HOW PARENTS CAN FEEL BETTER PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY
After 12 years in the industry and speaking with thousands of parents, I see so many make the mistake of believing that to “feel better,” that means…
Starting detox programs & random vitamins
Restricting food groups (carbs, meats, etc.)
Following intense workout programs
Honestly, has it worked for you? Temporarily, maybe. But for the vast majority - nope. You lose 5 lbs here and there, feel a little less bloated, have a spike in energy and you think you’re in the clear…
Until the 5 lbs comes back (sometimes more), you begin to feel bloated again and that energy you saw…yeah, that was temporary too. Hello depression, my old friend. You stay in this depressing cycle because you’re not treating the root of the issue as to why you feel so lethargic all the time.
Instead of following the latest trendy thing that you read about on Instagram or listening to the guy behind the counter at GNC that’s never taken a nutrition course, try this:
Develop a sleep routine that will help you “prime” your body for bed so your mind stops racing at night and you can finally fall into a deep sleep fast.
Details: If you didn't know, sleep is the number 1 tool we have in our life to combat stress and restore our body's. When we suffer from short, poor quality sleep, our body's don't have sufficient time to properly heal and recover, potentially causing weight management issues and declines in physiological health. In the technological advanced world we live in, we are constantly distracted from life's increasing demands which in turn, is causing heightened stress within adults (and kids) which may cause chronic fatigue as well as increased depression and anxiety.
Begin a “morning flow” routine that will instantly improve your mood and will increase productivity throughout the day.
Details: This was a game changer for me personally. As someone that runs two businesses and is running around constantly, I would be feeling "burned out" frequently while trying to "toughen up" and drink a whole pot of coffee to keep me moving. To keep it blunt with you - how we start the day sets the tone for the rest of that day. In other words, if you're simply rolling out of bed once the kids are screaming, leaving you only 30 minutes to get everyone dressed and out the door for school and work...well, it's no wonder why you feel so burned out!
We must take time for ourselves, even if that means waking up earlier. But, that doesn't mean we sacrifice sleep either (see what I did there). It means we must act like adults and go to bed earlier. Sorry, but your favorite show you like to binge can wait #sorrynotsorry. My typical morning routine consists of sitting down for 10 minutes of silence, thinking about what I have on my agenda for that day and preparing myself mentally for who I need to show up as for my family, colleagues, clients, etc. Then I will typically go into my Bible study and prayer time followed up with writing in my gratitude journal. This routine typically only takes me 30 minutes or so but I feel WONDERFUL because of it.
Establish boundaries around social media usage and 20-30 minutes of sun exposure daily.
Details: Remember what I said about increases in depression and anxiety due to over stimulation? Social media is a huge culprit of that. At this point, most of us have become so addicted to our phones that we take them with us to the bathroom, which is absolutely crazy to say out loud but even I fall victim of it. The boundaries that I established for myself is, for the first two hours I'm awake, I will not check my phone.
How frequently do we grab the phone first thing in the morning, scroll social media, see something that "triggers" us or upsets us, ultimately altering our moods so we don't show up the best for our family's or colleagues? Be mindful of things that are stealing your joy and positivity! Another boundary I've established is turning off my phone and putting in the bedroom after 7pm. My clients and colleagues have all day to reach me (technically 9am-7pm) so I do not feel bad about turning my phone off after that. If there is a true emergency, they will figure out how to get a hold of me.
Another free tip is to increase sun exposure daily. Scientific studies have shown that getting outdoor time for just 20-30 minutes per day lowers depression rates while increasing our overall Vitamin D levels (which most women in particular are very deficient in).
Guess what? We haven’t even gotten into nutrition or exercise related techniques to improve physically and mentally! I'll save that for another blog though since this one is already quite lengthy.
If you begin following these very simple techniques (before altering your diets and shoving a bunch of pills down your throat), the results will lead to you finally feeling better the NATURAL way and having more energy, greater daily performance, lower depression and anxiety, and much more!
If you are struggling to achieve your weight loss goals, feel free to contact our team at anytime, we are here for you!
"Coach Taz" aka Taylor Rodriguez is the owner and head coach of Taz Fitness & Nutrition. He is a Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach located in Deltona, FL that coaches individuals online and in person. Taylor was a former partying pro wrestler turned fitness enthusiast after the economic downturn of 2008-2010. After losing almost 70 lbs, his new passion is to help struggling individuals find new confidence within themselves to achieve any goal that they see possible. To begin coaching with Taylor or to request a free consultation, contact us today.