Making Sustainable Change

If you're anything like me, a good portion of your life was spent getting on and off different diet and exercise regimens. They would work for a little while, and maybe even give great results, but it the end you stopped doing the work.

A few years ago I got super fit by doing one-hour a day workouts, plus 3 runs each week, and I prepped and planned all my meals. I lost inches, I gained muscle definition, and I lost weight, for sure. I also lost hours of sleep, and wen the 60-day program was over, the only thing I could think about was "WOW! I'm so grateful that I can eat fun food again, and I don't have to wake up so early every day"

Of course once I stopped the gains went away. I gained most of the weight and inches back, because I wasn't dedicating all the time and effort to losing weight and working out. For me, 7+ hours a week of working out, plus micromanaging all my food was not sustainable.

Before (left) and after (right) a 60-day intense workout and diet plan, combined with half marathon training. Yup! The results were crazy! Aaaaand… they didn’t even last a month.

This is the big problem with most diets, or even habits that we try to change. Our society has programmed us with this all-or-nothing mindset. You're either on the wagon or off of it. You're either giving up carbs cold turkey, or you're eating as many as you like. This lack of flexibility can make it super challenging to stick to a specific plan, and makes it all the more likely that you'll eventually give up, deciding that it's just too hard or takes up too much time.

So how do we make wellness sustainable?

One rule of thumb that can help here is the forever rule: Don't commit to changing anything that you wouldn't want to do for the rest of your life.

It sounds big. Right? Especially if you're still triggering that all-or-nothing mindset. What? No carbs FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?

That's not what I mean though. I mean that if you are not willing to give up carbs for the rest of your life, then don't build a no-carb diet into your wellness plan. Instead, set a rule you are willing to commit to. Maybe something like no carbs after the sun goes down. No carbs on weekdays. Only healthy complex carbs. (Carbs is just the example here, btw. You can totally keep eating carbs and still be healthy!)

If you're not willing to commit to hitting the gym for an hour every day FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, don't make that a keystone of your plan either. Instead, revise it to something you think you could do forever. Maybe a daily walk after dinner. Maybe it's 2-3 gym sessions a week.

One way I know my health habits are sustainable? I’m 6th months pregnant and (aside from my belly) my body hasn’t changed much. Because the healthy practices I’ve committed to still happen all the time!

By putting all your wellness plans through the forever-filter, it becomes pretty obvious right away what is sustainable and what isn't. And that's a great thing! The pillars of your personal wellness plan should be things you can continue doing throughout your life so that you can sustain your health and happiness well into your old age.

No matter how hard you are willing to push yourself in the short-term, any gains or improvements you see will likely disappear once you stop engaging in those new habits, so make sure you set realistic goals from the outset. And don't be surprised if your perspective changes as you start to feel healthier and more energized. All of a sudden committing to an hour-a-day workout might seem do-able!

Go with what you know, and allow the process to build organically. After all, natural evolution is by far the most sustainable.

Cardio Doesn't Have to be Hardio

Cardio is hardio!

This is not just a sticker on my water bottle. This is a deep-seated, soul-level truth in my book. No matter what kind I try, whether it be a Zumba or cardio dance class, a high-energy spin class like Soul Cycle, or jump-roping to warm up for a kickboxing session, cardio will never be my favorite kind of exercise.

But that doesn't mean it's not important, or that I can't find ways to enjoy doing it.

If you're a cardio-hater too, you might not believe me. But from one anti-cardio snob to another, I promise to can learn to enjoy it too!

From being a cardio-cry-baby in college, I'm now in my 30s and regularly run, swim, and enjoy the occasional cardio workout. I've even run a few half marathons. No small potatoes for someone who used to fake asthma attacks to get out of gym class on the regular.

So if you, like me, have a deep-seated cardio aversion, keep reading to learn how I made it a fulfilling part of my wellness routine.

First off, wtf is cardio anyway?

"Cardio" is often used as an abbreviation for cardiovascular exercise, meaning it's a type of exercise that focuses on improving your body's ability to get oxygen to your muscles through your blood. It generally targets the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. So, by definition, cardio is a workout that gets your heart pumping faster!

Why is it important? Just like doing bicep curls will make your arms stronger, pumping your heart faster will make your heart stronger! And considering that heart disease is one of the most common health problems we face in the U.S. this is something that many of us need.

Another big benefit of cardio is that it burns a lot of calories, so it can be a key part of your wellness routine if you're seeing to maintain or lose weight.

Why is it so darn hardio?

Well, most of us don't have very active days. Instead of being up walking around, we tend to be seated for most of the day, and this has been going on for a while. Think back to first grade, when all of a sudden instead of wandering around the classroom and playing you were expected to sit. At a desk. All day. Many of us have spent our entire lives from ages 6 and up spending most of our days sitting down, and so our hearts and lungs have gotten pretty out of practice.

How to make cardio enjoyable.

Part 1: Start with what you love. If you dread spending 30 minutes on a treadmill staring at a TV screen in the gym, get your cardio on outside. If running makes your soul cry, try a dance workout instead.

Many people assume that the cardio equipment in the gym is the only way to effectively workout, but that's not the case! You can go for a walk outside, take a dance class, or even go for a relaxing bike ride with friends. If you try to push yourself into a type of cardio right away that you simply don't enjoy, you make it that much harder. So think of what you already enjoy doing and start there.

Oh, and for those of you who don't like ANY type of activity, add it into something you DO like. Go for a short walk before your daily coffee break, or with a close friend. Add in things you enjoy to the experience to make it feel less like work.

Part 2: Go easy If you're new to cardio workouts, allow yourself time to ease into the routine. A great tool to use here is called RPE, or Rate of Perceived Exertion. This means evaluating how hard you feel you are working on a scale of 1-10.

There’s no need to push yourself to run a whole mile your first day out of the gate. Instead, set a goal to keep moving for a certain time, maybe 20-30 minutes, and try to keep your RPE at about a 5-6 out of 10. That might be running a bit, then walking a lot. That’s how I started! Eventually, you’ll be able to move faster for longer without having to push to where you’re breathless.

Another trick is to use the “talking test”. Try to stay at a level of exertion where you could still carry on a conversation, or at least speak in full sentences, throughout your workout. If you notice you’re having a hard time talking, take a break or slow down!

And remember, cardio is hard for all of us, especially if you haven’t done it in a while! Give yourself permission to be a beginner, and take it easy as you build strength and endurance. You got this!