If you’ve been following my blogs these last few weeks, you know I’ve been sharing with Baby Boomers and older adults a blueprint for lasting wellness, my 5-Step SHINE program.
This is a system to help you start your health journey with purpose, to find ways to get more movement in your life, to eat a diet that supports longevity, and to embrace both cardiovascular and strength training exercise.
In today’s blog–Step #5, E = EMPOWER YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS–I’ll give you tips to ensure your enduring fitness.
Monitor Your Progress
It’s critical to know where you’re at in conjunction to where you’ve been. Are you eating more fruits and vegetables; is your blood pressure, A1C, cholesterol levels looking better; are you getting more activity in your life?
Go back and look at your starting parameters and SMART goals. If weight loss is your goal, draw a graph to monitor progress over several weeks. There’s nothing like seeing that line go down over time, even if it’s gradual!
Keep a written food diary to check your meal quality with programs such as myfitnesspal.com, which also tracks physical activity; strive for 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week.
Give Yourself a Break
Making behavioral changes leading to a healthier life is not easy. So be kind and forgive yourself as needed. The worst thing you can do is get upset because you overate or skipped exercising for a week and just throw in the towel.
Remember–you are on a journey that will last forever, in terms of your life. So don’t try to race to the finish line. Make a decision to start somewhere, now! Tell loved ones what you’re doing and ask for support; seek professional advice if you need from your healthcare provider, a health coach, Registered Dietitian, physical therapist, or certified personal trainer.
We are all our own worst enemies! While we’d be the first to tell another person to “chill out” with the self-criticism, we can rarely turn that mirror around and take our own advice.
But it’s time to admit, perfect isn’t real. At many of the business meetings I attend, I hear the following phrase, “Completion not perfection.” Truly take this to heart–just work towards your goals and don’t stumble over your imperfections. Remember, your body responds to the longterm habits and lifestyle changes you’re making, not the occasional hiccup.
So be kind to yourself. Give yourself permission to fail once in awhile.
And Finally, Celebrate!
When my clients do a good job reaching their goals, I urge them to celebrate, and I challenge them to come up with relevant rewards.
When thinking about rewards, keep these guidelines in mind:
- Break goals into small steps, as we discussed earlier in the book. Then reward each of these. If your longterm goal is to drop 20 lb., and your new weekly goal is to walk 10 minutes twice a day, celebrate that small (but significant) accomplishment.
- Make rewards relevant. I’d love to buy myself an arrangement of fresh flowers as a way to acknowledge an accomplishment, while my husband would rather spend an hour at the book store perusing the latest science fiction books. What makes you shine?
- Don’t forget that a reward doesn’t have to be something you spend money on. It can just be appreciating how good you feel as a result of reaching your goal. Maybe you have more energy now, you can zip up your pants a little easier, or you can get out of a chair without relying on pushing yourself.
- Concentrate on the positive and don’t “punish” the imperfections. Research shows rewarding good behavior is more effective than berating yourself for doing something wrong.
- Celebrate with significant people in your life. Allow these folks to share in your successes as you make positive gains.