Don’t you hate it when life distracts you from your perfectly laid out plan? Yeah, me too. I was cruisin’ – in my diet and exercise routine, then boom! The flu, COVID, schedule change, vacation, or the infamous holiday season, Halloween through New Year’s. (Side note: there’s technically only a handful of celebrations in there, but we use it as a reason to crash for two months!)
Once I’ve derailed for too long, I start feelin’ like I’ve taken up residence in Blahsville: frustrated, moody, tired, bloated, and HEAVY! Sigh. I’m guessing you’ve been there too.
Don’t throw in the towel just yet (or ever!) After reading this post, you’ll be re-inspired to get back on track with your diet and exercise routine and have a three-point method to reboot to your bada** energized self again!
Don’t throw in the towel just yet (or ever!) After reading this post, you’ll be re-inspired to get back on track with your diet and exercise routine and have a three-point method to reboot to your bada** energized self again!
CURB CRAVINGS WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING
Wanna know my biggest smackdown for kicking cravings to the curb? Nutritionally supported intermittent fasting. If you’re not familiar with the term intermittent fasting, it’s simply an eating model where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting.
Fasting has been used medicinally since Hippocrates (that’s around 2,500 years ago, so it’s been around for a hot minute!) It’s even been scientifically supported to improve fat burning, detox, and cellular renewal. But it does require some skills! One of the first times I tried intermittent fasting. I ended up lying face-down on our family room carpet hungry, thinking: when is this going to end?!? A quick phone call to my friend – the one who got me started on this fasting ‘fun’ – remedied the situation with a couple of tips. Read Why Most People Fail with Intermittent Fasting.
If you’re new to intermittent fasting or have yet to incorporate this craving-buster tool into your healthy lifestyle, Start Your FREE Reset Today! I’ll share the exact cleansing products I use and how I’ve beat nutritionally supported intermittent fasting into my lifestyle for years. Even when I’d rather go eat a bowl of ice cream! Plus, it’s my 1-2 punch to getting back on track with my diet and re-energizing!
Fasting has been used medicinally since Hippocrates (that’s around 2,500 years ago, so it’s been around for a hot minute!) It’s even been scientifically supported to improve fat burning, detox, and cellular renewal.
RAMP UP STRESS SUPPORT WITH ADAPTOGENS
Stop the scroll! If you’ve never heard of adaptogens, you’re seriously missing out on a simple tool to relax more and stress less. And if you’re one of those people who deny you’re stressed, don’t look at me! Instead, ask yourself: in the past week have I struggled with sticky pounds, sleepless nights, exhaustion, digestive upset, or been feelin’ a wee bit moody? Who me? Yes, you – that’s your body showing you’re stressed.
But let’s get back to my BFF forever: adaptogens. The word adaptogen comes from the Greek word adapto, meaning “to adjust.” So adaptogens are protective plants that help us better adapt to stress. They strengthen our bodies to reduce the physical, mental, and emotional impact of stress. My three favorite products blend multiple adaptogens together to reap the benefits each stress relief herb brings. Ashwagandha for relaxation, Rhodiola and Schisandra for energy, and Eleuthero for focus†. Astragalus for immune health or bacopa for memory†. That’s simplified but quickly illustrates how to tap into the power of adaptogens with blends.
Usually, I get off track with my diet and exercise routine because I’m stressin’ about something in life. Either I’m physically stressed (a cold or flu) or mentally/emotionally stressed from a change in routine (back-to-school, holiday season, post-vacation.) That’s when I ramp up my adaptogen support into high-gear. Read Stress Relief Medicine for the exact products I use and how I use them.
Adaptogens are protective plants that help us better adapt to stress. They strengthen our bodies to reduce the physical, mental, and emotional impact of stress.
GRADUAL MOVEMENT
Go slow and grow. That’s my go-to motto for exercise post-hiatus. Exercise is so drilled into my daily routine that it pretty much takes physical illness to keep out the gym (my basement!) for more than a day. But after a long break, when I hop back on the bike or pick up a kettlebell, my body is like, “Whoa, No!”
Illness is stressful, and exercise is stressful. So I ease back into my routine to decrease training stress: focusing on body weight before weights and endurance before intervals. For example, I’ll start with walking, then an endurance bike ride, and finally get back to the HIIT (high-intensity interval training) rides. I’ll start with bodyweight workouts for resistance exercise, then add resistance bands, dumbells, and kettlebells.
When I ramp up exercise too quickly, I’ll feel the stress consequences. For me, that means a mid-afternoon nap or feeling achy like I’m getting sick again. My signals to grow back into my exercise routine even slower (and believe it or not, I listen!) Read The Biggest Secret to Being Fit in Your 40’s and Beyond.
There ya have it! My three-point process to getting back on track with your diet and exercise so you can reboot to your bada** energized self again! As my favorite Peleton instructor Robin says, “We don’t look for motivation. We look for the processes that create excellence.” Pretty much wraps up this post with a truth punch! Use intermittent fasting, adaptogens, and gradual movement to get back to creating your best life with vibrant energy. And, if you need some motivation, blast “Whatever It Takes” by Imagine Dragons through your headphones as you workout! (It works, I tested it out for ya.)
#WeAreInThisTogether for #HealthyChange
Feel Better, Be Better!
P.S. Don’t miss out! Get back on track with the #resettribe (led by yours truly!) These women keep me practicing what I preach. With each 7-Day Reset, we evolve. We learn something new. And when we apply these new tools, we see the difference. We start the 1st Monday of every month (except December.) Start Your FREE Reset Today! #WeAreInThisTogether for #HealthyChange
†This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
About the Author: Dr. Sue
Sue McCreadie, MD (aka Dr. Sue), is a Pediatric Physician and Breakthrough Coach for Midlife Mamas. For over two decades, she’s helped thousands achieve vibrant health as a wellness expert. Bringing three daughters into this world, she lost four along the way, and crossed the pregnancy finish line a digestive–hormonal–emotional mess. But, over the following decade, she found a deeper meaning for miscarriages, reclaimed vibrant health, and grew emotional resiliency. Dr. Sue is obsessed with living her soulFULL purpose and helping other growth-minded Mamas do the same. She believes we are in this together to rise up, realize our dreams, and feel fulfilled in every facet of our lives.