(I'm joking.....or am I?)
ACT ONE SCENE ONE:
Ok I'll stop now.
Now then...
I wasn’t going to do a specific;
“How to survive another lockdown, how you can still achieve your goals amidst the doom and gloom, your progress doesn’t have to come to a halt” type post.
Simply because I didn’t want to draw too much energy and attention to it.
I live to help people and I feel like this time round, with experience and a new found sassy resilience, a post was necessary.
I thought, given the current climate it might be advantageous to write a post about control.
More specifically the things in your life that you have control of and how you can use that to your advantage when it comes to doing what is best for your body.
What the gist of all of this is (taken directly from my email to my clients) is this:
“Concentrate on the things you CAN control and avoid focussing on all the things you can’t.”
- Melissa Grace. Probably paraphrasing something much more profound she’s heard before.
HERE WE GO:
I’ve taken more of a list approach with this one as I feel like it’s the best way to spread my wisdom. (Podcast was the first option but I don’t have one of those….yet).
Here are some of the things you CAN take take control of with a bit of thought and a push in the right direction.
1 - How much daily activity you get.
I’m talking about keeping that step count high. Not being able to go out shouldn’t mean you give up on maintaining high activity levels. It should just mean you adjust them to something more realistic. Say you’re used to hitting 10,000 steps a day, think about how you can still achieve that. Going for walks, getting up and moving around the house etc. If it’s simply not feasible then still set a target - just aim for a different realistic number.
For example if you’re WFH (Working From Home - that’s how the cool kids say it) a very simple way to do this is set a timer - every hour on the hour get up and stretch, move, take 3 laps of the house, go up and down your stairs 3 times etc.
2 - How much fresh air you get.
Even though it’s darker, wetter and colder etc - it’s just weather. If you’re British you should feel a strange sense of pride in being able to adjust to any weather situation at the drop of a hat. Getting fresh air, and getting into a different environment is so good for you, body and soul.
3 - What you’re eating.
Here’s a big subject and one that deserves a post all it’s own so I’ll keep it to the point.
You are in total control of this. You decide what you buy (apparently toilet roll by the truckload). You decide what you cook. You make these decisions daily. Your routine may have changed, you might feel like sitting and eating is the only way to get through lockdown but it isn’t.
Being at home more presents us with an opportunity to perhaps explore more foods, different recipes, money-saving ideas, baking etc. Take that opportunity if you can.
If you have a focused weight loss or health goal then you know how important it is to eat a balanced, goal supporting diet. Don’t lose sight of this.
4 - What you’re drinking.
WATER. You have zero excuses for this one. Staying hydrated is just good sense. Have a bottle next to you, sip at it through the day. Once it’s empty fill it IMMEDIATELY and go again. Set yourself a target of at least 3 bottles a day or similar.
5 - What you expose yourself to online.
This is significant now more than ever.
When we first went into lockdown I made a very conscious effort about limiting my time online. Not allowing myself to read the news too much, or scroll through post after post about the pandemic.
It was the best decision I made for my wellbeing.
Set yourself a limit on how much time you spend scrolling or watching the news/similar.
It’s VERY easy to get stuck in a scroll hole when you’ve got more time on your hands than you’re used to. Fill that time with something else if you can. (I chose reading and re-learning how to knit instead).
Limit the amount of time you spend on apps or watching the news - you are in total control of that.
Bedtimes were a challenge for me. I used to spend an unhealthy amount of time scrolling through apps etc but now I read, I stimulate my brain in a much more constructive way and I can’t recommend it enough. Phone down 30mins-1hour before you go to bed.
6 - Who you have around you to support you.
Fortunately I have a wonderful support system in place. People I trust completely and I love them all unconditionally. I have chosen those people. I control who I have around me in a way that best supports all of us.
Negative people or people you have no support from, or take and don’t give etc...you can limit the amount of time you spend with them (especially now). You can limit how much energy you give them, how much attention etc. all of this should be in favour of yourself.
Surround yourself with the right people in the best way you can.
7- Exercise (Yes really)
A no-gyms situation is not ideal BUT just because you can’t get to a gym does not mean you can’t exercise in SOME way.
It might not be your preference, it might make staying motivated harder so without further ado….
I’m of course going to suggest getting a PT or Online Coach if you need some help and support in this situation (Me, obviously).
Also - a friend, maybe someone else you know that’s missing the gym. Hold each other accountable. Get in touch with each other weekly, share workout ideas, video call and workout together.
In an ideal world we’d be able to exercise the way we want all the time but in this situation many of us can’t. Instead we’ll focus on methods of exercise we can do. It might mean you take up running, cycling, yoga, ping pong etc. it does not always mean lunging around your living room (which I personally enjoy - it’s a great way to get around).
8 - Sleep and rest
This is a tricky one because sleep doesn’t come easily to many of us and isn’t always in our full control. There are some aspects you can control here though.
Your sleep environment:
clean bedding, warm low lighting, a bath or shower beforehand, new pjs, getting off your phone and settling down for a snooze at your actual bedtime.
PILLOWS - for goodness sake get some new pillows.
Basically giving yourself the opportunity to get a good night's sleep.
Naps. Seriously I did an email a while ago about the power of naps. If you can have some, you should. If you’re tired and have the opportunity to grab a quick nap then do so!
If you’re still training and staying very active etc your rest days are still important, your body and brain need time to recover - non negotiable.
9 - Your attitude
I’ll be delicate about this. I am a positive person, but I do have days where I don’t feel so positive and that’s ok. It’s been a rollercoaster of a year.
What I do know is that I tend to have a glass half full outlook and that helps me a lot.
Don't get me wrong - sometimes I have to make a conscious effort to do so - but it never fails to help me feel better and do more.
You could decide to throw the towel in for a month because you don’t think you’ll make progress. The thing is unless you try and turn that around, you'll struggle to make progress.
Be careful not to make a self fulfilling prophecy.
By telling yourself that you’re not going to make any progress with your health and fitness goal - the likelihood is you won’t. You’ve made that thought into a reality when you don’t need to and that's a shame!
Next time you find yourself in that defeated head space - try and rephrase it - instead of thinking about the fact that you can’t get to the gym so “what’s the point” flip it and challenge yourself to overcome it.
Think “I can’t go to the gym, but I can set a short term body weight goal, to keep me focussed.”
Try and take it beyond the barrier of negativity and doom and gloom if you can. You’re more in control of that than you think.
10 - Your BIG BEAUTIFUL BRAIN.
The most important one.
The element of control you have here is your ability to ask for help.
Please know that there is ALWAYS some form of help available for you.
Your mental health problems aren’t who you are.
You are so much more than that.
You are everything.
Lockdown has taken its toll on so many of us with mental health problems.
As many of you know I'm a huge advocate for exercise as a way to cope with some mental health issues. It’s by no means a cure and it doesn’t work for everyone but it can help.
Without the option of going to a gym, many people will struggle again. In this case I urge you to reach out and ask for help to find another way to help yourself.
You can control the help you ask for. Professionals, friends, family, strangers, other loved ones.
I will link a few helpful resources below:
Samaritans: Call 116123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Mind: www.mind.org.uk
Mental Health Innovations: text the word 'SHOUT' to 85258
ALL DONE.
The above list is just a small snippet really and not everything will apply directly to you.
In the general sense - these are all things we can look to take control of.
Start with one thing at a time.
Look at the above list and decide which is more important to YOU. Tackle that one first and then once that’s conquered, tackle the next one and so on.
Remember: You’re not going to have it together all the time.
Some days will be better than others.
Some days you will sit in your pajamas all day and binge watch New Girl (al la me on Sunday).
Some days you’ll enjoy.
Some days you won’t enjoy.
I just don’t want you to think for one minute that your health and fitness goals are a lost cause.
I do not want you to give up on things you have been working extremely hard for.
We all know that consistency is key, but that consistency doesn’t have to always happen at the same speed. As long as you’re trying, and progressing even a little bit - you’re doing well.
Don’t you dare think of it as a 2 steps forward 10 steps back.
Instead think of it as 2 steps forward, and maybe you’re just going to stand on that spot for a bit. Take a seat, allow yourself to be comfortable and know that you can move forward when you have more of the means to.
That’s fine.
You have the opportunity to prove to yourself that you can control so many elements that might have previously held you back.
Take control and try not to dwell on things beyond that.
Why waste all that valuable brain space, because let's face it, you’re going to need that brain space for Christmas songs in a few weeks.
Thank you for reading.
Melissa
x
Comentários