Lifestyle Changes One Step at a Time for Successful Changes!

I was presenting at an event on Saturday about healthy eating and how important it is to plan and prep for meals and snacks.  I was also thinking about how well my clients are doing on this particular issue.  

As a professional Lifestyle / Health Coach, we learn that is important to introduce change a little bit at a time.  When people try to completely overhaul their eating and exercise regime all at one time, they will eventually slip up and then feel as if they have failed and give up completely.  

What we have learned is, to introduce one small change at a time and let it develop into a habit - or a behavior - and then build on that success.  I find an effective first step for most people is packing healthy snacks and making sure those snacks are REAL FOOD (fruit or veggies with yogurt or hummus or nuts).  I believe that is a very good first step.  Snacks are important to keep hunger at bay, keep energy and blood sugar levels stable and set you on the right path for healthier meals.

I was thinking of this as I was listening to one of the speakers on the nutrition stage who stated that their clients are to cut out all processed foods, fast foods, anything not organic, wheat and dairy all at one time.  That may work for some, but research has demonstrated that is too difficult for most people and they end up feeling frustrated and giving up completely. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT!!!  

Research has also shown that focusing on changing one behavior at a time will is more effective.  Research also demonstrates that results will follow the behavior changes,  meaning pounds or inches lost, blood sugar reduction, lower cholesterol, etc. 

I believe the first step to a healthier lifestyle is to begin planning, prepping and packing healthy snacks.  This is a small change and easy to implement and quickly becomes habit.  I believe the second step is to begin planning, prepping and packing healthy lunches.  The less you eat out or rely on prepared foods, the more successful you will be.  The third step is to tackle dinners.  Basic cooking skills, shopping tips and knowing what staples to keep in your freezer, fridge and pantry will enable you to whip up delicious, nutritious meals in minutes.

Be sure to email AllyFitness to get on the list for the next "Simple, Healthy Meal Planning"  Workshop to be held in October.

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4 Lifestyle Changes that Can Save Your Life

Would you like to reduce your chance of getting diabetes by 93%, heart attack by 81%, stroke by 50% and cancer by at least 36% percent?  You can, simply by following four lifestyle changes.  According to Yale University’s Dr. David Katz, many of the chronic disease that we take for granted are not, in fact, inevitable.  There is much we can do to avoid them.

Making lifestyle changes is never easy.  Therefore you need all the help you can get to motivate yourself to do the hard work of breaking old, unhealthy habits and creating new, life-giving habits.  Sometimes, simply knowing the outcomes of two very different paths is all it takes to give you the will power you need to finally change the trajectory of your like.

So let’s take a brief look at the illnesses mentioned above and then look at how you can avoid them.   

• Diabetes is a growing epidemic in our country, currently affecting 11% of people twenty or older.  Adults who have this disease are twice as likely to die early than adults who do not have it.
• The leading cause of death for women and men in the United States is heart disease.  More women die from heart disease than die from breast cancer.  And fully one-half of men who die suddenly from heart disease have had no earlier symptoms.
• Someone dies from a stroke every three minutes.  It is the third leading cause of death in our country.
• Cancer kills more than 1,500 people every day.  The only disease that kills more people than cancer is heart disease.

As it stands, the odds are stacked against you.  You are very likely to suffer and possibly die from one of the diseases mentioned above.

Unless you change your life. 

The Archives of Internal Medicine published a study that found that four lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of these diseases.  These changes are:

1.  Not smoking

2.  Having a body mass index under 30

3.  Exercising at least 3.5 hours each week

4.  Eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in meat

Do you want to change your life?

You have the power right now to choose your future.  Of course nothing is certain, but making these changes significantly increases the chances that your future will be vibrant and active rather than filled with disease and suffering.  What kind of future are you currently creating?  What kind of future do you want?  

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