42 oxygenmag.com
And even if you aren’t a mom, the pressure of everything else
— a demanding job, school, family obligations — can still be an
obstacle to making time each day for your health. If you’re clear
mentally about why hitting the gym or taking the time to prep
meals is an important part of the life you want, you’ll make strides.Carrying Through
What are some actionable tricks for making sure fi t habits come
out on top?
Sohee Lee, CSCS, CISSN, MS(c), who is busy running her full-
time business, Sohee Fit, and working toward her master’s degree
in the psychology of eating behavior, recommends that rather than
trying to keep up with the latest fad or copying your favorite fi tness
celebrity, pay attention to what makes you feel your best.
“Diff erent people have diff erent food preferences as well as
unique dieting strategies that work best for them,” Lee explains.
“What I always say is ‘like the way you eat, like the way you
exercise.’”
Multiple studies have shown that adherence to a diet and train-
ing regime is more important for long-term success than any
specifi c plan. This means that fi nding a routine you can maintain
easily and eff ectively will make it easier to prioritize.
Moral of the story: By tackling your mind and your daily habits,
“fi t girl” will be part of your DNA before you know it.f fi nding the time to maintain your fi t-girl lifestyle is a
challenge, you’re not alone. After tending to families that need
you, careers and classes that are calling, and so much more,
what happens when you feel like there’s not a moment left for
training, food prepping or even getting enough sleep? Read on
for advice to help prioritize the fi t stuff in your day-to-day routine.
Tackle Your Mind
Colleen Long, Psy.D., weight-loss psychologist and author of The
Psychology of Finally Being Full From Within (CreateSpace, 2017),
says that the fi rst step is to understand why health and fi tness is a pri-
ority for you. “Oftentimes, we say something is a priority but aren’t
really solid as to all the ‘why’s,’” Long says. “Take a moment to jot
down in your phone’s Notes section all the reasons you should make
this a priority.” Some examples might be to be a positive role model
for your kids or to feel better about your body.
Mamas especially fall prey to thinking that they don’t have enough
hours in the day for “me” time at the gym. Many already feel guilty
if they work outside the home, and adding in that time to exercise
makes the feeling even worse.
“You have to reframe how you see this,” Long says. “This exercise
is the oxygen mask you need to be a better parent, a better partner, to
have more energy to keep up with your kids, and to respond versus
react to them.”
Making “me” time
Prioritize your health and fi tness with these eff ective strategies.
By Nicole Bowlingthrive MIND BODY
Strategies to
Overcome
the G-Word
If you experience guilt when
you prioritize training over
other responsibilities, this food
for thought from psychologist
Leon Seltzer, Ph.D., might help
change your perspective.
Concentrate on your happi-
ness. You can’t help being the
center of your universe, so you
have a right to focus major
attention on what helps you
feel more fulfi lled.
Are you realistic? Do you
expect more of yourself than
might be reasonable? If you
have perfectionist ideals, you
do yourself no favors.
Just Say No. Acknowledge
and honor your right to protect
your self-interests when others
are making requests that over-
burden you. Are you morally
obliged to comply with what
others might want from you? In
most instances, hopefully, you’ll
realize you aren’t.