3 Reasons Why You're Not Losing Weight

Back when I first started training, I always thought people just needed some education on what to eat, and everything would work out. After doing this for a while now, education on what is good to eat, and what should be avoided, is not as much of an issue as I previously thought. People, for the most part, know what types of food aren't healthy just like a smoker knows that smoking isn't good for his or her health.

There are several other factors that hold our clients back from losing weight, and some of them are a lot more complex than a simple food choice. We'll touch on some of the most common roadblocks to success here. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but this will certainly give some of you something to think about. 

1. Not Eating Enough

This is extremely common for clients that just start out training with us. "I don't get it. I've started skipping breakfast, only having a salad for lunch, and I've even cut out my carbs for dinner. Why aren't I losing weight?" This tends to be something many clients learn from past attempts to lose weight. The logic is there; if you intake less food, you'll lose more weight. Popular press has told people this idea for a while now. Calories in, calories out. The body isn't a math equation, which makes this a very flawed concept. The same quantity of calories from cake or a steak are handled very differently, and they each lead to some different types of effects in the body. 

There are certain metabolic adaptations that happen when you continually restrict your calorie intake such as a lack of energy, disturbances to sex hormone production, reduced recovery from exercise, fewer calories burned at rest, and many more. It's doubtful you'll be motivated to exercise, or really do much of anything, when you feel this way. Your body wants to hold on to calories as a survival mechanism when food isn't as plentiful, as is the case for people who don't eat enough.

Unfortunately, these clients often keep their weight pretty steady. We need to get you back to a healthy amount of food. An easy fix for this is to begin by eating three meals per day. Start small, and slowly build to meals consisting of protein, vegetables, healthy carbohydrates (fruit, legumes, sweet potatos), and fat (almonds, avocado, coconut oil). 

A very easy way to get a good breakfast, for instance, is to drink a shake consisting of 1-2 scoops of protein powder, a handful of spinach, a handful of berries, and half of an avocado. You've easily met all of your requirement for a meal, and it took about 5 minutes to make.

2. An Unsupportive Environment

The environment we are in everyday has a significant impact on how we live our lives on a daily basis. This is often one of the first things we look at when coaching clients on nutrition or other lifestyle factors. Being in an environment on a daily basis that takes a tremendous amount of willpower to live a healthy life is what can really hold you back.

First, your network is a huge part of your success. Do you have a spouse or significant other that is supportive of your goals? Are your friends on board? Co-workers? Sure, it's nice when an office-mate brings you a donut in the morning, but it just makes it that much harder to resist. Creating a clear line of communication with those that are able to support you can be key to your long-term success. Explain that you're taking some time and effort to focus on yourself and achieve a goal, and it would mean a lot to you if they also did what they could to help you. 

Secondly, don't keep food in the house that you don't want to eat. This is a big one, especially for people who have a significant other that isn't following their way of eating, or if you have kids. I'm not suggesting you get a new boyfriend or wife. I am suggesting you speak with him/her and explain why you'd like to start making some better choices at the grocery store. There are usually healthier options of some common junk food that you can compromise on if you're not going to eliminate it entirely. Determine your go-to foods that hold you back, and look to eliminate these or replace them. 

3. Using Food To Manage Feelings

This is really one of the hardest habits to break. Often, people use food as a way to self-medicate. It tastes great and can make us feel better temporarily. Food can also be connected to memories of childhood, travels, family, friends, and/or our heritage. Using food in this way isn't necessarily bad on it's own, but when done to excess, uncontrollably, or as a sole source of comfort, it can be very problematic. 

One way to fix this and begin developing a healthier relationship to food is to keep a food and feeling journal. It's a great way to write down what you ate and what you were feeling when you ate it. After getting data over a week or two, you'll begin to see patterns. Particularly, look for links to hunger, anger/anxiousness, loneliness, or being tired. Often times, these are responsible for emotional eating. Even if you aren't able to change the behavior right away, it will still be beneficial to notice why you're doing what you're doing.

Next, when you are ready to start changing the behavior, take five minutes to sit with the urge when it comes up. Notice what you're thinking and feeling. It may be uncomfortable. After the five minutes is up, make the decision that you feel is right. Over time, being comfortable with being uncomfortable in this respect can allow you to not only tolerate it better, but also increase your confidence in yourself to self-regulate.

Lastly, once you have been able to recognize the triggers of emotional eating, and are able to take five minutes and think about why you're getting an urge to eat, coming up with some alternatives can help change the ritual involved (food). Some great options are calling a supportive person and talk with them about what you're feeling, going for a walk, doing some deep breathing exercises, or taking a hot shower/bath. 

Wrap-Up

These three scenarios make up the majority of difficulties with which new and current clients struggle. Being able to take control of these is a huge step in the right direction toward optimal health and weight loss.

References

1. Berardi, J., Andrews, R., St. Pierre, B., Scott-Dixon, K., Killias, H., & DePutter, C. (2016). The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition. Precision Nutrition.

Why We Write Programs Not Workouts

Unfortunately, it's far too common in the fitness industry to see trainers scribbling down a workout for their client 10 minutes before they show up. They'll throw something together last minute to appear prepared, when in reality, they're anything but prepared. I've seen it constantly when working at other places. 

We can even back up a step, and say that maybe the workout was prepared the night before. The problem is, when you make a workout, you're creating a singular exercise session intended to yield some type of benefit on that particular day. Not in a week, or a month, or a year. Just that day. It's usually going to be something challenging and it's almost always something completely different than the previous workout because people can get bored of doing the same things all the time, right?

It's usually this type of thinking that can yield progress for a short amount of time, but in the long run, will be anything but productive. How could it be? The focus is only on one day. Where's the plan? Where are you going? How are they going to get there?

If you liken exercise to a road trip, a workout could be an individual map (when we used to use those) of a specific city you're passing through. The thing is, without a map from the start to the end of the trip, you'll most certainly get lost. If it's the wrong city map, you may get even further from your destination.

Many people enjoy random tough workout after random tough workout because it gives them a sense of accomplishment. You really feel like you did something. Operating this way, however, isn't taking into account the bigger picture which is where are you going with all of this? What's the end result that you're chasing?

It seems to be all the rage today to hop in a large group training session, get destroyed, and do it again the next day. It can't be fun to be always sore, and the thing is, over time, this is detrimental. It's detrimental to your progress and to your health. Immediate progress is sometimes seen, but then it starts to taper off either due to an injury layoff or simply overtraining. 

When taking into account any fitness goal, it's crucially important that you're doing two things:

1. Adequately fueling and recovering from exercise (nutrition, sleep, stress management)

2. Training appropriately for your goal and capabilities (following a well-structured program)

When making a workout, rarely, if ever, are these two things taken into account; how can they be if they're a series of random workouts strung together? Simply training hard with no plan is arbitrary and potentially dangerous.

The beauty of the program is it takes the above information into account. There are planned rest periods and fluctuations in training to make sure the client or athlete is recovering from the training sessions. With regard to the workouts in the program, they should be individualized to the person. Not everyone should be doing a box jump or a deadlift. This is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

What does individualized mean? It means to assess someone before they come in to see what they're capable of, where their limitations are, and how to either fix or train around the limitations. If someone, for instance, cannot get their arms over their head without excessively arching their lower back, we know it's not safe for them to do an overhead press. Over time, the program should progressively get them to their goal. Each workout builds off the last one. If you're not assessing, you're just guessing.

This is why we create individual programs for our clients. It's the surest way to get people to their goal as safely and effectively, and not get lost along the way. Sure, it takes a little extra work, but there’s peace of mind in knowing you're on the right path.

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients  

• 2 Sweet potatoes (medium, peeled) 
• 1 Bowl of Water
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
• Salt (to taste)

Preparation 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Chop the sweet potatoes into long 1/4 inch thick pieces.

3. Place into a bowl of water to soak for 30 minutes.

4. Combine all of the spices in a small bowl and stir together. Set aside.

5. Dry off the sweet potatoes with a towel.

6. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

7. Sprinkle the sweet potatoes with the spice mixture and stir to evenly coat.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping once, until browned.

9. Serve hot.

Green Chile Chicken

Is it too early in the year to bust out the crock pot?  We don't care!  This is an awesome recipe to make in bulk and free for later meals.  Plus it's a crock pot recipe so, let's face it, it's really easy!

Ingredients  

• 2-1/2 to 3 lb (1134 to 1361 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1-1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 to 4 tomatillos, husked and diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ lb (227 g) Hatch chiles, diced*
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• Fresh lime wedges and chopped cilantro, for garnish

*If you can't find Hatch chiles (they're seasonal to August/September) use regular green chiles or fine canned green chiles (two-4 oz. cans)

Preparation 

1. Lay the chicken thighs into the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with the cumin, salt, coriander and black pepper. Toss the chicken to coat with the seasonings.
3. Add the tomatillos, onion, green chiles and garlic.
4. Cover the slow cooker and set on low for 5 hours.
5. When the time is up, remove the lid and shred the thigh meat with two forks.

An Orignal Recipe That You're to Love

We have some talented clients!  Here's a great recipe created by Rob who has a Doctorate of Nutrition.  Everyone that has tried this recipe has loved it!  The best part is the weight loss results it typically yields.  It's also super easy.  Once you round up the ingredients, throw them in the food processor (or coffee grinder) add liquid, and enjoy! Props to Rob for this creation.

Ingredients: 

This makes 2 servings

• 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp of hemp seeds
• 1 tbsp of sesame seeds
• 1/2 oz. (7 pieces) of walnuts
• 8 tbsp of flax seeds
• 2 tbsp of maple syrup, cherry juice or water w/protien powder 

Preparation:

1. Grind seeds/walnuts in a food processor or coffee grinder
2. Divide into two servings
3. Add maple syrup, cherry juice or water w/protein 

The Details:

Because Rob's such a smart guy, he has provided all these details of the recipe.   

Seriously, What's Up With the Balloons?

Why Blow Up A Balloon?

When we first train someone, handing them a balloon and asking them to get into a specific position to blow it up might seem a little odd. Okay, it seems very odd. Blowing up a balloon may be the last thing someone expects when they come in to lose weight or get stronger. There is a rhyme and reason, though. And it's way more beneficial than you might think.

We are certainly not the first ones to use a balloon in this setting. We use a lot of the concepts and information from the Postural Restoration Institute, which is where we first heard about this. Yes, we thought it was a little strange until we learned more and actually did what they prescribe. Since then, the results have been fantastic, and all three of us (Ashley, Kara, and I) use their various breathing exercises on a daily basis.

It's been well-established that poor breathing patterns and impairments of posture and trunk stability are frequently associated with musculoskeletal complaints like knee or low back pain (1). Muscles such as the pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, and diaphragm are key to stabilizing your spine and maintaining good posture. When we get the pelvic floor to face the diaphragm, we're creating something called a Zone of Apposition (ZOA), which is the ideal position to create stability and balance in the system. When we're having our clients put their feet on a bench and slightly lift their hips off the floor, or stand against a wall and round their back while breathing, we're having them create this ZOA, among other things.

The diaphragm, while commonly thought of as a muscle purely for breathing, does also play a role in stabilizing the spine. This makes breathing an integral part in the treatment of lower back pain, although it's often overlooked (2). Creating this ZOA allows the rest of the core musculature to function optimally, along with the diaphragm, to create a very stiff canister to protect the spine. Think of a pop can that's sealed versus a pop can that's open. Crushing the can would be very difficult while sealed, but very easy while open. The same rules apply to the core. The diaphragm helps control the pressure in the upper body to keep this stiffness, similar to the closed pop can.

When we don't have this optimal ZOA, where the lower back is arched and the pelvic floor and diaphragm are both facing a little more forward, there is much less stability created (3). The diaphragm is less able to draw air in and stabilize the upper body, which causes the over use of accessory muscles to breathe (4). This is referred to as hyperinflation. Typically, clients will feel this as tightness in the neck, upper back, and chest. In addition, the lower back tends to become excessively arched and tight because the diaphragm, which attaches to the lumbar spine, pulls it forward as it is being used to attempt to get air in. This can cause, among other things, lower back pain.

So, where do the balloons fit into all of this? Getting clients to forcefully exhale is a great way to get the core musculature to aid in the process of creating the ZOA by pulling the ribs down and inhibiting/relaxing the muscles along the spine. Using a balloon creates resistance during exhalation, requiring an increase in the usage of the abdominal muscles to exhale. You can think of it similarly as how we would add resistance to a lunge, for instance, to strengthen your legs. 

In conjunction with providing resistance, the balloon is a fantastic way for clients to learn how to breathe optimally by getting all of their air out. To counteract hyperinflation, the Postural Restoration Institute recommends five full exhales per exercise. After the first breath, keeping the balloon in your mouth while inhaling through the nose allows the surrounding muscles of the chest area (such as the pec muscles) to relax and stretch while the ribs stay down. It is this ribs-down position during inhalation that many people are unable to do, which is great for people with rounded shoulders, depressed shoulders, or people with scoliosis (5). In general, though, full exhales using the balloon as a visual cue, allow people best use their diaphragm as a muscle of respiration in an ideal position.

Next time you're training with us, or when you start, it should look a little less weird when we hand you a balloon. Okay, it'll still look weird, but at least now you'll know why we do it.

References

1. Hodges P. Is There a Role for Transversus Abdominis in Lumbo-Pelvic Stability? Manual Therapy. 1999;4(2):74-86.

2. Hodges PW, Heijnen I, Gandevia SC. Postural activity of the diaphragm is reduced in humans when respiratory demand increases. J Physiol. 2001;537(3):999-1008.

3. Lando Y, Boiselle PM, Shade D, et al. Effect of Lung Volume Reduction Surgery of Diaphragm Length in Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1999;159(3):796-805.

4. De Troyer A, Estenne M. Functional Anatomy of the Respiratory Muscles. Clin Chest Med. 1988;9(2): 175-93.

5. Boyle, KL, Olinick, J, Lewis, C. The value of blowing up a balloon. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2010; 5(3): 179-188.

What Is Cupping?

The successes of several Olympic athletes, have recently made Cupping Therapy the hottest new therapy trend among athletes. While it is currently spending a lot of time in the limelight, cupping therapy has actually been around since about 3000 BC. The Egyptians wrote about it in the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC), which is considered to be one of the oldest medical textbooks of the Western world. In Greece, Hippocrates (400 BC) recommended cupping for internal disease and structural problems. There is even mention in George Orwell's essay, “How The Poor Die,” (1946) where he found it to be practiced in a Paris hospital. Alas, in 2016, this therapy has helped Michael Phelps win a career 23 Olympic gold medals- making him the most decorated Olympian of all time. So what actually happens and how does cupping work?

I generally explain cupping as working opposite of massage therapy. With massage, the therapist uses pressure with their hands to release tension in the muscle fibers and stimulate blood flow to bring fresh nutrients and blood supply to the tissue. This increases tissue pliability, speeds healing and enhances performance (among other things). Cupping provides the same benefits, with a different application method. With cupping, the cups are applied to the skin with a hand held suction pump. The suction raises the tissue within the cup and almost immediately the tissue begins to turn red/pink- indicating an increase in blood flow to the surface of that area. In the case of the Olympic athletes, a stationary approach is used before they compete. Cups are applied to spots around the area desired, and then left in the same position for up to 10 minutes. Cups can also be applied and then moved around the skin in long, gliding motions to have a more broad effect on the tissue. This method works 24 hours before or after a competition... but is not recommended immediately before or after performance. 

In my practice, I use a combination of the two methods, where I initially move the cups to warm the tissue and assess areas where there is increased tension or adhesion. Secondly, I apply stationary cups to those regions, and allow them to release those areas specifically.

After the cups have been suctioned to the tissue for the allotted time- which varies based on the goals, injuries, condition, etc. of the client, the cups are removed. Initially, the skin appears raised and reddish and this discoloration may or may not intensify as time goes on. In the most intense case, the client experiences the dark purplish circles and that will ultimately fade within about a week. While the skin appears discolored, the client may or may not experience bruise-like discomfort and a “tightness” of the skin in the areas where the cups were applied. In my experience, this discomfort appears within 4 hours of treatment and dissipates within 36 hours. As with most therapies, each of our bodies are unique and thus, we may each have a different experience based on activity level, workout regimen, diet, tissue hydration, etc.

So what does the discoloration mean? You may notice with the Olympians, they have some areas of discoloration that are darker in color than others. This indicates that those areas were holding more tension or dehydrated. The suction causes capillaries near the surface of the skin to burst and flood the area with fresh blood supply. This is why healing and recovery increases/enhances with the use of cupping. Adding cupping to your training regimen can provide any athlete the opportunity to take their performance to the next level!

Sarah Eckstein, LMT, is a massage therapist and owner of Sarassage in Woodridge, IL. For more information, please visit www.sarassage.com or contact Sarassage at sarassage@gmail.com.

Zucchini & Sweet Potato Frittata

We get asked for easy breakfast ideas all the time, so we're happy to pass along this simple spin on an omelette. This recipe is great because it's healthy and, hello, SUPER easy! What's not to love? Enjoy a Zucchini & Sweet Potato Frittata:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
• 8 eggs
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in slices
• 2 sliced zucchinis
• 1 sliced red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat a pan over a medium-low heat
2. Add the butter/oil and sweet potato slices and cook until soft, about 8 minutes
3. Add the zucchini and red bell pepper slices and cook for another 4 minutes
4. While it cooks, whisk the eggs in a bowl, making sure to incorporate a lot of air in the mixture
5. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper and add to the cooking veggies
6. Cook on low heat until just set, about 10 minutes
7. Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy
8. Cut the finished frittata into wedges and serve with fresh parsley

Why I am Obsessed with Softball

Most of you know that while I’m not at Achieve, my time is consumed with softball. I have been involved with softball in some aspect since the time I was 10 years old…that’s 20 years with this sport. There are many reasons why I love it – the sound of metal cleats on pavement, a good pop in the catcher’s mitt when the pitcher brings the heat, the look of a freshly lined field, the thrill of the walk-off win, teammates gathering at home to welcome in the homerun hitter…my list could go on and on and on. And even as I’m writing this, softball is putting me through another challenge, and perhaps, that is what I love most about it – the life lessons and challenges that each and every person involved learns.

As a player, you learn work ethic, sportsmanship & respect, leadership & responsibility, communication, team work & sacrifice humility & resiliency – to name a few. This game teaches those playing to have a good work ethic, and that really, the game rewards those that work hard and don’t give up. Those that keep swinging, keep fighting, keep working hard will get rewarded. That it is important to keep working towards what you want because you will get rewarded. Life will give you set backs, it’s up to you whether or not you give in to them or keep fighting – softball teaches players to keep fighting.

Through softball, a player also learns that they must respect, first and foremost, the game of softball, because it is bigger than the player as an individual. They learn to respect their coaches, their teammates, umpires, opponents, grounds crew, tournament directors, vendors, etc., because every one of those individuals is there for the same reason – softball. Through respect, a player learns sportsmanship. They learn ethical and polite behavior towards the game and everyone involved – hence the “handshake” line at the end of every game. Players (at least I can speak for the one’s I coach and have coached) learn to play the game the right way – to not cheat or look for ways to undercut the other team; they learn to congratulate opponents when they’ve done well or made a great play. It is important in life to respect everyone you meet and treat them ethically and politely – and again, softball teaches players to do this.

Players also learn leadership and responsibility. They learn that not only teammates and opponents look to them, but also younger generations of softball players; that their actions are bigger than them and that they need to lead by example. Players realize that they are responsible for their actions and the way that they carry themselves on the field – that they cannot dwell on what happened last at bat or the last play, that they must learn from it and keep moving forward. They learn that their response to what happens is also their responsibility; they are not able to behave in any manner they want (such as throwing equipment or yelling at teammates when things aren’t going right), but must control their responses. They also learn to become responsible young adults by managing their own gear, their schedule, and their communication with coaches, teammates, managers, etc. Players learn to communicate appropriately regarding their intentions, questions, and difficult situations. These are all important aspects that are valued in individuals both in the workplace and in life.

Players also learn how to work with others – another important quality to have in life. They learn that each person is different and you have to work with them in different ways in order to reach the same goals. Softball also teaches sacrifice. Sometimes, a player will have to do what is best for the team, but it is not always what is best for them. They learn in order to reach a goal one might have to give themselves up for the betterment of the team. In almost every working environment, people have to work others and may need to make sacrifices for others. Once again, softball encourages these qualities.

Softball also teaches players to have humility and resiliency. It is a sport where you are considered a good hitter if you fail (yes, FAIL) 7 out of 10 times. Think about that for a second… SEVEN out of TEN times someone FAILS and is still considered to be good. Imagine the last time you failed that much and what the result was. Players have to be resilient from at bat to at bat realizing the last one doesn’t matter anymore and that this one does. Errors are also a part of the sport – but guess what, there will be another ball hit right at you and you’ll get to bounce back from that last mistake. The game will also keep you humble…just when you think you’ve got it going, some pitcher will blow it past you, or a player will snag that beautiful line drive that you just hit. You can’t get caught up in what you’ve done in the past because the game will put you back in your place. No one is bigger than the game. Life is all about resiliency, bouncing back from adversities and set backs to keep chugging along.

Softball is many things to many different people. For me, it is a way for me to help teach life qualities to our next generation. Softball has taught me so much and I am so thankful that I’m able to pass it along to the next group of players.

Habits: Part 3-Making a Game Plan

Have you decided which habit it is that you’re going to change in your life? Have you taken notes on what is going on around you in order to identify your cue for your habit? If you remember from last month, you wanted to ask yourself questions concerning different categories regarding your cue when you felt the craving. Those were:

1. Location – Where are you?
2.  Time – What time is it?
3.  Emotional State – What are you feeling?
4.  Other People – Who is around?
5. Preceding Action – What happened just before the urge?

Once you’re able to answer all of those and identify what your cue is, you’ll have power over it. The next step is having a plan of attack ready for when you get the craving.

By choosing a certain plan of how to behave and react when the cue hits, it will become easier to change your habit. First, you will need to write out exactly what your cue is and what response it triggers in you. Example:

• ·    When I feel (or think, see, time, etc.) lonely, I crave bingeing on sweets while watching TV.

Writing out whatever cue it is that triggers your craving will help you acknowledge what you are doing and make you more conscious of it. After that, you need to write down several responses you’re going to do instead of your current habit. This is one way in which to create and replace your current with a new one. Such responses could be:

• Instead of bingeing on sweets while watching TV, I will:
• Walk the dog
• Go for a jog
•  Read
• Call my parents/friends/other relatives

It is important to have a plan for what you’re going to do when your cue pops up – this will enable you to fight it better, have power over it, and create a better habit. You must know that you have control over it and be self-conscious enough to work towards changing it.

It is important to remember that you should take smalls steps towards changing your habit. Do not look to change several habits at once, or completely overhaul a habit by eliminating it entirely or taking drastic measures. Focus on taking small, manageable steps. You will see results that will last instead of a quick fix and falling back into old habits. It also enables you to have small victories and have a sense of accomplishment, which is important to keep you on the right path.

There are also several tips that you can utilize to help you on your path to be successful while changing your habit. One is monitoring. Simple, right? But monitoring involves being honest with yourself about what is going on. Say you’re trying to change an eating habit you have – logging your food won’t help unless you’re completely honest about what you’re eating.

Another way to help create a new habit is scheduling. Making a schedule of your daily/weekly activities and actually scheduling in a new habit you want to accomplish helps. This is especially true for those individuals that stick to whatever is on their calendar. If you’re trying to workout more, read more, meditate, etc., putting it on your calendar and setting an alarm to remind you has been shown to have great results. It helps you eliminate decision-making, fight procrastination, and make time for things that are important to you. A final way in which you can build or change habits is having an accountability buddy/application. You can select a friend or individual that will make you accountable for your actions (good or bad) when we just can’t rely on ourselves. Often times this is a personal trainer for those trying to work out, or a spouse when trying to eat healthy. There are also applications on your phone that you can use to mark down when you’ve done things – they even remind you when you haven’t checked it off for the day (or time) that you have set. Some great ones are Habit List, Way of Life, and Coach.me. Any of these will go a long way to tracking your habits.

Whatever way you choose to build better habits, it must work for you! Make sure that you focus on your progress, the small victories, and not being perfect. You will have slips – that’s why people plan cheat days; they help you stay on track – but remember and focus on the fact that you’re human and will be able to get back on the wagon towards change. And, of course, you must always believe in your ability to change and create new habits. Don’t wait…the time to start is now!