Wellness Wednesday: Steady As She Goes
This is the week of millions of invigorated resolutions where knee jerk reactions are the norm and exclamation points abound. This is all very exciting, and very inspiring, as the new year unfolds and everyone begins to turn over their proverbial new leaves for change.
“The only problem with this,” warned wellness expert and certified acupuncturist Laura Farb, “is that people create these unsustainable expectations for themselves and after the second week of really going after a new regimen that often includes a new, challenging exercise routine and a new crash diet, they suddenly stop, exhausted, and fall back into their old habits.” Guilty as charged.
So what is the best way to turn over a new leaf? “Through simple, sustainable changes that make lasting impacts on both the body and the mind.”
Laura recommends inserting simple action steps into your already existing routine, like “I’m going to walk three miles every morning,” rather than the typical leap into that cross fit class five times a week after having not exercised for six months. “The most important thing is to tailor the steps so they reasonably fit into your already busy life. When we add a step that is totally out of bounds with our reality, it might last for a few weeks, but then, time, circumstances and exhaustion overtake us and we are pulled back into our usual orbit, making us feel like a failure.” And ladies and gentlemen, haven’t we all been there before? I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the times; I’d have more than twenty toes at that rate.
A nice example is if you already run three miles a day, run four. If you already practice yoga three days a week, practice four days. Simple, steady steps result in long lasting results. The same goes for our eating habits. Eliminate one “negative” part of your diet, like sugary drinks and you are improving yourself. Replace one serving of gluten free grains with a leafy green vegetable a day and you will notice your skin clear up or your tummy might feel less puffy. (Remember my post on acidosis? ALL grains cause the body to inflame ever so slightly, but gluten free grains like sorghum cause the least inflammatory response.)
No matter what changes you choose to make for yourself, just take it a step at a time. Writing it all down on your daily schedule helps catalyze the change as well, so you are the taking those simple steps, both literally and figurtively.
I love the Kristen Armstrong quote that heads this article, but there are many bits of advice that she is giving. All of them are simple but not as easily attained as one might think. Choose one for yourself for this year and own it. Steady as she goes, my friends, and most of all HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
