New year. New chapter (heck, maybe a whole new book). New goals. Fresh start.
Here we are on the 9th day of January and reading this blog may have you cheering for your perseverance or wondering how you have already managed to lose track of your resolution. I have a quick tip for the latter – you don’t have to wait until 2020 to start again. You can start RIGHT NOW! Any second of any day you can come right back to your goals.
Many of us strive to lose weight, eat cleaner, get better sleep or workout every day with all the right intentions to keep at it until we achieve our goals. Unfortunately, many of us lose motivation to stay with it and truly benefit from accomplishing of our goals. According to U.S. News, approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February, so the odds are against us. Here’s some total wellness tips to keep in mind to help you stay motivated beyond February.
No. 1: SIMPLIFY AND SPECIFY
Make your goal simple and specific. You need to know what it will take to achieve your goal so you can take steps and measure progress. Examples:
“I want to feel great.” – tough to measure and achieve
“I want to lose 10 pounds and get more sleep.” – can be tracked
With the second goal, you can start to build a plan targeted towards those specifics. You now know you need to get to yoga every day (or several times a week) and go to bed by a certain time.
No. 2: HYDRATE
No matter what your goal, being hydrated is key. Want to lose weight? Drink more water. Want to workout more? Drink more water. Want to have more energy? Drink more water.
If you practice at The Hot Room, you know hydration is essential to a solid hot yoga practice. Drinking fluids is important to staying healthy and maintaining the function of every system in your body, including your heart, brain, and muscles. Proper hydration allows your body to carry nutrients to your cells, flush bacteria from your bladder, and prevent constipation. Even on days you do not workout you should target for half your body weight in ounces. Carry your water bottle with you everywhere you go.
No. 3. REPLENISH
When you sweat, you don’t just lose water. Yes, about 98% of what you lose is water, but that other 1-2% is crucial to maintain balance in your body. The other part is made up of electrolytes. Electrolytes are the minerals that help deliver fluids to the cells. They are essential to everything from muscle health to proper brain function. Sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium are some of the electrolytes you can lose through sweat. At the right level, your electrolytes ensure that your body can absorb and use whatever fluids you take in, your vital organs function properly and get the most out of each workout. A small piece of fruit, coconut water or a clean electrolyte option like Ultima Replenisher can help restore any imbalance you might have after an hour of sweat.
No. 4: FUEL APPROPRIATELY
Healthy nutrition goals should be a priority when embarking on a new fitness program. What you eat should be enjoyable but it is also your fuel. You wouldn’t put unleaded gasoline in a Lamborghini. Start to think of your body as the nicest car you will ever drive (spoiler alert: it is) – fuel it appropriately. This is different for everyone and a life long experiment. If you focus on building your meals AND snacks around vegetables, fruits, proteins, and complex carbs you will be off to a good start. I will talk more about portion sizes in the coming weeks. I also suggest you limit junk food and other sources of empty calories.
No. 5: ZZZzzzZZzzZ
Gone are the days where we wear exhaustion as a badge of honor. It is time to get on the right side of this lifestyle – to be well rested. It’s just as important as eating healthy and exercising. Lack of sleep can affect your metabolism, mental health, immunity and a host of other crucial factors important to your health. I recommend a solid 7-9 hours each night. It seems like a lot but try a few nights a week. Set a goal and make it a habit.
No. 6: CELEBRATE SUCCESS!
Establishing a healthy lifestyle is a journey. Acknowledge each step, be kind to yourself and give yourself healthy rewards along the way. Remind yourself that fitness is a journey, not a destination. Our daily lives are full of stress, why not take the approach of being kind to the most important person in your life…you! When you are kind and acknowledge the progress, you’ll find exercise and wellness is fun!
In the coming weeks I will feature all six of these tips in more depth on our blog and social media. Make sure you follow along to learn more. It is our goal at The Hot Room to help you live your best life. Wishing you the best year yet! See you on your mat!
About Laura Burdick:
Laura is the Studio Manager at The Hot Room. She also teaches Original Hot Yoga, Inferno Hot Pilates, Hot Power Sculpt and Hot Power Vinyasa. As a certified health coach, Laura leads all of The Hot Room wellness programs. Read more about Laura on her bio page.
