It’s summer and most people have a more relaxed and less rigid schedule than during the school year. On one hand, this is such a freeing feeling, with no early morning wake-ups and long days, on the other hand, many people struggle outside of a structured environment.
If you would like to focus on yourself this summer and find ways to improve your nutrition, energy level, sleep, or movement plan, all it takes is 5 minutes.
Step #1: Start with Awesome
What are you already doing well? In what situations do you tend to thrive? Are you a morning person who always starts the day with a walk or do you eat a piece of fruit every morning without fail? What are some ways you can add more of that? For example, if you want to increase mobility and flexibility, could you add a 5-minute stretch after your walk? What about a 5-minute meditation immediately after eating your banana?
Step #2: Make it Easy
Accessibility is often a big challenge in making small habit changes. Setting incremental expectations for your meals and movement plan that aligns with your current eating plan and schedule is important. For example, suppose fresh fruit is only available at a farmer’s market 10 miles outside your neighborhood shopping center, and the price is outside your weekly grocery store budget. In that case, a frozen or canned option is a great way to adjust expectations without skimping out on nutrient density. How can you create a 5-minute habit each day that you will actually do?
Step #3 Find your Community
When it comes to the influence of other people, your friends, family, and coworkers all want the best for you. Share your goals and habits and ask for support! Give them updates on your progress and find someone to help hold you accountable. Limit influence from social media feeds where you will find marketing and branding of diets and food products. These influences can be confusing in determining what works best for your body.
