and sometimes dangerous to put so much focus into thinking you completely overhaul your lifestyle in just 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, etc. 
 If you are really going to make some lasting changes which I would hope you want to, it will take time! And you’re going to need to get the people you live with involved. No one has the time or to cook separate meals for each family member and that’s missing out on precious moments with the people you love. Rather, get them all involved with your goals, dreams and a plan of action. Kale salads are a hard no? How about a yummy brown rice bowl loaded with veggies, a lean protein and a homemade sauce! Family pizza night is a must? Go for homemade and you can opt for a whole wheat, sourdough or cauliflower options but share in the toppings with your family. 
 If you have to pick one or the other, skip your workout, rest and focus on clean eating. 

There. I said it. So much of the focus in the fitness world including TIU has shifted towards all workouts (this is a $$-making plan) but there is a lot of evidence to suggest we have actually overcorrected to spending too many hours working out and not enough time on rest, recovery and certainly still not addressing underlying nutrition concerns.

Your activity levels again are super individual. Exercise is a great mental health booster, can provide such a sense of normalcy and routine as well as build community (and muscle!) But everyone has a breaking point on how much is too much. Some warning signs include: not getting enough sleep or even forcing that alarm clock so you can fit in a workout on inadequate rest, finishing your workouts and never feeling like you can eat enough to refuel (signs of adrenal fatigue), or the things you are craving are super out of your normal (i.e. tons of sugar and refined carbs.)
 I only have two and hard and fast rules on foods to try and avoid: highly processed and added sugar. 

These are foods that having a set timeframe of a challenge can actually be helpful with. They are both engineered to hijack your brain into wanting more and yet they provide no nutritional value and do so much more harm than I think we are even fully aware of. Because of the addictive nature of these foods, I encourage you to consider just cutting cold turkey all-together. However if that is not realistic for your family or you have a history of trying this and then devouring an entire container, you may want to work with a professional on a gameplan.

Probably this is all advice you have heard in one form or another but I feel like every year the lens in which we view the foundations changes. The conversation has shifted on a lot of these topics over time so I hope we continue to evolve and learn from them with the new knowledge we all gain.

Do you have a summer challenge goal coming up? What are you thinking about in caring for yourself while in quarantine?

All ears here and wishing you the best!