Hi friends!
Here is your weekly Tri-Tip Tuesday, sharing our current thoughts on food, fitness, & travel. Please forward this to others if you think they may be inspired.
The April Group Challenge has just concluded and I am in celebration mode along with the members who participated. The final week is always emotional for me, as I get to hear feedback from participants on how it changed their lives. Gratitude is an understatement.
Food: progress, not perfection
Progress, not perfection. Break the all-or-nothing. Undiet your mindset. Stronger not smaller.
You hear me repeat these things over and over, all the time. They are worth repeating, and I won't stop. It is starting to rub off on others, and I'm tickled pink about it.
This was the common theme being spoken by the majority of individuals who stayed present for the group challenge the entire 10 weeks: "Progress not Perfection".
It's the mantra that got them to join in on the challenge, but more importantly, the mantra that got them to the finish line. They ended the 10 weeks feeling accomplished and proud.
Were they a perfect 100%? No. I don't expect them to be or want them to be. Were they mindful and consistent? Yes. Consistent doesn't mean 100%. It can be 47%, 15%, 39%, 88%, 62%. Whatever you have in you that week. Life doesn't pause, and your efforts don't need to drop to 0% when life comes at you hard.
Perfection drives the on-off mentality I take pride in helping people break free from. When we expect perfection from ourselves, we force ourselves into a "pass or fail" rut. It's only sustainable for the short term, typically ending with one jump forward and two stumbles backward. It can be really hard to step forward again from that point.
The key to improving your nutrition and your relationship with food is all about small steps and stacking healthy habits. Learn about the components on your plate, how you eat, and why you eat what you eat. Eliminate fad diets, food rules, and tedious tracking. Indulge responsibly, and find balance while making progress toward your goals.
If you're struggling to break free from a diet mindset, sick of the diet roller coaster, or are overwhelmed by all the different opinions out there, consider joining my next group challenge.
Fitness: celebrate those non-scale victories
Celebrating non-scale victories is the final habit of the group challenge every round. It's all about calling out your personal wins, that have nothing to do with the scale.
Calling out NSV's isn't only for group challenges. Try to incorporate these into your daily life. It will keep you motivated to stick with your healthy lifestyle efforts and will boost your self-confidence. You'll notice little things here, and big things there.
Some real-life examples of NSV:
- Shaving time off of your mile time (walk or jog)
- Having the energy to keep up with the grandkids
- Giving your fur baby extra walks
- Handling your high-stress job more effectively
- Pulling out your summer clothes and fitting into things that you couldn't fit into last year
- Wearing shorts and not feeling self-conscious
- Wanting to be in photos with your family
- More strength, better balance
- Climb mountains without quitting or feeling exhausted
- Feeling less depressed
- Improved blood lab panels at doctor visits
- Getting off the medications
I could go on and on with hundreds of NSV examples. Start to pay attention to what really matters. The number on the scale does not matter. Feeling better, having more energy, sleeping well, moving better, and having a zest for life is where it's at.
Travel: when nature calls
No, I'm not talking about going to the bathroom. I know we RVers are always talking about black tanks and Dometic 310's, but not this time...
Aaron and I have made quite a bit of progress on our "Keys to Canada" season. Since leaving the Florida Keys in early April, we have traveled up the Atlantic coastline quickly, hitting so many desirable tourist areas.
While we have been able to enjoy some smaller destinations off the beaten path, such as Cape May, the Outer Banks, and Martha's Vineyard, the noise of the big cities was impactful. I do love the energy of big cities. Charleston, Savannah, Philadelphia, NYC, and Boston were exciting to visit and filled our hearts up.
Landing into Bar Harbor, Maine was next on our list, and it was just what we needed. Our full hearts were able to slow down, and we could hear them beat again. Ahhhhhhhh. Getting out into nature and back on the hiking trails was the therapy that we were missing.
Connecting with nature out here in Acadia National Park has been so good for the soul. What is it about nature that is so powerful? Being in nature reduces anger, fear, and stress, and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, but it also contributes to your physical well-being, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.
If you're seeking more calmness and balance, seek out nature and take in the views and deep breaths.
Make it a great week!
Christine Irene
NASM-CPT, Senior Fitness Specialist, Precision Nutrition Pn1 + Pn2 Certified, & Avid Traveler
“Work hard in silence; let your success be the noise.” - FRANK OCEAN
(this quote was shared with me by one of the group challenge members. You know who you are, thank you for sharing!)
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