“To be or not to be? That is the question.” I never thought I would be quoting the play Hamlet to make a point in a health blog, but here we are using Shakespeare’s incredible work to make a point about how to face challenges in our every day life when it comes to training and healthy eating. Granted, I’m not using this portion of Shakepere’s play to make some dark analogy between deciding whether to live or whether to die, rather I want to talk about how to smash the temptations we face when trying to eat healthy or (as is the case with me at the moment) to train for a certain level of power.
To eat well and train hard, we must face this thing called “change”. Changing our health for the better requires new habits, a certain level of motivation , and accountability in order to make such healthy changes habitual. What I find more often than not when speaking with coaching clients is that “change” actually freaks people out. Leaving behind that which feels comfortable can make us feel incredibly uncomfortable.
Allow me to explain.
I love the holidays because I reconnect with loved ones, but there are those inevitable food temptations. I am an avid foodie and have a mother who suffers from “empty nest syndrome” (which means when her beloved adult children come home to visit, she cooks enough food to feed the Pittsburgh Steelers. She blames this on my own personal kettlebell lifting career to this day. I don’t believe this is fair). Combine these two things together and presto! Each year we are surrounded by an entourage of tasty treats for the holidays. While I do have the occasional sweet treat this time of year, I have learned NOT to go hog wild at the dinner table when God knows what my mother is baking arrives in front of my eyes. For me, eating healthy is more about being 80% on my game and letting the additional 20% of my time allow for the occasional treats. Since joining Precision Nutrition, I have distanced myself from this whole “clean eating” 100% of the time mantra. In fact, “clean eating” may not be all that good for you in the first place. Dietary perfection may very well be leading you in the wrong direction. Instead, shift your mindset and adopt a more flexible approach. Habits take time to change after all, and you deserve to treat yourself well as you change good eating habits over time. Take it one step at a time and allow for some wiggle room.
I should note that if you’ve completely overdone the sugar binges for far too long, fear not! We here at Primal Fitness Pittsburgh have got you covered with our 21 Day Sugar Detox. We can kick start your health in 2016 right by teaching you healthy habits to end your sugar roller coaster for good. Read more about our program here and sign up today by clicking this link!
Now let’s talk a bit more on the exercise portion.
A few months ago I was stuck in a serious mental rut. Without getting into too much detail, my feeling out of touch and super down in the dumps had completely killed my desire to workout the way I needed to in order to keep myself up to speed with my strength, stamina, and endurance. It was getting to the point where I felt stuck . . . trapped in the middle of my circumstances unable to keep my head above water. I hate saying this folks, but life is damn hard. Sometimes life throws punches at you when you least expect it that knock the wind out of you. Sometimes you are faced with so many inconceivable challenges and hardships that taking care of yourself gets placed on the back burner. It happens. You’re not alone. The good news is that you DON’T have to feel stuck and trapped. A few weeks ago I wrote about how surrounding yourself with a fit tribe to hold you accountable to your own personal changes. Sometimes, change doesn’t happen on your own (in fact changing on your own may be impossible depending on what’s going on in your life). It’s at these chaotic times that reaching out for accountability and guidance to change makes all the difference. I have my own coaches and personal accountability guru myself for this very reason. I need to make my changes habit and have people hold me accountable to such habits.
We here at Primal Fitness Pittsburgh are your accountability gurus. Ready for positive changes in 2016 but need someone to walk with you on this exciting new journey? Email us at info@primalfitnesspittsburgh.com and we will arrange a free consultation for you to do get you on the road towards vibrant health one step at a time!
Change your health, change your world! We are here to help you reach your goals no matter how challenging they may seem! Let’s help you be the change you want to see in the world in 2016!
Now. . .stand by for awesome! 😉
Master your instincts!
Janelle Pica is a certified RKC II and SFG I kettlebell instructor and Ground Force Method Instructor. She focuses her attention on hybrid programs that involve demanding strength training meshed with fluid, functional movements. Janelle has studied under some of the top level fitness instructors in her industry and has competed in competitions such as the Iron Maiden Challenge. Janelle has been featured on major websites such as eattoperform.com, Robbwolf.com and balancedbites.com.
