(and how you can do it, too!)
Each year Michael and I sit down in December and write out 5 personal goals each and 5 couple goals that we want to accomplish in the new year. When we wrote our goals for 2020 obviously we had no idea what 2020 had in store for the world. Some of our goals, like me qualifying for the Boston Marathon again, were no longer possible. But others, like meditating daily, taking supplements regularly, and moving more, became even more doable once travel and leaving the house were taken off the table.
So! Here are a few habits I’ve been trying to establish and stick with for years that I finally nailed down in 2020, and how you can do it too!
More Consistent Movement Each Day
I’ve written “get 10,000 steps each day” on my goals list for at least 3-4 years now and yet my longest “streak” with that many steps couldn’t be more than 7 days. I really think my challenges stemmed from the fact that in the past I wasn’t creating a sustainable habit. What I mean is, I was usually training for a marathon and in one run I’d blow that 10,000 step goal out of the water. Then the rest of the day I would sit around because I didn’t “need” to move around, I had 25,000+ steps! I wasn’t establishing that sustainable habit of moving more throughout the day so when a rest day or off season came around I didn’t have unstructured/gentle movement built into my days and I would barely get 3,000 steps. I also noticed with that unsustainable routine I wasn’t recovering well from runs because I was either running, or sitting.
Enter the pandemic and my family has gotten much more consistent with walks but I was still noticing on rainy days or days that we couldn’t get in a walk outdoors I was not hitting even 5,000 steps. I do want to say that there is no such thing as a “right” amount of movement for anyone or a “magic” amount of steps. I choose to reach for 10,000 because I notice a big difference in my mood, energy levels, and how my body feels when I get at least that many steps and (right now) it’s not realistic for me to aim for more than that.
Fast forward to December 2020 (now!) and I did a thing – I bought a treadmill!! After agonizing about it the whole pandemic I decided that was what I needed to be able to move more and meet my 10,000 step goal consistently. It has made a huge difference, especially paired with our #stepitupdecember challenge we are doing on Instagram!
Are you looking to incorporate more movement (and/or steps) into your days? Here’s my takeaways from my journey to more consistent movement:
More is not always better. Start with a doable goal for YOU, not anyone else, not me, not your bff, not your partner…YOU! Maybe it’s to get 10,000 steps at least 4x/week, or 5,000 steps 7 days/week, or to get up every hour at work and take a lap around your building. Whatever it is, start small and remember, your goal isn’t the cap or limit to what you can do, it’s the minimum so you can always go above and beyond if you feel like it!
Lower the hurdles. Have you been working toward a movement goal for years…or maybe even decades….and come up short? Take some time to observe (not judge) your habits and what challenges, thoughts, and/or barriers that get in your way. For example, for me going too hard some days left me without the energy to hit my goals on other days and rain or my husband’s work schedule became excuses for me for why I couldn’t meet my goal.
Schedule it in!! Another barrier for me was my work schedule some days. There’s no way I could move more throughout the day if I have 6 hours of back to back meetings! So as much as I can, I make sure I have at least 10-15 minutes between meetings to refill my coffee (and water) and get in some movement.
Find an accountability buddy. I cannot emphasize enough how impactful this one is. Whether it’s your bff, partner, mom, a coworker, or a social media challenge – knowing we have to “report back” to someone about our goals can make such a difference! The #stepitupdecember challenge I KNOW has helped me meet my 10,000 step goal this month just knowing other people were out there doing it too and were cheering me on!
Don’t procrastinate. Especially when it comes to steps – don’t wait until after dinner or right before bed, it’s not fun anymore! Part of the goal of getting in more movement is not to stack it all in one hour, but to space it out throughout the day. I have “benchmarks” for myself throughout the day (like 5000 steps by lunch, 7500 by the time I log off work etc.)
Meditation
Like steps, this is another goal I’ve written down for at least 3 years now and never been able to establish the habit of meditating daily. This was important to me because I struggle with anxiety and I’ve noticed when I do meditate it improves not only my mood but also how I interact with others and my ability to tackle challenges throughout the day. As I’m writing this blog I’m on an 11 day streak – my longest yet!
A few barriers for me were:
- An “I’ll do it later” mindset (spoiler alert: I rarely did)
- Carving out/scheduling time for it. I’d want to do it first thing in the morning, but then I’d sleep in and have to rush out of bed to get ready.
- Struggling to find an app/site that I really consistently enjoyed and didn’t have to spend a lot of time scrolling to find a meditation that I liked.
If you’re looking to incorporate meditation in 2021, here’s my tips for making it stick:
Schedule it in. Pick a time when you can confidently commit to meditating each day and block it on your calendar. I like to do it in the morning before I log into work, but not right after I wake up but I also have a “back up” time which is right before bed.
Take time to explore apps and meditations to find one you love. It’s ok to try one and not love it. I tried a few and I’ve landed on committing to Headspace for 2021. I love how straightforward, simple, and consistent the meditations are.
Go in without any expectations of yourself. I would think to myself “there’s no way I can meditate right now, I’m too tired and riled up.” Those moments are probably when I needed meditation most, but I’d decided I had to be “ready” to meditate. Meditation has no expectations, you just have to sit still and be for 10 minutes, so release yourself from needing to perform or be “good” at it.
Have an accountability buddy. I can’t say this enough: accomplishing our goals is SO MUCH easier with a friend/cheerleader/support system. My husband knows I’m trying to meditate daily and helps me to do it before bed if I’ve forgotten. Other non human forms of accountability can be: put it in your “to do” list and check it off each day (I love doing that, anyone else?), create a habit tracker calendar and put a stick or check on when you complete your meditation, set. a daily reminder on your phone for the time that you want to meditate.
Taking (necessary) Supplements Daily
Before I dive into this one it’s important to say that just because I take particular supplements absolutely does not mean you should or that I recommend them for others. Before starting a supplement routine it’s super important to have bloodwork done, monitor any symptoms you are experiencing, and consult with your doctor and/or dietitian about how supplements might interfere with other medications you take. As a dietitian, I’m embarrassed to share I’ve been deficient/low in a few vitamins for at least 6 years now and no matter how hard I tried I could barely get myself to buy, let alone consistently take, those supplements. I also spent so much of my early dietetics career working with clients with GI diseases and for some, I’d strongly recommend a probiotic yet I didn’t take one myself despite knowing it’d be beneficial based on my medical history and symptoms. This year, I finally started taking those three supplements consistently and believe it or not, when you take supplements that you need, they make you feel better!! It was super rewarding to go to the doctor this fall and have vitamin levels in the normal/ideal range for the first time ever (since I’ve started getting labs consistently).
How’d I do it? At first, I made a habit chart – aka I printed out a blank calendar sheet, wrote the dates on it, and made a little check box for each supplement and new medication I needed to take each day – and I checked them off when I took them. I made it fun for myself, each medicine/supplement had a different color and I LOVE checking things off a list, so it motivated me. It also helped me to see how consistent I’d been and being able to visually see progress via the check marks motivated me to keep going (action precedes motivation, anyone?). Around June or July I stopped used these charts because I’d gotten in a good routine, I take my thyroid medicines in the morning and supplements at night. Again just want to emphasize the importance of talking with your doctor especially if, like me, you have other medications you take each day to make sure any supplements you need to take are not impacting the absorption of medications. Now, every single night when we start getting ready for bed I go to the pantry and take my vitamins, then to the fridge and take my probiotic, then I fill up my water and continue getting ready for bed. It’s a habit!
My tips for establishing a habit around taking medications/supplements (if you need them):
Make a habit tracker. Seriously, print out a calendar or use the one you have and use stickers, check marks, a chart even so you can visually see that progress and get immediate satisfaction. That immediate satisfaction is especially important because with something like this (especially with supplements) you likely won’t be able to “see” the impact immediately.
Try pairing this new habit with something you already do every day. This pairs with picking a time of day and sticking with it! For example, every night before bed we get ready for bed, right? This looks different for everyone but for the most part we all do it. SO! I take my supplements each night as soon as it’s time to get ready for bed, right before I fill up my water to take with me to bed. I take my necessary medications first thing in the morning before I get out of bed. Two things I always do – go to bed, wake up and get out of bed – I paired with the habit (taking supplements/medications)! Ta da!
Remember your “why.” I’ll talk more about this later, as it applies to all the habits, but it’s important to remember why you want to establish this habit. Powerful “whys” can really motivate to take action like nothing else. For example, if you don’t feel well or are experiencing symptoms and you and your doctor determine you need a supplement or medication, feeling well and improving your health might be your why.
Establishing a Consistent Workout Routine
I’ll be honest, I’m still working on this one. I was diagnosed with a medical condition in January 2020 and in learning to manage it I did have to scale back my workout routine a bit (that’s why getting in gentle movement, like walking, has been such a goal for me!). But I know this is something so many of us struggle with, you are not alone! Here’s a few tips for making a workout routine stick:
Find a type of movement/workout you ENJOY! Y’all there are sooooooo many ways to move! If you don’t like to run, don’t! If yoga is not your jam, don’t do it! If zumba makes you feel as clumsy as it does me, pass on it! Find a type of movement that makes you feel good, energizes you, and motivates you! Walking, running, swimming, cycling (indoor or out), yoga, pilates, stairs, strength training, cleaning your living space etc. I could go on forever! If you don’t enjoy doing the habit ever, it is really hard to stick with it. Maybe you are thinking there is no movement you enjoy, that’s ok! Find one that makes you feel good after you’re finished, or one that you can do with loved ones so the motivator for doing it might not be how good you feel during, but instead is spending time with friends or feeling like a boss after.
Figure out when you are most motivated/most likely to workout during a day/week and do it then! If you notice that you have the most energy in the morning, try starting there. Or if you are a night owl maybe you start by getting in your workouts right after work, or even later in the evening. Sometimes it can be challenging to fall asleep if you workout too close to bed, so be mindful of that if you sometimes have trouble falling asleep. It’s totally normal to not feel 100% ready to move every hour of the day, so find the times when you want to most, and capitalize!
I’m going to say it again….find a squad, a community, an accountability buddy and check in with them, sweat with them, and let them in on your goals. It makes such a difference to know you aren’t alone on your journey to your goals!
To Wrap This Up…
I know some of this sounds simple, and you might be thinking “I’ve tried that” or “that won’t work for me” but establishing new habits can be HARD. Doing these things one time doesn’t make the second or third time easier, but eventually things click, and you’ll have a habit that withstand most challenges life throws your way.
Remember:
- Remove the hurdles. Identify what challenges and barriers you face with taking action toward a goal and work to lower the hurdles. Make it as easy as possible to take action toward your goal.
- Share your goals with a buddy. Speak them out loud, write them down! You don’t have to do this alone.
- Plan it in. Schedule your action in, pair it with a well established routine, make time for it (and yourself!).
If you use any of these tips, or have any to share please drop a comment below or connect with me on Insta @lizhurley_rd. I would love to support you in establishing the habits of your dream in 2021!! ❤️
