3 Simple Strategies to Ward Off “The 4 F’s"
Photo by Sydney Sims on Unsplash
Let’s face it, keeping on track with a healthy lifestyle can be a struggle.
We’re juggling too much these days. Work … family … life.
Here’s my story. Maybe it’s part of yours too.
The biggest struggle
The great thing about working with clients is hearing their health story.
What they’ve been through … but more important, what they want and who they aspire to be.
Each story is unique and infinitely interesting! What an honor and privilege it is to be allowed into their lives for a season.
Since day 1 of opening my business, the recurring theme is women struggling to feel good in their skin.
Many tell me they feel their body has betrayed them. That they don’t recognize themselves in the mirror anymore … and it causes them great pain.
When I ask how I can help, they most often share that they feel: “tired, fat, stressed and dumpy.”
They don’t even hesitate to say these words. It just rolls off their tongue. Many even cry out of relief of having said how they feel out loud to someone who understands.
I call these the 4 F’s for feeling … Fatigued … Fat … Frazzled … and Frumpy.
My story can be your story
My story motivates me to keep going with my lifelong pursuit of health.
It also reminds me to aim higher. To be the best possible version of me.
Never settle for “The Dreaded 4 F’s.”
In fact, I want the opposite: to be Energized, Trim, Calm and Fabulous!
More than 10 years ago, I felt fatigued, fat, frazzled and frumpy after having my third child and being toxified from a new carpet in my home. It was my Wake-Up Call to get me to change my ways.
I changed that story despite the fact no one knew how to help.
I decided to take charge of my own health and figure out a way to get back on track and get un-stuck.
Thankfully I was able to pull myself out of that nose-dive and use what I’ve learned to help others.
Health is a journey
Truth be told, I’ve been feeling a bit fat and frumpy lately. Two of “The Dreaded 4 F’s.” Ugh.
You know, clothes not fitting well, body fat slowly creeping up and feeling “blah.”
Thing is, you can go for a while doing pretty well, then something shifts.
Has this ever happened to you?
What I’ve learned is: Health is fluid, not constant.
The state of your health can shift and change more often than you think … often leaving you feeling stuck.
What I did in the past didn’t work this time, so I had to try something new.
So here’s what I’m doing lately to change things up and get un-stuck. To get back to Trim and Fabulous requires a plan! Here’s my personal 3-point plan that may help you too:
1. Minding the macros – I started using the My Fitness Pal app to gain more insight into my macrobiotic food choices. You know, the basic three food groups of: protein, carbs and fats. There’s a specific ratio that you need to hit whether you want to lose, gain or maintain weight. I thought I had it all together. Using this app was an eye-opener! It showed me I wasn’t eating enough carbs (go figure), was a bit short on protein portions, and my fat intake was higher than I needed. So I tweaked my food and in two short weeks my body composition started shifting in positive ways. Ways I hadn’t seen in a long time!
Reminder: What gets measured gets results.
2. Moving with intensity – In order to burn the unwanted body fat that crept in slowly over time, I needed to increase my heartrate. Taking brisk walks and doing yoga, Pilates, yardwork and housework wasn’t cutting it anymore. I needed to kick it up a couple notches. So I chose High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – specifically CrossFit. My hubby has been trying to get me to do it for the last few years with him. I thought CrossFit was only for real athletes, not me. I don’t have an athletic bone in my body 😊. How could I possibly like CrossFit when I would rather be ballroom dancing? Surprise! I liked it. It reminded me of working on my family’s farm.
Lesson: You don’t need to be an athlete to exercise or train. But you need to be healthy enough to exercise safely, have a desire to be the best version of you and be willing to be coached.
3. Intentionality with time – I’ve found myself working too hard, saying, “Yes” to too many things. Work can crowd my personal life if I’m not careful. So I’m training myself to be more intentional with my time. I need time for my family, business and me. All too often though the “me-time” gets short-changed. So I make it a priority to make appointments in my Google calendar for activities that are meaningful and help with my overall health like: family night, CrossFit, therapeutic baths, church activities, etc. Of the 3 strategies I shared, this one is hardest for me.
Reminder: There is a proper time and place for everything.
What about you?
Are you struggling with any of “The Dreaded 4 F’s”?
You can change your story and get unstuck.
Of the 3 strategies I shared, which one seems easiest for you? When will you start it?
If you’ve struggled in the past with the 4 F’s, how did you find your way out?
Leave me a comment below or drop me a line at: mary@sophozwellness.com. I’d love to hear from you.