Plant Life Today is about those little moments that grow the way we experience our lives, planting seeds of intention that enrich our outlook, our homes, our families, and our communities. Taking time to think about the life you want is important.
After a mid decade birthday felt like the entry into the latter half of my life, backed up by unstable hormones, afternoon energy crashes, and the inability to lose weight like I used to, I decided that I have to make exercise a priority.
Exercise is not just a way to lose weight, it is a source of strength and energy from the inside out. I’ve certainly made working out a priority at times, but never made it a solid habit. I’d start a plan with gusto, then a crisis would arise, and I’d get off track and start making excuses about how I didn’t have the time.
Admitting that if I want to be healthy for my family and my future I have to do something to build new habits of wellness. There is either a cost of my time now or the cost of quality of life later.
While admitting you need to do something is a step in the right direction, where do you start?
The first step in implementing an exercise plan is to take stock of what you already have at your disposal. So,
1. Take stock of what you already have.
Do you have…
a safe place to walk, jog, or run,
hand weights or a kettle bell,
an area in your home where you can do simple exercises,
access to workouts (Amazon Prime, YouTube, etc.) (There are lots of free workouts online!)
exercise equipment?
About a year ago I bought some exercise equipment from a friend and recently after internally verbally abusing myself for wasting money on a machine I hadn’t used more than twice, I listed it for sale online.
But then, a week ago I decided to evaluate what I already have at home that I can use to build strength. I found an online group that was particularly enthusiastic about this particular machine and I got curious. I realized part of my problem had been my lack of familiarity with the machine and not knowing how to use it. The online group and looking up videos of workouts have helped me gain confidence in starting a new workout plan.
I’m only three days in but I’ve already noticed that I’m not as tired in the afternoons. And…I can tell I’m working out muscles that haven’t been used in years which actually gives me the confidence to keep going. And after such a workout, it would be counter productive to overeat.
You must admit that exercise won’t get you very far without considering what you eat.
2. Take stock of what’s in your pantry and clean out the fake stuff.
As you may know, adopting a plant based diet saved my husband’s life and has deeply impacted mine. I’m of course going to advocate that you consider eating plant based and oil free. If you need simple recipes that are healthy and nutritious head over to shaneandsimple.com.
Most of what is on the shelves at the store are food-like products, not real food. Our bodies know what to do with real food, but when we fill up on processed fake food our bodies have to work extra hard to combat the chemical warfare going on inside.
Get the processed and high sodium “food” out of your home. It’s harder to eat junk food when it’s not readily available. Shop the perimeter of the store (produce, frozen, fresh).
Talking about getting healthy is just talk until you take action. So,
3. Identify when you’ll start, set goals, and make a plan to move toward them.
I work from home, homeschool my youngest, help my husband, manage our household, and play chauffeur to my other children, so “finding the time” to workout seems futile and I can easily make excuses for avoiding exercise or anything that means taking care of myself. The local gym has classes throughout the day, but I really struggle with working out in crowds and love the convenience and privacy of working out at home. I had to make myself choose a time that was realistic for ME. I figured out that the best time is in the quiet of the morning after my big kids have gone to school.
Writing down my plan is the next habit I’m trying to develop so I have to confront my progress on paper for motivation and encouragement.
I love a good planner and with my new aim to take care of my body and my schedule, I have designed a Food and Fitness Planner. It has undated monthly pages, weekly goal setting, daily schedule including tracking your water intake, calories, and exercise, weekly meal planning and shopping list pages so you can plan and prepare at the same time. It also has weekly reflection pages to journal about your progress your struggles, and more.
There are several designs.
There’s no better way to love your family than taking care of yourself so you can be the best for them. Start today. Start where you are with what you have. Start with intention.
I hope you’ll find a useful planner you like. If you choose a planner I’ve designed, I’d love to know what you think.
-Andrea