What is the one thing you did in 2021 that brought you joy and health?
I absolutely LOVE goal setting and I'm finding it challenging after the year we have all had to set goals for 2022.
So I'm looking back at what worked for me in 2021, arguably one of the hardest years.
What is the one thing I did in 2021 for my health?
In March 2021 during the lockdown in Ontario, I started walking and we started #movingtogether on Instagram - where the goal was just to move every single day. No judgement. Sometimes this just looked like 10 jumping jacks for me.
How did you stay motivated to work out?
I decided in June 2021, I needed more accountability and so I signed up for Mighty Mom to Stroller Strong - post partum classes, 2 days a week (WHO AM I?). My son's in daycare now so I went to these classes without baby, all summer, fall up to December 2021.
What results did you see?
I was part of a pre-diabetes / diabetes program for the last 2 months in December and so our group tracked results as part of that program. Here are my learnings:
- because it was a weekly class in my calendar with other people, it became a habit
- my weight stayed the same (keep reading)
- my fasting blood glucose fell
- I slept better
- My aches and pains are down to 3 out of 10 from 8 out of 10 (10 being the worst)
- my body fat went down
All this in just 45 minutes x 2 hours a week. The data showed that in times of stress when I didn't have an outlet like a workout, I had higher blood sugar levels. So stress and lack of sleep was causing more of a response in my body rather than food.
The workouts were a way to manage stress and get my body moving.
How can I inspire myself to keep moving in 2022?
I got to interview Jess from Mighty Mom Jess, one of the best and most genuine trainers in Canada focused on post partum fitness. You can watch the entire interview (her and mine) below and here are her top tips on moving your body in 2022:
- Schedule it. Add it to your calendar.
- Make it a non-negotiable. Jess said working out is for her mental health, and she shows up as a better person to her family.
- Don't feel guilty taking time to do this for you
- Accountability - by signing up for a class and scheduling it
- Make it fun!
- Make it easy - her workouts are just bands and body weight
- Keep your clothes ready or put them on as soon as you wake up
- her final tip - start working out and tell yourself in 10 mins if you are still not feeling it, you can stop now
You can find the complete interview here with time stamps in the caption.
What do I do next?
In 6 months, I created a new habit of moving my body and now I see the benefit.
If I can share anything, it would be to ask yourself what is the one thing you did in 2021 that brought you joy and health. Whether it's meal prep, going for a walk, a workout, pick YOUR thing for 2022.
and then use the tactics Jess outlined above to stick to it!
I wish you luck and I'm always here to support you.
I need more
We interviewed 3 women about their "mental fitness" and if you need more inspiration, I love this article and interview.