Let’s talk about momentum and how it fits into the Loz Life hierarchy of healthy habits.
A lot of people come to see me because they’re feeling really stuck, and they’re not sure how or where to start to make positive changes to get the life they want.
They’ll often say things like, “I don’t like where I am in my life”, “I feel like I haven’t really achieved what I thought I would have achieved by now”, “I’m always tired and I’m really stressed all the time.”
Sound familiar?
Do you ever wish you had more energy and could jump out of bed every day, ready to kick some goals but you’re a bit stumped about what your first step should be?
It all starts with an honest conversation:
Start off by having a conversation with yourself to see where you’re at, and more importantly, where you WANT to be. Is your weight a concern to you? Do you feel like, “I’m overweight and summer is coming, and I want to be able to do more with the kids. I want to be ale to wear shorts. I want to have more energy so that by 3pm every afternoon I’m not craving sugar just to get through the day”?
This is where momentum comes in. It’s about taking one small step and improving just one thing at a time to get the ball rolling.
What handbrakes are holding you back?
Imagine you’re driving a car that has five handbrakes on. If we can unlock just one of those, you’ll find that the car begins to move. It’ll still be slow but it’s still starting that momentum. And the more momentum you get by making small changes – breathing better, moving more, taking a short walk around the block – you’ll find the other handbrakes start to get unstuck, so you begin to move faster and more easily.
It’s about focusing on the one thing that’s going to give you the biggest impact, and then committing to doing that one thing first.
Meet yourself where you are right now:
Look at the five health habits you’re already doing -breathing, sleeping, eating, hydrating and moving – and see where you can make small adjustments to set yourself on the path to a healthier, more energised future you.
Chances are that you could already be doing one or two of them really well. You might be getting a great night’s sleep, drinking plenty of water and eating fairly healthy meals, but find you’re getting frustrated because you’re not feeling, or looking, any different.
So those are probably not the biggest handbrakes holding you back. Maybe when you sit at your desk all day at work, you forget to get up and move. Or the way you’re sitting and looking at your screen is preventing you from breathing properly, which means your body and brain are not getting the oxygen they need. So, as a result, you feel foggy or cloudy.
And for many people, how they try to ‘fix’ that fogginess is by having coffee, sugar, alcohol or tobacco. So, one small change could be to make yourself get up from your desk regularly and check that your breathing is nice and deep. See how much clearer your brain feels once you start doing this, and you’ll find you’re not reaching for the 3pm chocolate fix.
And, just like that, you’ve released one of the handbrakes that has been holding you back.
Don’t feel guilty about investing in yourself:
Does the thought of investing in yourself, either with time or money, make you worry that you’re being selfish? Do you think about all the other things you should be doing and buying for other people, and constantly putting yourself and your needs in last place?
While this can be a common feeling for a lot of people, I find women tend to experience more guilt when it comes to focusing on their own health and wellbeing. A lot of women say to me that although they know they should be taking some time out for self-care, that their kids, partner, work, home, all take priority. Or, they feel guilty spending money on themselves that they could be using to buy things for the family and can worry that they’re taking away from their families to take care of themselves.
The good news is though, that you can do some super simple things for yourself that won’t break the bank or take time away from your commitments. Here are a few easy ones you can start straight away!
Start by asking yourself what you’re prepared to change or add to your daily routine.
- Do you need to drink more water? Can you drink just one extra glass of water each day?
- Do you need to eat more veggies? Could you add one more vegetable to dinner tonight?
- Would I be prepared to go for a short walk every afternoon with the dog around the block. It doesn’t have to be a fast walk. Maybe 30 minutes a day is too big a commitment but what about just 5 or 10 minutes each day?
- Do I have foggy brain? Instead of eating chocolate at 3pm, can I get up from my desk every hour just for a couple of minutes and move?
- Can I take a moment to check my breathing while I’m working? Am I breathing deeply into my diaphragm or am I shallow breathing and feeling a bit foggy.
Each of these simple steps, even if you add them in to your routine one at a time, will begin that momentum you need to get you on the road to feeling happy, healthy and energised!
