Today’s post is a recap of where we’ve been and what we’ve covered during our 21 Days of Self-Care project. It’s also a guide to where we can go in the future, to build on what we’ve learned.
So, obviously we talked about good nutrition, and the kinds of food we should be eating to take good care of ourselves. But we also talked about recovery, relaxation and building good sleep habits, and about how all these things don’t happen by accident. Sometimes we have to “chase” recovery, and sometimes these things require planning and preparing.
We also talked a lot about building awareness and mindfulness, taking the time to listen and check in with our bodies. If you listen, carefully and mindfully, your body will tell you what it needs; it won’t lie to you. Right now, it may only be speaking to you in a whisper, and you’ll need to listen carefully to hear. But if you don’t pay attention now, later on your body may do something dramatic to get your attention. So best to start listening now.
Notice also that our self-care was not just about nutrition – about getting your protein, fats and carbs – but also about that mind-body connection. About how our thoughts and feelings can influence our food choices. So take the time, notice and name, observe and describe the things that influence your nutritional choices and habits outside of your physical responses.
I put together this self-care project in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting and challenging us at this time. And because of these challenges we are facing, I’m sure there are some habits and practices in this project that you feel you just can’t adopt right now. And that’s OK. My hope is that your can find something that resonates with you, something that you feel you can implement that would “add value”, if not now, then at some time in the future. A very small but powerful word is “YET”; just add it at the end when you think you can’t do something. As in: “I can’t do that – YET.” When you’re ready, when you have the tools you need to make it happen, you will.
And remember, we can’t do everything at once, as much as we’d like to believe we can. Multi-tasking is a productivity hoax; you will be much more successful focusing on one thing at a time. So find one thing that resonates with you, that you’d like to implement, and do that – only that. If it seems overwhelming, break it down into the smallest part that you’re confident that you can do consistently, and do just that. Pick one small change; they add up over time. As our topic for today says: just do a little more, a little better. Anything you can do, to make a positive change or add value, is better than doing nothing. There isn’t only one way to do something; find the way to make the change work for you.
Life has changed a lot during this pandemic, but for those of us still here, it didn’t stop. It shows that there is no pause button in life, and if you’re thinking now isn’t the time to make a change – well, then when is? The best time to start was yesterday; the second best time is today.
As I have indicated in many of these posts, the information for this project was drawn from the habits and lessons found in my nutrition coaching program. This program is a product of the company Precision Nutrition. Approximately 6 months of a year-long program were condensed into these 21 days, so there is so much more that it offers!
I first became aware of Precision Nutrition when attending a fitness conference, and I got on their mailing list. I liked their approach to nutrition education and coaching; I found something that resonated with me (as I have advised you to do!) I signed up for their Level 1 education program, which is a self-paced training. So even though it took me 18 months to crack the cover of the textbook, I did finally finish and passed the Level 1 certification exam.
At that point I had the opportunity to purchase the ProCoach platform, which is the basis of my coaching program (and the same program PN uses to coach their clients). Since I wanted to know what my own clients could expect, I put myself through the program. I lost weight; I got really lean; and, more important than those things, I mentally got stronger and more confident. I decided I wanted to learn more, and enrolled in the Level 2 coaching certification program. No putting this off! Level 2 is a much more rigorous and focused program, and I’m very proud to have completed and obtained the certification in October 2018.
During this time, especially by self-coaching myself through the ProCoach program, I started paying attention, being more mindful, and listening to my own gut about what I wanted from my life. Without a doubt, this program gave me the confidence to leave a job I had been in for almost 30 years, to pursue a dream I had deferred about as long, of becoming a full-time exercise and nutrition coach.
So you see, it’s not just about nutrition. This program contains some pretty powerful stuff!
Please contact me to learn more about this program. I also have at-home workouts you can use, until you feel comfortable going back to the gym! I would love to help you continue your self-care project, so you feel healthier, stronger and more confident to face any challenges ahead.