“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” Jim Ryun
As an adult, achieving sporting goals, be it running a marathon, taking on an open water swimming challenge or being stronger in the gym is not about doing more training. It is about respecting and looking at the whole picture. Work life, family commitments, nutrition, sleep, social interactions and hobbies are all part of the picture.
This blog discusses how over time we have learnt (and continue to learn) how to optimise our lifestyle.
It all starts with small daily habits
In order to be productive at work, sport, personal life you need to step back and appreciate that to achieve the bigger picture you need to focus on the small details that we typically overlook on a daily basis. Known as our habits.
These are the pillars to achieving our goals and enhancing our lives.
“We are, what we repeatedly do.” Aristotle
We often hear our clients say;
“I didn’t have time to train this week.”
“I have not got a balanced life anymore.”
“I have fallen off the wagon and am not eating nutritious food.”
Helping you turn those doubts and negative comments into positive and realistic goals is what we love to do as coaches at Long Run Collective.
Often people think more is better, especially when it comes to training and as this is daunting, they decide not to start at all. However, usually it’s the balance they get wrong, not the volume.
Balance is the magical ingredient to forming and keeping new habits.
We are not here to tell you what a perfect healthy lifestyle is, but a balanced, calm, happy and healthy life is simply a set of small consistent actions people do daily.
How do you develop good habits?
Firstly, as coaches we address your TRUE time availability per week, for you to focus on your new habit(s). This will enable you to make it a habit.
It might seem daunting but by having the initial will power to develop new habits can significantly boost the quality of your life and once those habits are formed, they will stick.
These are then our TOP THREE ways to master good habits and help them stick.
- Focus on what you are gaining, not what you are losing
Think about all the awesome new things you will get to try and the gains to be had. For example, your new habit is to start eating a fresh, nutritious diet and reducing processed sugar. Gains to be had range from having more energy, a positive mindset, long term health and happiness. It is an entire lifestyle not just the one new habit or end goal.
Forming new habits is a behavioural change. Rather than saying “I want” reframe it “I am” notice the change in how you feel.
For example, if you want to get fitter but don’t like going to the gym, then pick activities you do enjoy and start adding them into your daily routine. Swimming, Pilates, Yoga, Dancing, Walking – these are all great activities and forms of exercise. Turn I want to be fitter but hate the gym, into I am getting fitter day by day and having lots of fun.
Or if you are trying to eat a more nutritious, non processed diet to feel better, rather than telling yourself you have to be on a very strict diet “ cutting out” foods, reframe it to say “I am getting to try all these new delicious, fresh ingredients.”
Your habits should be enjoyable.
- Celebrate improvement
Make your daily habits achievable and celebrate them. Starting new habits is easy but maintaining them can be daunting, especially if you are not patient and doubts appear you can find yourself questioning, “When will I see improvements?” “Can I do it?”
Rather than focussing on the bigger end term goal, find joy in making small improvements.
One way we like to do this is with a daily and weekly diary. Writing things down helps to make you accountable to them. It is also very rewarding when you can cross the tasks off.
Take training for an event. Rather than just relying on an online training app we still like to write out a 7 day plan for the week ahead which includes our training. It is very rewarding when you can tick off each session on the plan. You can take this further by writing a daily outline which includes the small habits you would like to include, such as foam rolling for training recovery, eating a healthy afternoon snack and relaxation time after work.
- Break the habit into manageable pieces
In order to be successful, be kind to yourself. Rather than obsessing on the large task at hand, make it as easy as possible for yourself by breaking the habit into smaller chunks.
Keen to get started?
Are you training for a specific event, or have a goal in mind?
Do you wish for a more balanced, healthy lifestyle?
Perhaps you would like to improve your mindset and integrate training into a busy lifestyle?
Whatever your goals are, we can help you reach your full potential.
Start those new habits today and get in touch here.