by Zen Burgos, founder and creator of ELLIPTIHIT
Wow, what a year. I’ve been a fitness coach for 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like this. Everyone I know has some level of anxiety right now — but I’ve also heard from many clients that they’ve finally gotten decent sleep, had more time with their kids, re-discovered old hobbies, organized and de-cluttered their spaces, and made time to get out and walk more in the sunshine. It helps to look for the silver lining, right?
My goal has always been to help people get moving again. I have a big place in my heart for people that are frustrated and tired and don’t know where to start. I’m a master at re-energizing people that have a hard time overcoming inertia.
It all starts with simple steps. So, where to begin?
Here are 5 ways to get yourself unstuck:
1. It all starts in your mind. So what’s the best way to help your mind? Meditation. Do you need studies from the Mayo Clinic to convince you? Here. Meditation helps you biochemically so you can focus, relax, fight disease, calm inflammation. And do you have to spend hours meditating to get benefits? Nope. Just a few minutes a day will help you regroup. The Calm App is fantastic for meditations and not only has tons to choose from, but some are as little as 90 seconds. C’mon. You’ve got 90 seconds.
2. Build some muscle. Harvard Medical School says the bad news is as you get older, you lose muscle faster. The good news is that your muscle has the same capacity to get stronger as it did when you were 18. Isn’t that awesome? But it won’t just magically happen. You gotta lift some weights or do some kind of resistance training at least twice per week. There are so many ways to workout at home or at a gym. Just pick something you enjoy. Want to try something new? You can try a free easy-on-the-knees indoor OR outdoor session at ELLIPTIHIT. Let us motivate you and make sure you’re doing it right so you don’t get injured. Click here to book at free session and use the code “TRY” at checkout.
3. You’re not drinking enough water. Go get some right now. Water helps you with so many bodily functions from digestion, to joint cushioning, to suppressing appetite. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Where did I leave my keys?” it’s possible you were slightly dehydrated since water helps your memory, too. Want some more reasons to drink water? Check out these 16 benefits. As a health coach, I suggest that people have at least half their body weight in ounces daily. So, for example, if you’re 200 pounds, you want to drink 100 ounces of water. If you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle, I would suggest drinking a gallon daily (128 oz) unless your doctor says otherwise.
4. Food is your friend. Don’t starve yourself and start that cascade of hormones that makes your body hold onto extra body fat. If you eat breakfast then work all day and then eat a huge dinner… you are not helping your hormones help you lose weight. Keeping your blood sugar even throughout the day with small meals every 3-4 hours is one way to keep your hormones from fighting your fat loss goals. Surprisingly, another way to help your hormones and digestion is to do Intermittent Fasting by only eating in a certain window of time every day. Most people start with a 16 hour fast, 8 hour eating window or 16:8. There is also keto, low carb, Vegan, Paleo, Whole30 and many other food philosophies out there. What’s best for you? No one knows — so try and stick to one philosophy for 30 days and see how your body responds. Not sure what to pick? You can reach out to us and we’ll create scientifically-backed and customized food plan that includes your favorites to help you get started. You can book a nutrition consult here.
5. Find support. Talk to your family members, your friends, or an online group to encourage you with your efforts. It’s too hard to do it alone. Why try? You can join our free Facebook group with free workouts and fitness tips here. Let experts help you on your fitness journey!
I hope these five steps help you get back on track. It’s important to just start somewhere. You can always change the plan while staying committed to your goal. As they say, “You can’t reach the finish line with one foot on the starting block.”
Good luck and please reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Zen Burgos is a certified fitness professional with 30 years of experience best known as a celebrity trainer from Bravo TVs “WORKOUT” and Exercise TVs “THE SKINNY.” She’s also the creator and founder of ELLIPTIHIT — an easy-on-the-knees group training gym in Downtown La Grange. ELLIPTIHIT is an active member of the La Grange Business Association.