Now, I know you are probably saying, “Jill, what the heck are you talking about?”
If you caught my last email blast on your health foundations and enjoying your summertime fun, then you probably already have an idea what I am talking about but in this email I want to break the meaning of SHREDS down for you all and why the heck they are so important in building when it comes to your overall health!
What most people do not realize is that there is no magic pill to building a healthier lifestyle but what most people will do is go to the absolute extreme in order to get to the results they are eager for. This does nothing but put you in a continuous cycle of weight loss, weight gain, no consistency, and little to no education on how to be successful in making the change for the longevity of their life. They're just worried about how they feel now, or in a couple of weeks.
What about the longevity of your life? Isn’t that important enough to actually make a solid change that you can KEEP!? Well, let’s introduce you all to the non-sexy side of health and the building blocks or foundations that will bring you way farther in your health then any fad diet ever will. We spoke about our shreds quickly but let’s break them down on the WHY and their importance in everyday life, shall we?!
Starting with;
SLEEP: How much sleep do you usually get? Is it good quality sleep? Do you at least get 7-9 hours of sleep? Do you feel refreshed and ready to take on the day when you wake up? These are all things to take into consideration. Sleep affects EVERYTHING! It is the only way for our bodies to reset, recharge, recover, and do what it needs to do in order to get ready for the next 24 hours ahead. Without good sleep it is extremely hard for your body to function properly. If you want to lose weight, gain muscles, bring stress levels down, then you NEED SLEEP! Period. Team no sleep is not a flex, it is doing way more damage internally than you will ever imagine.
HUNGER: How hungry are you on a daily basis, throughout the day? How long until after you eat a meal are you hungry again? To lose weight, yes you should feel a little hungry especially if you are in a caloric deficit. If you are trying to gain muscle, hunger cues are important to see if we are getting enough fuel to our fire. Do you struggle with having an appetite to begin with? Little to know appetite is not a flex either! It is not good to not be hungry, that is a way of your body telling you that you have a slower metabolism. Only way to get it running properly, up to speed is to EAT!!!
RECOVERY; How sore are you 24, 48, 72 hours after a workout? Sore to the touch for days? Well, that is a sign we are not recovering probably and could be a sign of needing more protein in our diet, more sleep at night so out body can recover, and or something else/ MORE!
ENERGY; How is your energy on a daily basis? Do you feel like you are always tired, dragging for life each day no matter how much sleep you get? This may be an indication that you need more fuel from food, more water intake, better sleep environment, body is stressed out… the list goes on and on! But being tired all the time, you know it by now is NOT a flex. Your body is trying to tell you something is off and we need to get down to the bottom of it.
DIGESTION; How often do you go to the bathroom a day? Is it soft, solid, and or really smelly? Do you have trouble going to the bathroom? Always feel bloated, backed up, etc… We definitely have some gut health issues going on! Maybe your body has a sensitivity to something, digesting too many fats or carbs? Not getting enough fiber? Not enough water?! Too much processed food and not enough whole food options. Are you constantly stressed out? This will also play a HUGE role on your digestive system and slow things down. Being bloated, having irregular bowel movements is NOT flex but a HUGE indication that something more is going on internally. Get your blood work checked, clean up your appetite, drink more water… Are you starting to see how everything is connected in some way shape or form?
STRESS; We are ALL stressed or carry some form of stress on our shoulders. It is completely normal for us as humans to deal with some sort of stress on our bodies or minds on a daily basis. There are our usual day to day stressors and then there is a time where HIGH stress can really disrupt our bodies internally when our cortisol levels are through the roof. When your body is in a constant state of fight or flight it is hard for your body to relax.Our bodies start to fault towards the stress. Immune system suppressed, appetite changes, body may be carrying more inflammation due to higher stress levels. Finding healthy ways to decompress and give yourself grace goes A LONG WAY! All hustle and no break, is NOT a flex! Too much constant stress will damage your body internally without you even knowing it.
Like I said, do you see how these 6 basic health foundations are all somewhat connected?! That when 1 starts to slow down or become less of a priority all of the others start to slow down or fall too. These 6 habits are the building blocks to your health’s foundations and something we put a huge emphasis on here with our clients at JMick Fit. Without truly understanding how all of these impact you on a daily basis you will never make them click. These are the “magic pills” to your health journey. Probably not what you were expecting! You probably wanted a fancier answer but NOPE it all comes down to how you take care of yourself daily with your most basic body needs.
Build your health foundations off of these 6 habits and you will never start your health journey over again because you always have your foundation to catch you and lean on.
In Your Health,
Coach Jillian