Top 4 Health & Habit Hacks for 2023
I want you to ask yourself one simple question, do I feel healthier than I did one year ago?
It is our mission at FitTown to help you do just that, create a healthier version of yourself each and every day so that you can live your life to the fittest and fullest.
To live at your very best, it takes small, daily action to move the needle in miniscule amounts towards the healthy body and life you desire.
I want to share the small “habit hacks” that I felt moved the needle most for the people I coached, including myself.
May these help make the difference for you in 2023.
- Cut Back or Eliminate One Food or Drink Item
In over 10 years of coaching, the number 1 hack I’ve heard and seen clients get the most results from is deciding to lower their alcohol intake. This is personal to everyone. Not “touchy subject” kind of personal (or at least it shouldn’t be), but meaning “lower” is relative to you. You may cut 8 glasses of wine a week to 2. You may cut beer out completely, but allow wine. You may avoid it all. Whatever you do, personalize it for you. There are no results like the results I’ve seen from lowering alcohol intake, hands down.
In related news, you may hardly ever drink booze but you love sugar and the four main elf food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup. (How did chocolate not get a specific shoutout?) Sugar is not this obvious though. It hides in a lot of food products. So cutting back on sugar or avoiding it, is less of a hack because of the work it takes to figure out what foods it’s in. Nonetheless, this is another small change that can have big results for you this year.
- Schedule Your Daily Movement In Your Day
One byproduct of following hack #1, is working out more and being more productive with your day. So you can already see the power in stacking these hacks. There are other ways you can ensure your workout becomes a part of your daily routine. First of all, not every workout has to happen within the walls of FitTown. You should desire to move every day in any way you can, and this is often decided the night before. T’was the night before your workout… and it’s up to you to decide which class time you’ll attend or where you’ll fit in that 3-mile jog in your day. Reserve the class time you plan to attend the night before on your Zenplanner app. Don’t be afraid to hit that reserve button because you’re unsure you’ll follow through. And then if your dog throws up on your kid and then your kid throws up on your dog and it becomes a whole thing… then you just come to the next class and we’ll sort the reservation and check-in out for you. Just show up, and figure out the hacks that work for you that make showing up easiest. Put it on your to-do list, give it a spot in your calendar, and make daily movement the priority it deserves to be in your day. Before my wife and I fall asleep each night we say two things to each other, #1 “I love you”, and #2 “when are you working out tomorrow?” It’s important to me that I make an effort to help her get her workout in. We do our best to figure out where and when our workout will happen.
- Make More Food, Save More Food
Most of us don’t have hours to set aside for meal prep every week. Trying to make food when you don’t plan on immediately eating it, isn’t exactly motivating. But next time you’re preparing dinner, make more portions that you can use for lunch tomorrow. I’ve found that making more at dinner, often helps me eat less, knowing that I plan on saving some for the next day. This doesn’t mean I stop eating while I’m still hungry, it means I don’t overeat because I’m not trying to abide by “no piece of food shall go to waste” rule. Plan on saving food, always. Go out to dinner and know you’ll save half for tomorrow. Many restaurants will give oversized portions containing upwards of 1000 calories in a single meal. You can afford to save 400 of those calories for tomorrow’s lunch, especially if you’re already shared a salad or appetizer. Having leftovers already made will also ensure you make a smarter lunch choice.
- Eat The Same Thing For Breakfast Every Day
You’ve heard me say it before, I drink the same protein shake, every, single, morning. It’s easy, mindless, and fuels me for my morning workout. My wife makes eggs and chicken sausage with her coffee every morning. Choose something thats simple and that works for you. If you can start each morning on the right foot, it will lead to a better day. Make certain meals routine. The less you have to contemplate them or guess what you’re going to eat, the more likely they’ll be a better choice for your health.
That’s it. That’s all the health hacks I have for 2023. With all that you have going on in your life, do less this year to achieve more. Instead of trying all the things, focus on a few small habits and do them until they stick.
If you need a coach to help make your 2023 the healthiest it can be, send me a message and lets chat about your goals.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2023!
-Coach Tony
