fitnessrevolution

I’ve got a BIG wake-up call for you today — about SLEEP!

Did you know that if you don’t get enough sleep, your risk for heart disease and heart attack goes up…

… no matter your age, your weight, how much you exercise, or whether you smoke?!!!

😱

Plus, not getting enough sleep is linked with:

●      Cognitive decline & dementia

●      Depression

●      Obesity

I know I talk about sleep a lot, but the fact is…

One of the BEST things you can do for yourself — mind, body, and spirit! — is set yourself for a good night of sleep every night.

You’ll recover from your workouts better… have a lot more energy the next day… you’ll make better decisions… you’ll be more focused… and you’ll be able to perform at your very best.

And getting enough sleep can help:

●      Boost your immune system and mood,

●      Improve brain function,

●      Lower your risk of chronic diseases

Here are a few great ways to boost your sleep:

●      Get fresh air and sunshine during the day

●      Work out or squeeze in some activity early in the day

●      Make sure you go to bed early enough so you can get 7+ hours of sleep

●      Don’t drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks after lunch

●      Limit (or avoid!) alcohol

●      Don’t eat heavy foods before bed

●      Create a nighttime wind-down routine to let your body know when it’s time to go to sleep

●      Dim your screens at night or use a blue light filter

●      Use app-blocking tools to avoid late-night scrolling on your phone

And maybe most importantly, really listen to your body.

When you have a GREAT night of sleep, notice what helped you make it happen… and do more of that! 😴

What’s standing between you and your weight loss goals?

It can be like the elephant in the room…

We know it’s there, but we ignore it, hoping it’ll go away on its own.

But these hurdles drain your energy… resources… and confidence.

And worst yet, they reinforce the old stories we tell ourselves about our ability to change.

Example:

A client told me that during the pandemic, she got into the habit of having a glass of wine before dinner — every single night. (Let’s call her Sara.)

It became given for her. Once she got home from work, out came the wine bottle.

Because Sara was trying to lose weight, that wine habit became her elephant in the room.

BUT… this isn’t even about the wine.

It’s about ANYTHING that helps you “numb out” from the day… a bowl of ice cream, a couple of hours playing video games, a nighttime TV habit, or doom scrolling on your phone.

At some point those habits were serving you in some way — maybe they provided a temporary comfort, a distraction, or helped you escape stress.

👉 But the fact is that now, they’re an obstacle between you and your goals.

Do YOU have any “numbing out” habits that aren’t serving you any longer?

But if you start by targeting those unhelpful habits one by one, before you know it you’ll gain a huge amount of momentum — and be that much closer to crushing your goals.

AND… bonus! Just acknowledging those “elephants” helps take away their power.

You’ve heard the saying, “Begin with the end in mind,” right?

It’s near the top of Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.

The saying sounds straightforward, but “the end” he’s referring to?

There’s actually a TWIST.

When you create a vision for yourself — aka your goals — you create it TWICE.

●      First, in your mind

●      Second, in your physical life

And here’s the kicker:

The vision you create in your mind is the BLUEPRINT for what you physically create.

This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to keep the end — what you really want — in mind. And to think about it often!

If you want to take it next level and solidify it (and separate yourself from the majority), then write it down in a journal.

When you do that, your vision becomes your TEMPLATE for success.

On the flip side, when you’re not intentional about keeping your vision in mind, then your circumstances (and other people!) can start to shape what that “end” looks like.

And when this happens, there’s a good chance that the “end” will serve them (or your circumstances) more than it serves YOU.

So, take some time over the next couple of days to create that “end” vision for yourself — and then come up with a strategy to keep it in mind.

And if you want a pro-level tip? Read it first thing every day when you wake up to prime your mind and get you focused!

Good Morning

I probably don’t have to ask you if you’ve ever thought about “losing weight” or “burning fat” — but how often do you think about building muscle?

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t give your muscles much thought until you go to pick up something heavy or throw on a swim suit.

But here’s a surprising fact:

Although the idea of building muscle is typically linked with how we look, your muscles are closely linked with your overall health – and also with the aging process.

Here are 7 reasons to build more muscle, starting right now:

1. You start losing muscle around the age of 30. 🤯

Yes, you read that right. On average, people lose around 3%-8% each decade… and then it speeds up after you turn 60.

The sooner you get started on building your muscle “bank,” the better!

Muscle loss is one of the top causes of disability for older people – they become too weak to live alone and are more prone to falls and injuries.

2. You’ll build stronger bones.

Did you know that many people start losing about 1% of their bone mass PER YEAR after the age of 40?

Stressing your bones (when you’re doing it in a healthy way through strength training!) will help boost your bone density and cut the risk of osteoporosis and fractures when you get older.

3. It can help you manage chronic conditions.

Lifting weights can help you cut back on symptoms of arthritis, chronic pain, heart disease, depression, diabetes, and obesity.

4. It can help with fat loss.

If you’re trying to lose weight, strength-training workouts are an important tool – and they can help you keep (and maybe even build a little) muscle as you get leaner.

5. It can help sharpen your thinking.

Studies link regular strength training and aerobic exercise with better brain function. 🧠

6. It’ll improve your quality of life. Your everyday activities get easier – starting ASAP! Plus, it can improve your balance and protect your joints from injury.

7. It helps you keep your balance.

Again, this can help you avoid slip & fall accidents now and as you get older.

Plus… having toned muscles is great for your confidence and energy level!

The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll start feeling (and seeing) results.

The other day I sent you an email about a trait called “grit” — which is connected to mental toughness and resilience.

It’s the drive that helps you see your goals through to the end.

But there’s something about grit/mental toughness that we tend to forget as we get older…

It’s actually EMPOWERING and FUN to build it!

Remember when you were a kid and you were learning a new skill — swimming, riding a bike, jumping rope, shooting baskets, etc — and you’d challenge yourself to do just a little more?

And then you’d be so proud of yourself as you got better and better?

Well, that’s all a part of building more grit and mental toughness.

James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, shared a few ways to build more grit to make the process more fun.

1. Define what “grit” means to you.

Some examples:

●      Working out 3 days a week for an entire month, without missing a single workout

●      Meal prepping your meals (& actually eating them)

●      Meditating for 5 minutes every morning

Once you come up with something meaningful, start building your “grit” muscles by getting it done, no matter WHAT.

Tell yourself: “GO TIME!” … and put on your game face.

Pro tip: Choose just 1 thing to work on at a time. Layer on more when you’re ready. This keeps it positive vs. just another “thing” to add to your to-do list.

2. Find small ways to prove yourself to yourself.  |

Go the extra mile (or minute). Spend an extra minute or two on the treadmill, or go for an extra rep during your next workout … just to see if you can (while being safe, obviously).

When you add that element of playfulness, it makes it fun — and it also helps you get better, faster!

Any time you are tempted to “cheat” or cut corners … DON’T.

It’s almost always worse in our heads than it is in real life.

And you will be SUPER PROUD of yourself when you’re done (which keeps you moving forward).

One of the things I love most about this approach is that it helps you focus on your possibilities vs. your limits.