Wellfie Wednesday Tip #56: Planning for... Failure?

Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

     This week’s tip is all about planning. I know in previous posts we’ve talked about meal planning and routine planning but this is a little different. Today’s tip is about planning for failure.

     Wait...what? But this is #WellfieWednesday, where we share tips on crushing our goals and pushing our limits...why would we plan for FAILURE?

     The keyword here is planning (which is not to be confused with expecting) because realistically making life changes can be hard and sometimes we can all make mistakes. Mistakes and failure are a part of the learning process. Preparing for them in advance can not only soften the blow when they happen, but also prevent a speed bump from turning into a downward spiral that overshadows all of the positive progress that has been made.

     Common example: You start a new eating plan and it’s going great. You’re about a week in when suddenly your willpower is tempted by something that’s restricted on the plan, let’s say some ice cream. In a moment of weakness you take a bite and BAM diet is ruined → all progress is lost → might as well finish the whole pint → wallow in guilt the rest of the night. Rinse and repeat.

     The reality is that first bite of ice cream probably didn’t derail your whole diet…but setting your expectations too high probably did.

“The imperfect method you follow is better than the perfect method you quit.” Tim Ferriss

     Translation: eat some damn ice cream once in awhile if you want to! Just get back on track ASAP and focus on making progress toward your goals. Celebrate the small victories along the way and use them as momentum to keep pushing forward. PLAN for failure, do not EXPECT it. Expecting to fail is counterproductive and leads to apathy, indifference, and ultimately (wait for it…) failure!

     Expect to succeed, but plan for failure. As always, thanks for reading. And be sure to tag the WW crew members in your post (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellness Wednesday Tip #42: Establish a Daily Routine!

Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

     This week’s tip from Eric Uveges is to establish a daily routine! Establishing a regular daily routine is a great way to increase productivity, reduce stress, and improve consistency when trying to accomplish goals. In my own experience, I’ve found that establishing a daily routine allows me to streamline my day thus allowing mental energy for any surprise responsibilities or creative pursuits that may come up later. Below is my typical daily schedule with a few key points broken down at the end.  

• 4:40am: Wake up, stumble around, make coffee, out the door by 5
• 5:15 - 6:15: Gym
• 6:15 - 7: Travel to work
• 7 - 8: Breakfast, shower, prep for work day
• 8am - 1pm: In clinic
• 1 - 2: Lunch
• 2 - 7pm: In clinic
• 7 - 8: Drive home
• 8 - 10pm: Dinner, unwind with wife, prep for next day, and get ready for bed
• 10:30pm (hopefully): Sleep

     Pro Tip #1: Wake up at the same time every day - it allows your body (and mind) to get into a natural rhythm and expect to perform certain tasks on a regular basis.

     Pro Tip #2: Preparation is EVERYTHING! On weekends I spend time meal planning and prepping for lunches for the week, that way after I get home from work all I have to do is throw my meals into a lunchbox and I’m ready for the next day. Also in the evenings, I’ll pack my gym bag with work clothes for the next day and lay out an outfit for the gym in the morning so that I have to put as little thought as possible into it at 4:45am. (Sidenote - there have been days where I did not plan this well and have had to suffer the consequences, aka using paper towels to dry off after showering or wearing my nasty socks from the gym for the rest of the work day. One or two mistakes like this are always helpful for kicking you back into the normal routine.)

     Pro Tip #3: Take time to break the routine! On weekends, all bets are off. If I stuck to this routine 365 days per year, I would not be a fun person to be around. Hell I probably wouldn’t even know what fun looked like. For me, I crave the balance that comes with breaking the routine and having some freedom built into my week.

**Disclaimer** - this is what works for me, it does not mean that it will necessarily be the same routine that works for you! I prefer morning workouts because if I wait until later in the day I will slack off, and I know it. I’ve also typically been an early riser and find I’m more productive in the morning...if you are a night owl then this routine will probably leave you cranky and miserable. Again, the key is to experiment and find out what fits your lifestyle and your personality best.

     So give it a shot and let us know how it goes! Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @fitnerdaimee, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellness Wednesday Tip #32: To Meal Prep!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday folks!!

     This week’s tip is something I may have written about somewhere before in the past, but it’s a concept worth mentioning more than once. Today’s tip is to Meal Prep! Unfortunately, this is something I don’t see done often enough. I mean think about, there is more than one benefit to cooking everything in one day. For one, you get to plan your meals for the week, incorporating those healthier options you want to try without an excuse. Secondly, you come home from a long day, and there’s dinner, ready to go or just in need of a quick touch up. Third, without getting into the logistics of all, cooking at home in general, especially when done in bulk, is far cheaper than eating out or stopping at the grocery several times a week. And lastly, it’s fun!

     I’ll let you in on my strategy for pulling this off. For starters, Sunday is usually my meal prep day, nothing is normally planned and plenty of time left over after church. However, there is one catch, there is a prep before the prep. And that starts with making your week’s menu and going to the grocery, and normally I do this on Saturday or early morning Sunday. The trick is, I find, you double up on selected meals so that you’re eating it twice within the week, that way you’re only cooking ideally 3 main dishes.

     The things I cook in advance are usually my proteins (meat, chicken, beans, legumes, etc.), pasta, rice, and of course any crockpot meals. As I mentioned earlier, coming home for a quick touch up to your dinner, I usually will cook my vegetables the night of (but those can be pre-cooked too) and partly because most of them can be popped in the oven as I tidy up.

      So try out meal prepping next week and let us know how it goes! As always, thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Eric (@Eric_in_AmERICa) or myself (@PBernerSPT) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

-       Dr. Patrick Berner, PT, DPT

-       Dr. Eric Uveges, PT, DPT