So you’ve committed to changing your health, and you’ve made the mental adjustments. But what now? Are you expected to just… do it? I’ve made it easy for you. Tackle this 36-hour strategy to start your upgrade, and kickoff your routines to achieve that summer goal. That’s right, all it takes to now put your plan into practice is 36 hours.
And it starts 30 mins before you go to bed the night before.
1. BLACK OUT
The perfect start to making healthy changes isn’t how soaked your almonds are for a detox smoothie, or the 14-kays you stumbled through at 3:30am. It’s about sustainable adjustments, which improve your presence of mind and help you to operate SMARTER. The best bodily changes are results of positive living environments – most importantly, during your rest and recovery. First, write down your three most important tasks to complete tomorrow into your notes. Then, turn off phones, iPads, TVs – any electronic devices emitting blue light. Place your runners and training gear at the base of the bed. If you can, set the room temp to around 20 degrees. Aim for seven to eight hours sleep. You’ll be surprised to see what influence a rested mind and body have on your decision making and commitment levels.
2. WAKING RIGHT
You’ve had your first good night sleep in months, but before you get out of bed, remind yourself what you’re grateful for. It could be your kids, your home, or your second chancge at life – just think about the “why” in your fitness journey. Gratuity will set you off on your day with a smile and appreciation for what it’ll throw at you.
3. KICKSTART
Have a glass of water with a small squeeze of lemon or apple cider vinegar to the get metabolism going. Fight through the taste, because it’s doing your gut wonders. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to what type of training to do at what time of the day, however the body often responds best to cardio or HIIT style training in the morning, and hard strength or resistance training in the afternoon or early evening. Throw on your joggers first thing and get out for a power walk, run or yoga. If you’re looking to lose weight, your glucagon (should that be glycogen?) will be highest in the morning allowing you to burn more fat as your energy source, and keep it burning for hours afterwards.
4. CLEAN FUEL
You can either train on an empty stomach if you’re used to it, if not, have something with a good mix of protein, healthy fats and some fibre. An omelette with veggies is a great option, or mix a couple of tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, a small handful of crushed almonds and a few berries (they’re lower in fructose than many other fruits).
5. WORK CLOCK IN
If you’re in a desk-bound profession you need to know that prolonged sitting is associated with premature death, heart disease and diabetes. Sitting should break up your standing, not the other way around!
Place a glass of water on the table as soon as you get to your desk. Drink at least one glass every hour. Why not a drink bottle? Because this encourages you to get up and keep refilling it to give you a break from sitting down.
6. HALF TIME
Get outside for your lunch break. Take yourself to the nearest park, get some fresh air, even take your shoes off and let your feet connect with nature. It’s a great chance to get some walking in and have a well balanced lunch. Whether you pack your own or buy it, aim to have protein the size of your palm, two open palms of salad or veggies, and two fingers of healthy fats like a1/4 of an avocado. I’ve found a simpler approach is best to healthy nutrition which lasts; 70% super clean, 20% sensible, 10% relaxed. It’s all part of my 7-2-1 nutrition program. Before you go back to the office. try to close your eyes for 10 minutes and get some meditation in. Be mindful of your wandering thoughts, acknowledge where they go, and then try to focus them back to your breathing. Try four seconds to breathe in, four seconds to hold and four seconds to breathe out.
7. KNOCK-OFF
Blow off some steam after your big day with some a litte resistance training. The body responds best to this type of training in the afternoon. As well as creating stronger bones, balancing hormones, assisting anxiety and depression, resistance training will help you gain muscle and strength. This extra muscle will up your resting metabolic rate so you will be burning more fat even while you’re sitting at your desk at work.
8. DINNER
You don’t have to eat low fat, no sugar, no dairy and no grains to be healthy. Not everyone has sensitivities to these foods and this type of eating is unrealistic for many people. Remember, it’s about making sustainable changes from day one. If you’re craving a pizza or spaghetti bolognese, with a few tweaks you can turn them into healthier versions. Swap half the pasta out for some zucchini noodles, and add a few steamed veggies. Try Lebanese bread and plenty of veggies and some BBQ chicken as a topping. These type of tweaks are simple and allow you to enjoy the foods you love more often. Finish with a glass of red wine and then do it all over again.
Click here to enter the Summer Body Challenge here for your chance to win a $10,000 holiday for two!
Date: Saturday 22nd October
Time: 7:30am – 9:30am
Location: The Oval – Melbourne Park (across from the Holden Centre)
Limited spaces available… pre-register now by emailing your full name to survivalbootcamp@pacificmags.com.au
