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Last month, I finally decided to start a fitness program by Blogilates (#hotbodysummersculpt). What prompted this was my recent weight gain after munching a lot and consuming a lot of alcohol during an anniversary getaway. Although it was only set for 14 days, I have never actually participated in one nor did I ever actually finish one. For those who don't know me, I always get depressed whenever I get on the scale and see a number that's not what I consider within my expectations. I went from 92lbs to 130 in 4-5 months and since then I have never made it to my target goal of 115-120.
You see, it can be difficult for me especially when it comes to fitness to be motivated and be consistent. Because I was never a workout or fitness type of person. I occasionally participated in yoga or pilates in undergrad and did some Fitness Marshall here and there but I wasn't an intensive "I will workout everyday for at least 30 mins". BUT this time, I wanted to push myself to be better. And so I did. It was tough. It did get easier and I did feel stronger, but it was tough to push through and it was only 30 minutes. I found ways to push myself without over exerting myself to the point of being unmotivated and losing interest. For instance, I would pause the video and my tracker to take a break. Sometimes it was seconds, sometimes it was minutes. During those short breaks, I take the time to drink water, walk around, maybe finish some small tasks, and then go back into the workout and finish it. I also have an accountability partner all the way from the bay area. We send snaps to each other daily showing that we finished the workout for that day. And honestly, after 14 days, I felt good about myself. I felt stronger. Even when we did a walk around the neighborhood! I used to end the walk panting heavily (while wearing a mask) but on the 14th day? Nope. I was fine. My calves were not sore and I wasn't panting like I ran a marathon when I just walked around the block. I lost less than a pound during the first few days, but plateaued. Although I didn't exactly lose my ideal weight, I definitely saw parts of my body being toned slowly but surely. I just need to continue working out and actually eating healthy. So... if you're someone like me who gets easily discouraged, take it one step at a time. Progress is progress no matter how small it is. And remember, it only takes 21 days to form a habit. Just keep challenging yourself and pushing through it. As cliche as it sounds, it really is no pain no gain and something worthwhile such as losing weight and getting fit never comes easy. Taking shortcuts is only a short-term solution. So whether it is for medical reasons or mental health reasons, it will be hard at first, but the important thing is to keep going. ~Z
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** TraumaSpeaks would like to thank WeCanConquerBlog for this special post. If you would like to see more, you can check their Instagram page: @wecanconquerblog**
The minute the clock turns 12.00 am on New Year's Day, the thought that usually runs through most of our heads is ‘how can I be productive this year’ or ‘what goals am I going to set this year’. Let me tell you that there is nothing wrong with setting goals but it is so important that you don’t set unrealistic expectations, particularly at this time with the unpredictability of life. If I were to have told you what my goals/expectations were for 2020, you’d have laughed at how unrealistic they were but also because of Covid, everything was halted. So, that being said I wanted to share with you some ways of how you can set goals in a practical and healthy way for your mental health. 1. I already mentioned this but make sure that your goals are realistic. What I mean by this is don’t set yourself goals that you know won’t happen/ are basically impossible for where you’re at right now. If you set unrealistic goals, you will end up feeling sad when they don’t happen and therefore this can have very negative effects on your mental health i.e. low self esteem. 2. A phrase that’s important to remember is ‘goals are a rough outline not the final thing’. In other words, it’s so important to just see your goals as a guide rather than something that you follow so strictly that you neglect your mental health. Goals are not ‘obligatory’ - they’re just there to help you feel more focussed in your life. 3. Goals take time to achieve. It’s okay if you set a goal and don’t achieve it within the first month. It may take you ten times before you fully achieve it. Like I said, your goals have to be somewhat realistic and the truth is, most goals that are set won’t be achieved the first time. An example that I think shows this perfectly is the goal to have ‘learnt to drive this year’. Whether it's something you want to start for the first time this year or even if you’re in the process of learning, getting your driving licence doesn’t happen instantly and takes a long time. Don’t stress on the timing/duration of your goals as you don’t know how long they will take to be fulfilled. 4. Set goals that are for YOU rather than someone else. You’d be surprised how many people tell themselves they have to achieve something because someone else told them to,in one way or another. Only set goals that are important to you and that matter to you, even if other people don’t understand them. Sadly comparison is something that is very prominent in today’s society and we often think we have to set a certain goal to fit in e.g. goals relating to health and weight. Take some time to really think about what you want to achieve this year. My goals are mainly focussed on my mental health because that’s important to me. Overall, I personally believe that goals can be extremely beneficial to some people, particularly when someone wants to take a step forward in their life. That being said, it’s so important to not put too much emphasis on your goals. Achieving your goals in an unnatural way, can be harmful to your mental health. Make sure you take time to look after yourself this year! ~ Emily Green wecanconquerblog I think we can all agree that no one will miss 2020. And although nothing physically changes with a new year, it’s a huge mental relief that we can say goodbye to one of the worst years of our lives. Many are taking this time to reflect on what we can change by making resolutions. New year’s resolutions are great for our mental health because we are able to set realistic goals that motivate us to be more productive. It almost forces us to look back on what we failed to do in the past year and how we can improve our mental health. These can include getting more sleep, re-organizing priorities, and eating healthier (which has links to positive mental health).
Common resolutions include getting in shape and quitting smoking. Studies show that 1 out of 20 smokers are successful in quitting after the new year. Those who are successful report making several attainable goals rather than one overwhelming goal of “quit smoking.” This is true for any new year’s resolution - breaking it down into multiple steps makes it easier to actually follow through. And while this may seem like a slower process than intended, you will have more benefits and success in the long run. So, what should healthy resolutions consist of? Positivity and optimism
Step by step process
Patience
Replacement of unhealthy habits to healthy ones
Whether it be personal or professional goals, making resolutions is important for our mental health. They give us a reason to deal with issues that we may have been avoiding. For work especially, it’s important for us to learn how we can overcome stress and anxiety. We may sometimes feel that we have less control in our work lives compared to our personal lives. But this is far from the truth - you have complete control over how you handle work stress. Next time you’re feeling anxious about a project, try to take some time to breathe and remember that you can tackle anything that comes your way. After all, you didn’t get the job for nothing. References Walsh, R. A. & Paul, C. L. (2002). New Year quit smoking resolutions. Journal of Public Health, 26(2), 181-182. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842X.2002.tb00915.x Welch, A. (2020. How to make healthy attainable new year’s resolutions during covid-19. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-to-make-healthy-attainable-new-years-resolutions-during-covid-19 |
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