If You're Going to Change One Thing...

As The Do One Thing Movement Challenge comes to a close (congrats, do1T-ers!), it's got me thinking about how overwhelming getting healthier from the inside out can truly be. There are so many elements to think about!

• Exercise
• Mindset
• Nutrition

...and the big one: how do you fit all these things into your already-full life?! Around this time of year when you're getting pulled in all directions, the last thing you probably want to do is add on another responsibility.But here's the thing: your health is already IS your responsibility. You're choosing one way or the other how healthy you're going to be. By choosing to ignore this responsibility or put off action, you're in turn choosing a state of being that's, well, not what it could be.Just reading that last bit might have made you hyperventilate a little, so take a deep breath. This doesn't have to be as stressful as you think it does.All you have to do is change one thing at a time. If you concentrate on changing one thing every month, you'll change the rest of your life.In order for this plan to work, you have to fully commit to one of these for a full month, and at the end of the month, this won't be something you just throw away: you'll keep doing it. You'll be able to modify it at the end of the month, but the purpose is to fully commit to one of these habits for a month so that you can get through the toughest part of the change before you start negotiating with yourself to change the amount of commitment.All of these challenges are maintainable as they are for a long period of time. You won't find something ridiculous like "Stop eating cookies forever" that's not even an option for the rest of your life; you'll focus on simple, measurable actions that you can keep doing without feeling restricted or over-regimented.So without further ado, here are my 5 ideas for you to start with (choose one):

1. Keep moving when your body calls you to move

Now that the Do1T Challenge is over, it's time to take your movement to the next level.The key to this change is to make it realistic. Listen to your body - when it's tired, stop. It can be really helpful to set a loving calendar reminder for yourself, too.

2. Meditate for 10 minutes every day

We've all heard how beneficial meditation is for the mind, but do you know it can do your body a world of good, too? Meditation can help you ease stress, which means many things depending on how your stress manifests. Relieving stress through meditation could:

• lower your high blood pressure
• lower the catabolic and fat-storing stress hormone, cortisol
• improve your heart health
• relieve muscle tension
• boost your immunity

Meditation can improve your entire wellbeing, both physical and mental. Change this one thing, and your whole life will thank you. And hey, if it's not perfect, that's fine! Aim for every day, but if it doesn't happen that way, don't beat yourself up.Stumped on where to start? Try here.

3. Take up mindful eating

Looking to reap the benefits of eating a moderate, balanced diet? Make this one change: take up mindful eating.When you eat mindfully, you don't scarf down your food without even noticing what it is you're eating. You eat slowly. You notice the flavors, the smells, the temperature of your food. You are present in the act of eating.When you eat mindfully, you can connect better to your intentions and your hunger cues. When fullness hits, you'll know. And conversely, honoring your hunger cues when they surface is a great way to strengthen the connection between body and mind.Mindful eating won't solve sugar cravings (it's not supposed to), but it will keep your meal sizes balanced and help you find more appreciation for the foods that make you feel good during and after. When we are more conscious of our body's reactions to foods and our natural hunger and fullness cues, we naturally discover a moderate diet for our unique body and personality.For the how to start eating mindfully with a challenge that totally changed the way I eat, read this post.

4. Make giving a daily habit

When you're struggling, you're probably focusing on the past (which you can't change) or the future (which you have minimal control over). It's easy to get lost in the chaos of it all and fall into the wallowing pit.When you give love to others, however, your focus travels outside of yourself, giving you space to heal and much-needed perspective. I wrote about it a little last week. You feel good about yourself for doing good for someone else. It stops depression and anxiety in its tracks if even just for a few minutes. With consistency, hopefully that length of peace will get longer.It doesn't take much to give every day and it doesn't need to be expensive... or cost anything actually. If you think of kindness and love as currency, you're a millionaire... ok that was too corny for even me.Doing something simple like telling a barista that their hair looks really pretty that day or opening the door for someone else is all it takes to bring in the good feelies. Call a family member you haven't talked to in a while. Offer up your shoulder to lean on to someone who needs it. Listen and be present with the friend who usually talks your ear off. Got a spare 3 bucks? Buy coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop.It's not hard to do this challenge, in fact I think most of us Strongies want to do it. It's just about remembering to do it! So put some reminders in your calendar, or change your cell phone's wallpaper to remind you to do some good for others.

5. Start seeing a coach to make you accountable for your health

If you find the right coach, all of the elements of your wellbeing will start to improve. A good coach seeks to help you create balance between movement, mindset and nutrition instead of just focusing on one.Answering to someone outside of yourself (or even a group of people) is so much more powerful than just telling yourself that you'll do it. It's way too easy to create unrealistic goals and get so excited about starting that you add way too many at once. When you're on your own, trying to accomplish all of these goals without guidance can lead to overwhelm and for many of us all-or-nothing thinkers and perfectionists, defeat and the abandoning of our intentions completely.Your coach will help you see your goals with an outside eye, break them down into realistic action steps, and keep you on a path toward achieving them. Sure, it costs a little extra for this kind of support, but it's well worth it for what you gain out of it.*****I know it's exciting to look at all the above changes and try to change ALL of them at once. DON'T! There's a lot to be said for taking it slow and doing just one thing (right, do1T-ers?). You'll be able to fully commit and retain each habit better by focusing on one simple change instead of many.If you'd like a coach who's well-versed in all of the above, check out my coaching here!More info to come in the next few weeks, my friends. Until then, Godspeed with your simple changes! You got this.Stay strong,Amy