Hello Friends!
As I write this, I find myself thinking about how quickly time passes. I usually dread January living in the Northeast area of the US. This month has gone by fast. Working in a metropolitan medical center, I see all kinds of people with one common complaint:
There is no time to take care of “ME”
This blog is dedicated to time and the word that I find myself using a lot is BALANCE. Who has this mastered?
I coach weight management and bariatric surgery patients on finding that balance between work and home life so that they can achieve their weight loss goals. The conversations are quite similar with every patient.
Quotes from convos:
“I do not have time for exercise since I work full-time”
“The gym is closed when I go to work and it’s too late when I get done working”
“I have no one to watch the kids while I work out”
“My pain is intolerable so I cannot exercise”
“I work too much and have no time to make healthy meals”
“I do not have any energy to make healthy changes for myself”
And my favorite:
“I’ve tried everything and I can’t lose weight no matter what”
If any of this speaks to you, read on for tips to find the Balance!
Start your day with a journal. I know, I know, there’s no time. Well, if you want to make healthy changes, the first thing to change is that. You have to make time for yourself! This could be a five-minute break for just you every morning. Writing things in a journal can give you some empowerment and, sort of, control over your day. Trust me, I was skeptical as well but this has become an important part of my day now. It is a daily commitment that I will keep always. I use my journal time to first jot down what I’m grateful for. I then make my list of what I want and need to achieve today. These are two different lists because there are always going to be things we NEED to achieve and things that we WANT to achieve but may not get done today but keep for tomorrow. Let me just say how good it feels when you check off an item on the list when it’s completed!
If you are a meal skipper because you’re “too busy” or eating in the drive-through:
Plan, Purchase, and Prepare
Plan your week’s meals ahead of time
Get to the store
Meal Prep for the week
Developing this habit will cut down on stressing over what to eat and save so much money and you will be surprised at how much better you will feel to have this control. I find that most people keep this skill once they start it. This is a lifestyle change to help find the BALANCE!
Find 15 to 30 minutes most days of the week to get some sort of exercise. Stop thinking that you can only exercise in a gym. Have fun with this and involve the kids too by putting on fun dance music and have a dance party with them for cardio. Search the internet for free workouts on YouTube, Instagram, or other online sources. All you need is comfortable clothes and your living room floor to walk in the place, maybe add some handheld weights or stretch bands for resistance training. If you have joint pain or balance issues, look up chair exercises online or look to join a community pool for water walking. Doing a little bit each day will help you want to do more and will 100 percent help your energy level and improve your mood. Again, a lifestyle change to help find the BALANCE. I have yet to hear one patient say that they hate these lifestyle changes.
Making personal goals will give you energy and confidence that will bring better control over your day. These are steps to becoming healthier and happier.
My hope is that you start to make some of these lifestyle commitments for yourself and help to find the BALANCE and, as always, be well!
Sherry Jenko, NDTR, Group Lifestyle Balance Coach
