HABITS, NUTRITION, MOVEMENT: A HOLISTIC HEALTH APPROACH

Last week, we had the pleasure of chatting with holistic health coach Brooke Biggers about all-the-things related to health, fitness, and wellness in middle age. Gone are the days of grueling cardio classes and lifting super heavy weights for many of us. And if you are still rockin’ the cardio and heavy weights at 50 - God has blessed you! So many things can change about our bodies as we approach and enter our 40s and 50s. Our stamina isn’t what it used to be, sugar cravings increase, fat shows up in places we never dreamed it could, extra pounds linger and don’t budge no matter how hard we try to shake them, and we start waking up feeling like the tin man after a long rain - stiff and achy. It’s a new reality for most of us. But as Brooke shared with us on our recent podcast, we can overcome many of these unsavory, mid-life changes with the right information, tools, techniques, and encouragement, and it all starts with just one or two good habits.

Brooke’s journey started as a gymnast, cheerleader, and all-around athlete in her teens and twenties. Her years of experience, passion for fitness, good nutrition, and a healthy mindset have never left her. She is now a successful fitness, nutrition, and mindset coach and believes that to achieve long-term success with our health goals, we must have a healthy balance in all three areas, and it all starts with good habits. Here is an excerpt from Brooke’s latest blog that describes her holistic approach to reaching optimal fitness, nutrition, and mindset:

“Some people spend their entire lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement.” ~James Clear

A new month. I love a clean slate. Today, you’ve been given a brand new opportunity to get it right – a brand new opportunity to move toward the person you want to be! ✨

I want you to read the quote above again. 

“Some people spend their entire lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement.” 

Friend, you know by now – if you’re waiting for the right time, you’ll never start. Each season of life may look different, but it’s always busy. We simply replace one thing with another. There will never be a more perfect time than NOW. 

I’d like to share a concept called “THE HABIT LOOP.”

The first two steps of the habit loop are the cue (trigger) and the craving. These two steps are the “problem phase” because you don’t have much control over them. You typically can’t help feeling triggered or having a craving.

The last two steps, however – the response and the reward – make up the “solution phase”. These are the two steps in which you have the power to change! 💯

So, for now, my message to you is this: don’t wait for the perfect time to show up. The perfect time is NOW. 
✅ I encourage you to find ONE healthy habit to commit to each day. More water? More steps? Less alcohol? Prioritize sleep? You’ve got this. Repetition is key.

One thing that was eye-opening for Maya and me as we listened to Brooke’s philosophy was that you can’t expect long-term, lasting results if you’re not in a healthy frame of mind. Brooke explained that many of us have unresolved traumas or negative stories that we keep telling ourselves stemming from childhood, a loss, past mistakes, or failed relationships. These traumas and negative stories can trigger us to make poor lifestyle choices and create bad habits that stifle our progress or throw us off track. If we can learn how to improve our mindset by addressing what is causing our bad habits, then the chances of us maintaining good nutrition and fitness routines and keeping off those stubborn pounds are much greater. Methods such as therapy, meditation, reading self-help books, and incorporating these methods into our daily and weekly routines are the first steps to reaching and maintaining your goals - in health and life in general. No one and no life will ever be perfect, but we can all achieve better physical results with this first step towards a healthier mindset.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Brooke can help you achieve your health goals, or if you’d like to subscribe to her blog please visit her website at www.brookebiggers.com.

To listen to our podcast with Brooke follow this link: Brooke Biggers Holistic Health Coach WTL Podcast on Spotify

To watch on YouTube follow this link: Werth the Listen with Brooke Biggers

Good Luck and All The Best, XOXO Penny & Maya