For months or years now, you've "put up" with it.
You've come to terms with the fact that this is what getting older is. You slow down. Everything aches. Joints take longer to warm up. Your want to look like you did in your 20's is slipping further and further away.
Does this sound about right?
You know it doesn't have to be like this you know?
So things take a little bit longer to change than they did in your 20's, and? You're going to give up because all of a sudden it's a bit harder? Of course your body is different now than it was in your 20's. You didn't have kids, a full time job, more and more responsibilities, less time to spend just on yourself. Other things take up a lot of your spare time. Therefore, your priorities may have to be readjusted.
The clients I work with who are in their 30's, 40's and 50's are some of the hardest working people I've ever worked with. Why? Because they know it's not as easy as it used to be, therefore they work harder and put in more just to achieve the same results they would have with half the work in their 20's.
Why else? It's also more of a priority for them. In your 20's, you have the "bulletproof" mentality, that you are invincible, your health will never leave you, gym, running and exercise will also "fit into your daily lifestyle". Wrong. As you get older, life begins to increase responsibilities, commitments, family, friends, and everything else that tends to take up a lot of your time.
As you move into your more adult years, certain areas of your life need to be prioritised more so. Dedicate certain time to the areas of most importance to you. If that's spending time with friends, going out for dinner etc, that's fine. If your health and wellness sits above that, then make it a priority. You can still go out for dinners with friends, just push it back an hour or so ;) Don't panic, you won't miss out full stop. You're just putting your personal health & wellbeing above the need to go out for dinner.
It sounds like you won't have a life, but this isn't true. The fitter and healthier you get, the more energy you'll have, the better you'll be mentally, the more active you'll be, therefore you'll end up doing more anyway :)
SO HOW CAN YOU LOOK AND FEEL BETTER?
The most important factor in getting back to where you want to be, when you were happier is all about controlling your diet. Once you get this under control, that's one more thing that becomes routine and takes stress off everything else.
- Eat breakfast. Protein and fat should be prioritised.
- Prepare your lunches. This is especially important for those who are hard pressed for healthy options from takeaway shops.
- Prioritise exercise. Make it a priority over other things that go on. The healthier and happier YOU are, the happier everyone else is, I can guarantee that!
- Be more aware of food choices. A lot of the time I see clients not even know they're doing it when they make bad choices, most often it's snacks during the day or after dinner. These all add up quickly and stop you progressing to the next level.
- Get enough rest. This goes hand-in-hand with #6. You'll find it very hard to sustain a healthy routine if you don't get enough sleep. This is even more important to those who exercise in the morning, or at least try to. Your body gets the most benefit from sleep. It's your body's chance to repair and refresh.
- Don't snooze your alarm. GET UP! It's simple. The snooze button is your worst enemy. Hit it, and your day is all over! Don't fall into the snooze trap!
If you want to take your health and wellbeing seriously, then you need to act NOW! not next Monday, NOW!
Implement these 6 things this week and watch a positive shift in all areas of your life straight away.
Keep them up for a month and you'll see exactly how much of an impact it can have on more areas of your life than you thought.