I need your help to hold me accountable.

I know what you are thinking, "Lea, aren't you the coach? Why am I holding you accountable?"

All you have to do is read this blog post, and you've done your job. Coaches have the same human brain that you do, and behavior change can be challenging for anyone!

I have a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is that my training/coaching schedule is getting very busy with clients. The bad news is that I am struggling to find the time to get my workouts in. I work with clients during the times I used to work out. Please don't get me wrong; I am beyond grateful for every opportunity to help someone with their health and fitness, and a busy schedule is exactly what I want. I also know that neglecting my health and wellness doesn't end well for anyone. I need to make sure I am taking care of myself.

I realize that if I don't change my routine to get my workout done in the morning before my workday begins, I won't have the time and energy to do it. It's come down to doing it at 6 am or 8 pm after a long day.

WHAT ARE THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES?

"But I am not a morning person."

It was my first thought when I considered 6 am workouts. Be careful of the stories you tell yourself.

That statement is not helpful, and I need to dig deeper to confirm if it is even true. Just because a thought runs through your head doesn't mean it is true.

It is labeling myself (not a morning person). Is this label accurate or helpful? Is it unchangeable? I can't change that I am five foot seven (and a half), but I can change my morning routine and how I feel about it!

Do you ever give yourself unhelpful labels that limit your potential? Recognizing that we do it is the first step.

Wait, I do like mornings. Breakfast and coffee both happen in the morning, and I love those! I enjoy waking up and snuggling with a heated blanket and the dog on the couch. It's pretty great, actually. AH, mornings are my favorite time of the day. What a different perspective than my first thought about it.

But morning workouts and morning dog snuggles with coffee are different. To make this morning workout routine happen, I must consider what I must change about my habits and mindset to succeed.

In other words, what skills and practices do I need to develop to make this stick?

DEVELOPING THE SKILLS TO REACH MY GOALS

Some of you know I am in the midst of a level two master health coaching course (PNL2). It is changing how I think about how I coach my clients and how I feel about my training & nutrition. At the risk of sounding dramatic, this class is not only improving my coaching; it is changing my life.

One of the curriculum's overarching themes is that to achieve any goal in any realm, you must first develop the skills and behaviors that lead to it.

Most people can connect the skills and practices to the goals with a deadlift, a barbell squat, or running efficiency. But what about fat loss, eating better, or sticking to an exercise routine? People often think of these as needing more motivation or willpower rather than needing to develop more skills and habits.

Want to lose weight? What skills do you need to develop? Is it meal planning or preparation? How about learning to tune into hunger and fullness signals, Understanding and applying macro or calorie counting? A nighttime routine to get better sleep and be awake for your morning workout routine? These are all skills you can work on to develop to make it easier to reach your goal. It's not starving yourself, over-exercising, or white-knuckling your way to your dream body (which, spoiler alert, is rarely effective long-term).

IT’S A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY

Not having the skills or habits to achieve your goal isn't a personal defect; it's a growth opportunity! What are you missing? What can you work on to improve? How can you connect the dots between your daily actions and behaviors and what you want to achieve?

Do I have the skills and habits to be a morning workout person? What may I have to change or develop to be successful? Can I add or remove something from my environment to make it easier? Do I have the social support I need?

I need to get to bed earlier to work out in the morning. After all, I don't want to sacrifice quality sleep. In the quest for good health, I'd argue that quality sleep is more essential than a workout. Developing a consistent sleep schedule that meets my needs is paramount.
Going to bed earlier requires a nighttime routine that prepares my body and mind for bed. It means I need to manage my time so lights out on time. Also, I need to communicate with my husband about my new routine and reasons so he is on board with the changes that affect him.
I need to set the alarm and have a good morning routine to have time to eat, caffeinate, and dog snuggle before a workout.
I can plan with a pump-me-up playlist to get me going in the morning (Jack White, anyone?)
I can get my clothes and shoes set out the night before.
I can start a journal practice to notice how I feel before and immediately following the workout to remind myself that 'ugh' almost always turns to elation when it is done.
I can get the heater started in the gym when I wake up.
I can list potential obstacles (including silently screaming, "I DON'T WANNA! " into my pillow at 5 am) and what I plan to do in those scenarios to keep moving forward towards my goal.
I can think about all the people who do it every day and make it work, like my friend Jessica, a busy professional mom who runs at 5 am because that is the only time she can consistently get it done. (Hi, Jessica.) Looking at other people's success helps me realize I can do it, too!
I can write an entire blog post to have another layer of accountability. After all, will I write 1000 words about this and then turn off the alarm tomorrow morning? I think NOT!
I can realize this a lot and remind myself I don't have to change my whole routine and be perfect every day from here on out. It might be hard to change my routine; I might mess up, but I will keep making changes as needed and keep trying.

So much of it is a mindset shift. I can become a morning person who completes her workout before she starts her day! I can see myself feeling accomplished and dripping with post-workout endorphins before my day even begins.

HOW TO GENERATE MOTIVATION

Remember WHY it is important or meaningful to you.
Focus on the parts of it that you ENJOY. It may not all be sunshine & rainbows, but there is likely some enjoyment in the task or the process.
Think about how you will FEEL when it is complete.

We get better with repeated behaviors!

Does any of this apply to what you want to do or change in your life? How do you speak to yourself about it? What stories are you telling yourself? Are they true? Are they unchangeable? What can you control? What is actionable? What small step towards that goal can you take tomorrow? What obstacles might you need to overcome? Who do you have to help hold you accountable? Can I help?

WORK WITH ME

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