Feeling Lost or Hopeless in Terms of Health & Fitness Related Goals? This One's For YOU!!!

Everyone feels lost and confused in terms of health and fitness related goals at one time or another; I'm sure we can all agree on that or relate in some way. How can you not in today’s society? There’s hundreds of different workout regimens, diets, people telling you what’s “good or bad,” “healthy or unhealthy,” “right or wrong.” It becomes exhausting and stressful, am I right?

Quick fixes, fad diets, misinformation, It’s EVERYWHERE. You can’t escape it. Let me tell you something – slim teas, fat burners, 1200 calorie diets, no carbs, etc. are NOT sustainable. You cannot expect change to occur overnight. Think about it this way, would you expect to get a job without the necessary education requirements, background training, etc.? Probably not!! You likely won’t get that job without putting in the hard work first! Why would you expect it to be any different for your health and fitness goals?

I get where you can get sucked in. I see how diet companies and the fitness industry target individuals who are clearly struggling. They make their product seem legit. They make it seem like the perfect fix. They make it seem harmless. They generate these testimonials that worship their products. DON’T FALL INTO THIS TRAP. Don’t allow yourself to get sucked in because this is only going to set you farther back in your health and fitness goals. You will see progress TEMPORARILY (hence why it’s called a quick fix), but it will not last. You will become discouraged. You will regret it, I can promise you that.

You don’t need supplements (they can aid in your goals, but they are NOT necessary), you don’t need to over-train, you don’t need to eat 100% clean, and you don’t have to do endless cardio when working towards your health and fitness goals. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HATE THE PROCESS if you do it the proper way.

People look for a quick fix because they’re simply too lazy to put in the work. Plain and simple. I don’t sympathize with people like that. I don’t care to hear the excuses. I’ve made the excuses. I’ve been the person who ditched out on the gym due to pure laziness. I’ve been someone who doesn’t prioritize time properly or take my health seriously. Been there done that and guess what – my quality of life was much less. STOP making excuses.

Want to make a change? Want to work towards feeling confident in yourself? Want to find a workout regimen and make more health conscious related choices? DO IT. No one’s stopping you. No one’s holding you back, except for ONE person. YOU. You’re the only one hindering your progress and ability to work towards a healthier and happier you.

Now, let’s discuss how you can find a workout/exercise regimen and make healthy conscious choices that work for YOU!! First, I want you to understand that you won’t always enjoy the same things as others and that’s OKAY. It’s completely normal. You may enjoy yoga, whereas your BFF may really love weightlifting. You may love meat, but your BFF may choose a Vegan approach. Don’t ever feel like you have to change. You don’t!! That’s what’s amazing about health and fitness. It’s not going to be a one-size fits all. Each and every person requires a unique approach that will allow them to be successful individually. Back to the job example I discussed earlier. Maybe you love marketing and management – let’s just say that’s your ideal career choice. However, your BFF loves kids and wants to be an elementary school teacher. That’s her ideal career. Does that mean you should give up on YOUR dreams and become an elementary school teacher too just because your BFF is?? HECK NO. Same thing with your health and fitness goals, you have to find what works for YOU. You have to find something you can stick to and follow for a prolonged period of time. Not something you are going to follow for a week, not two weeks, not just one month, I’m talking LONG TERM.

Long term goals and approaches = success. This doesn’t mean you have to stick to one health and fitness goal or routine forever because you will always be evolving (which means you will likely try new things and gain new interests), BUT when you are starting out or lost, you have to find that something that works best for YOU. You have to find that something that lights a fire in you. Something you look forward to doing daily. Something you can see yourself doing for a prolonged period of time, not just short term. Make sense?

Let’s talk about the fitness aspect first. Maybe you are unsure where to start? You aren’t sure what you truly enjoy yet? Scared to take that leap of faith? Scared to step foot in that jam-packed fitness class, scared to step foot in the weight room, scared to try a new running route? Whatever it may be, feeling anxious or scared when trying something new is OKAY. However, you cannot expect to get better at something or know if you like/dislike it if you aren’t willing to take the initial plunge and try it out. What’s the worst that could happen? You hate the weight room? You hate that yoga class? Okay, so you try something else!! You keep trying things until you figure out what works. You WILL find that something. Once again, things take time. It’s a process. It’s not a race.

On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you’re scared what other people will think of you? This is a huge one for most people that come to me asking for advice. It’s 100% OKAY to be scared, but it’s not okay to bail out on something that you haven’t given a shot yet. Let me tell you something – NO ONE CARES (to put it bluntly). Seriously. No one is looking at you or judging you. People are so focused on what they are doing, they have no time to pay attention to you. Believe me, you are overthinking it. We’ve all been there. We’ve all had to step foot in there for the first time. We’ve all felt the discomfort. Gym time = me time. It’s a time where I put in my headphones, zone tf out, and do my own damn thing. I could care less what anyone else around me is doing. Unsure of how to do something? ASK for help. People are so kind and helpful 9/10 times. Like I stated before, we’ve all had to start somewhere. Utilize the hundreds and thousands of FREE resources out there. Make sure you’re getting reliable and accurate information, but don’t be afraid to do your own searching!! The knowledge I’ve gained personally is information I’ve gained through self-research and trial and error. You have to experiment and be patient in finding what works best for YOU. Still nervous? Throw on a baseball hat. People are less likely to look at yah and talk to you (sounds silly but it really helps at first)!! Still need some extra confidence? Pretend yah know what you’re doing even if yah don’t!! Fake it till yah make it LOL.

OKIEE, enough about the fitness part of it. Let’s talk nutrition. I think this is the one people struggle with the most. It’s also the MOST important one to reaching your goals. You simply cannot outwork a poor diet. Set appearances aside for a second. If you eat like s***, you’re likely going to feel like s***. Right? I know I do. You don’t have to eat “clean or healthy” 100% of the time. That’s crazy. I would go crazy. Most people would. We all enjoy yummy foods. A nice drink every now and then. You don’t have to give those things up. Don’t make food rules or categorize things. Those are BAD HABITS. That becomes a very vicious cycle and path you do not want to go down. Food is also a huge part of socializing. There’s no need to become restrictive or overwhelmed by it. There’s plenty of approaches to nutrition. Macro tracking, intuitive eating, calorie counting, yada, yada, yada, just to name a few. I think that in order to understand proper nutrition and what YOUR body needs, macro tracking can be a great starting point. If you don’t want to track macros that’s also totally OKAY. However, you must educate yourself on serving sizes (most serving sizes are much smaller than you would think), portions, and essential macro/micro-nutrients. Each and every person needs an adequate amount of fats, carbs, and protein for optimal health in their diet. Some people thrive off higher carbs, some off of higher fats & protein, but moderate carbs – the point is, it’s going to look different for everyone. Cutting out any of those (fats, protein, carbs) is not optimal for one’s health or well-being though. Our bodies need ALL three. Finding the proper BALANCE of each for YOUR body is where you will find the greatest success and most optimal results. Understanding serving sizes will ensure you’re staying on track with your goals. That one spoonful of peanut butter could be two if you aren’t fully aware of the actual serving size. That handful of nuts could really be four servings instead of one. Be conscious of the choices you are making!

Some of my favorite carbs sources include: White Rice, Couscous, Bread, Rice Cakes, Pancake/Waffle Mix, Potatoes, Oats, Cream of Rice, Hash Browns, Quiona, Popcorn

Some of my favorite protein sources include: Whole Eggs, Egg Whites Ground Turkey, Tilapia, Shrimp, Chicken, Deli Turkey Lunch Meat, Protein Powder, PB2 (peanut butter alternative – lower calorie), RX Bars

Some of my favorite fat sources include: Peanut Butter (or any nut butter), Whole Eggs, Kite Hill Dairy Free Cream Cheese, Daiya Cheese, Higher Fat Pasta Sauce, Salmon, Turkey Bacon, Chicken Bacon, Regular Bacon (can you tell I like bacon LMAO??), Oils (Coconut Oil, Olive Oil)

My fav fruit & veg sources include: Corn, Green Beans, Carrots, Greens, Squashes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Grapes, Apples, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Strawberries, Cucumbers (I seriously enjoy them all)

My fav soul foods & drinks: Chicken Pad Thai, Chinese Food (Sesame Chicken and Veggie Lo Mein), Spring Rolls, Shrimp Dumplings, Wine, White Claw’s, Vodka Lemonades, Burger & Sweet Potato Fries, Regular Fries, Pizza, Chicken Tenders, Ice Cream

Piecing all this information together for YOUR goals – In order to lose weight, you must be eating in a caloric deficit (you must be expending more energy than the calories you are taking in). On the contrary, in order to gain weight, you must be eating in a caloric surplus (you must be eating more calories than you are burning daily). Wanna maintain your weight/where you are at currently? Easy peasy. Eat and burn relatively the same number of calories daily. Your weight will stay in the same range. That’s really all there is to it. You could eat pop tarts every day and lose weight. As long as you’re taking in less calories than you are burning, you will lose weight!! You probably wouldn’t feel the best or have a ton of energy doing things with that approach so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but I’m just showing yah it doesn’t have to be complicated! It’s simple science so don’t go overcomplicating it or spending time and money on quick fixes/fad diets that aren’t going to get you anywhere (except backwards).

Let’s wrap this up. Find a form of exercise that makes YOU feel good. Find a way of moving your body that gets your endorphins flowing. Find something that makes you feel healthy and happy every day. Find something you LOVE and wake up eager to do. Don’t settle for something that just feels okay. You will find that something that feels great – you just have to keep searching! As for the nutrition aspect, eat in a way that makes you feel energized, happy, and provides you with optimal digestion, etc. At the end of the day, you just have to find the foods that work for YOU. I recommend finding an approach that consists of the 80/20 rule. 80% whole and nutritious foods & 20% soul foods that make yah heart all warm and fuzzy!! DRINK ALL THE WATER TOO!!! Eating a well-rounded diet, exercising, and drinking your water has so many amazing benefits!! Clearer skin, increased moods, stabilized hormonal functions, healthier skin, hair, and nails, etc. The list goes on. Seriously!!! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself.

Find what works for you. Do it consistently. Practice patience. Love it. Own you. Love you. Don’t give up until yah find what sets your soul on fire!!! Work towards the best and most confident YOU while staying true to your interests, beliefs, and morals. Your health, happiness, and overall well-being will ALWAYS be dependent on the choices you make and the mindset YOU create for yourself.

-Mik <3