Wellfie Wednesday Tip #130: Bring in the New Year!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday and Happy New Year! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio).

We hope your 2019 is off to a great start! Though we know every start of the year comes with many New Year Resolutions and most of the time they are broad and non-specific. Such as “I’m going to exercise more,” “I’m going to lose weight,” “I’m going to spend more time with friends and family,” and the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, these are great, but may end being very difficult to attain without an execution plan or support.

This year try to set some specific goals for yourself. You can start with a big picture idea, such as losing weight, but break it down into small attainable goals that may help build your confidence and keep a consistent wave of success. Now since most people go the route of improving their health and well-being, here are some things that may help. Have an Accountability Buddy, whether a friend, co-worker, family member, or even a complete stranger with similar goals. Get someone in your corner to help keep you focused and motivate you along the way. Track your progress; when setting small goals you need to have a way of knowing if they’re being met and if you are actually doing what you have set out to do. Self reflection will only make you stronger. Path deviation is OKAY! Since you are most likely tackling a behavior, it’s normal to revert back to old habits or how things were before, but don’t be discouraged. As long as you maintain consistency you’ll most likely be successful in your endeavors and continue meeting your goals.

We hope that you have big things planned for this year, but even more hopeful that you remember success comes with support, consistency, and small incremental change.

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #83 Let It Go(al)

Happy #WellfieWednesday!! This post is brought to you by @AaronPerezPT. Enjoy!

     I often use my contribution to #WellfieWednesday blogs as an excuse to nerd out and dive deeper into a wellness topic. This week is a bit different. I had some random thoughts at the gym a couple weeks ago that are sticking around…so that must mean something. I figured why not attempt to make the rambling voice in my head coherent on paper, and then I immediately regretted this undertaking (insert face palm emoji). So, here goes nothing…

     If you’re anything like me, cracking your back a few good times on a foam roller is your pre-workout supplement of choice. So, as I performed my pre-workout ritual my mind began to ponder,

“What the hell am I doing here?”

     Not in a meaning of life kind of way, but rather, I once again have no plan for today’s workout so let’s figure this out in the next 30 seconds kind of way. This is a common musing from my simple head, but unexpectedly, I delved deeper,

“No, but really, what the hell am I doing here?”

     You see, I treat exercise like almost nothing else in my life. I rarely have goals related to exercise, and hardly ever have a plan even as I’ve already begun a workout. Yet, it’s one aspect of my life I’m most consistent with and enjoy. Isn’t it odd I commit so much time to something I have no specific goal or plan for? In contrast, I spend far more time goal setting for professional aspirations and daily/weekly productivity. I create game plans. Sometimes, I even take the time to write them down. Often, I’m left frustrated at the results. 

     I wondered if my approach to exercise could be applied to other aspects of my life. Then, I thought, well, my relationship towards exercise wasn’t always this way. In high school, I created monthly routines and tracked progress. I spent hours upon hours learning and went to college for this stuff. Maybe I’m able to just enjoy it now because of all the work I’ve put in. I think that’s a fair point, and maybe the early “grind” of goal setting, planning, failing, and trying again is a necessary step to reach a level of enjoyment without expectation. Or, maybe I’m just grasping at straws to rationalize an otherwise lackadaisical approach to fitness. After all, I definitely believe in the benefit of solid exercise prescription and periodization. I try to practice that in programming for patients and fitness clients. Maybe I’m just coo-coo. Right now, you’re probably asking,

“Where the hell is this going?”

     I’m not really sure. But, in a last ditch effort to make this post worth your while, I’ll try to piece together some inspiring conclusion. Goals are great, but should probably come with a warning label: Use responsibly. Common side effects may include frustration, blaming, guilt, and nihilism.  Don’t fall victim to “paralysis by analysis.” Complexity is execution’s kryptonite. Avoid obsessing over the future and outcomes that are not entirely in your control. Be present. After all, if your dreams do come to fruition, you’ll want to enjoy that moment. So, when setting goals I think I’ll start asking myself,

“When I achieve my goal, what will that feel like?”

“Now, do I really need to wait to experience that?”

If you’ve made it this far into the rabbit holes of my thoughts, God bless you. And Happy #WellfieWednesday !!!

     Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt, @kuhnalyssa_spt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #80: How to be Successful with Your 2018 Goals!

Welcome back! Happy Wellfie Wednesday! This week is brought to you by Alyssa @kuhnalyssa_spt.

     Most people tend to think about creating a set of goals when the new year hits, a majority of them addressing some aspect of health and wellness. Some adhere to these goals and succeed in accomplishing these throughout the year, while some tend to fall off the wagon after about a month or two. The question is, how can we prevent this from happening? How can we keep people committed to improving their health? It is relatively common knowledge that exercise is good for us and has an overwhelming number of health benefits. It can also prevent many diseases and decrease the risk for hospitalization in people of all ages-so we need everyone to stay on board. There are a few strategies that I have come across that can help you stay on track if you find yourself falling off the wagon come February and March.

1.     The most effective, in my opinion: Find someone you can work with to stay accountable. It can be a friend, coworker, family member, significant other, personal trainer, etc. When you have someone who is counting on you to show up to the gym or to enter your food log, many people are more likely to be successful. When you don’t want to show up to the gym or when you want to eat those cookies in the office, having someone that is counting on you to stay committed can really help you in those times of difficulty. If there isn’t someone that comes to mind that could help, going to group exercise classes or joining an online group of people with similar goals can also be very effective!

2.     Keep a calendar and have a plan: sometimes physically writing down or typing out a plan can help you stay on track. For example, writing out days you will work out and the workouts you will be doing can be helpful on the days that you don’t feel like going to the gym because you don’t know what you will do when you get there. Also planning something that help you mentally prepare to accomplish it that day instead of always making decisions on the fly.

3.     Be prepared. Many people tend to make unhealthy food choices when they are in a hurry or when they don’t have the energy to prepare a lunch or a dinner and need something quick. Meal prepping is such an easy way to help combat this! Taking 1-2 hours on the weekend or in the beginning of the week to prepare healthy meals is SO worth it. When you have everything prepared and already made, you are much more likely to stick to a plan!

4.     Have an open mind. Sometimes people tend to stop exercising due to pain they are experiencing and automatically go down the rest and medicate route. For most musculoskeletal injuries, rest can actually make things worse! Our bodies are meant to move and medication seems to just mask the problem. Having an open mind to other ways to address pain is key to your success with your health goals! When people fall into long periods of rest, it is so much harder to get back into the swing of things. Seeking help right away for guidance as to how you can ACTIVELY manage your pain can be huge in maintaining compliance with your goals. Low back pain is a great example. There are many people that experience low back pain in their daily lives. For most chronic situations, movement is actually the best treatment but some turn to passive treatments such as medications and sedentary lifestyles. Finding a licensed professional you trust to give you a structured and safe exercise program can help you improve your pain and prevent it from reoccurring!

     Keeping these 4 strategies in mind, hopefully we can all stick to our goals and keep living our best lives strong, healthy, and pain-free! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt, @kuhnalyssa_spt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #78: Anti-Goals: What Do You NOT Want in 2018?

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week's post is brought to you by @AaronPerezPT. Enjoy! 

     2017 is winding down, and so the time for reflection and planning for 2018 is upon us. One question I love to ask patients is "If you could do one thing next year to make it the best year ever, what would it be?" I love this question for lots of reasons, and it certainly seems like an appropriate time of year to be asking that of ourselves and others. However, I'm always trying to find ways to ask better questions. A recent EIM Leadership Podcast with Daphne Scott about Anti-goals got me thinking…

(I STRONGLY recommend listening to that podcast as Daphne describes these concepts far better than I can).

     For better or for worse, the majority of us are more motivated to avoid loss or discomfort than to seek additional benefits. This is especially true when those extra benefits are long-term results while the discomfort is a short-term consequence. We're hard-wired to focus on things we despise. So, why then do we set goals for things we desire? Would reverse engineering our goals motivate us more to take action and achieve them? 

Anti-goals

     If next year were the worst year ever, what would that look like? Did you find this question easier or harder to answer than the previous question about "your best year ever?" Perhaps the long-term nature of these questions is difficult to grasp. So, let’s bring a factor of immediacy to the question. "What about yesterday did you love?" versus "What about yesterday did you hate?"  

     I think asking both case scenarios, and comparing that to our "default future" or what is likely to occur if nothing changes, can be powerful. The worst case scenario might evoke feelings of discomfort or anxiety which motivates our short-term behavior. It might also bring about a perspective of gratitude for the present moment. The best case scenario may evoke feelings of excitement and hope which are also important motivational fuels. The default future might connect the dots in realizing how well are current behaviors align with our desired experiences. What, if anything, needs to change? 

     So, as we're setting goals for 2018, I encourage us to set some anti-goals. What about your day do you despise? What are your pet peeves? What does your worst day look like? What does it feel like? Write out a list as long as you'd like. But, don’t stop there! The absence of what you don’t want does not guarantee the presence of what you do want. So, next ask yourself what behaviors are needed to avoid those despised experiences, and make your desired experiences more likely. Then, voilà, you’ve created anti-goals.

     There you have it. By thinking about our problems differently, we can come to more actionable solutions. We wish all of you a healthy and happy 2018! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt, @kuhnalyssa_spt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

Cheers,

-WW Crew