How to Get Fit One Focus at a Time

There are hundreds of complicated ways to get fit. But there is only one way that is guaranteed to work for any person, any where. This is how to get fit one focus at a time.

We all want results tomorrow. When motivation strikes we jump on it and think “Full Steam Ahead!!”. Which is fantastic! That kind of energy and motivation is powerful.

Unfortunately there’s a predictable chain of events that can happen after the initial surge of get-fit-inspiration. It goes something like this:

First, there is a catalyst. Something – an event, a photo, an off-color comment – triggers you in a way that inspires a sudden surge of commitment. You feel motivated and energized and optimistic.

So you run with it. You purge your fridge and replace everything in it with keto-friendly crackers and paleo-vegan-non-dairy cheese. You download a 4 week fat loss program and decide you’ll also run 2 miles every mornings.

And you do!

You meal prep the heck out of that cauliflower crust. You crush those intense workouts (drop sets, cardio acceleration AND max reps all in one set?!). It feels good to be gangster…

For a week, maybe two. Then you find that the event/photo/comment that was so triggering way back when isn’t so important anymore and running sucks and can you even milk an almond?

Damn.

Sound familiar?

There’s a Better Way to Get Fit

There’s a better way. It’s simple. Straightforward. Doesn’t require you to flip your fridge or your schedule upside down.

I’m obsessed with this strategy because I can confidently say it works. It WORKS every time. Follow this strategy and I promise you that you will get healthier and fitter. What’s more: you’ll be able to maintain that health and fitness forever.

Just to be clear, there are a few things this strategy is NOT:

• It is not magical. In fact, this strategy is about as real-life-human-based as it gets.
• It is not going to get you your dream results tomorrow. It will get you results, but they won’t happen over night.
• It is not the same for everyone. Your path will be different than anyone else’s. But, there are a few key steps that can/should be the same for everyone.

Ready for what this strategy IS?

How to Get Fit One Focus at a Time

The key to sustainable, maintainable change – the kind that transforms your life inside and out – is consistency. Consistency leads to habits. And habits run our lives.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”

Gandhi

Humans are Creatures of Habit

Think of all of the hundreds components that make up your typical day: getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, walking downstairs, making coffee, buckling your seatbelt. We haven’t even made it past breakfast yet!

You don’t put conscious effort into those actions. You just do them. They are routine.

Turns out, according to a study done by MIT, that roughly 90% of what you do in your day to day life is determined by habit. In many ways that’s a good thing. It would be exhausting to have to consciously make each and every decision about each and every action all day long.

We react to the world around us. There are steps in front of you so your body adjusts to step downwards. Your alarm goes off and you get up. Simple actions, yes. But simple actions that matter. What if your body didn’t adjust for that step downwards? What if you didn’t get up when your alarm goes off?

Why Habits Matter in Health and Fitness

Recognizing this human characteristics has big implications to your health and fitness.

These habits – getting up when the alarm goes off, putting one foot in front of the other – were not always habits. Your body was not always trained to react in that way. You were introduced to the action and your brain realized over time – after much conscious effort and repetition – that doing these things benefited you in some way.

And so they became habit.

You can use your body and brain’s amazing ability to create habits to improve your health and fitness. To get results that are sustainable and maintainable forever because the actions it takes to get those results are part of your everyday routine.

The Key to Building Effective, Long-Lasting Habits

Habits take time to build. But not “Rome wasn’t built in a day” kind of time. Studies have shown that creating a new habit can take anywhere from 21 to 254 days to form. 66 days – just over 2 months – is pretty usual.

The trick is simplicity and consistency. Choose an action that is simple, one that you feel 99% confident that you can complete. Do that every single day. If possible, do do it multiple times a day. Once you feel comfortable with that action, once you feel like that is part of your daily routine, choose another. But remember:

One focus at a time.

One day at a time.

Foundational Habits to Get Started With

Your fitness journey is personal to you. The steps that you are going to need to take to reach your goals depend on your current lifestyle and health, what you’re willing to do or give up, and what your ultimate goal is. That said, there are some habits that benefit absolutely everyone.

1. Drink at least 80 ounces of water every day. Your body is made up of over 60% water, but you can lose it quickly. Just a 2% drop in body fluid impacts energy, mood, focus, performance, memory and motivation. Drinking up ounces of water (or 10 more ounces a day to start), is a great foundational habit to get started with.
   
2. Move for at least 30 minutes every day. The WHO recommends 150-minutes of light aerobic exercise a week to maintain general health. That’s a bear minimum. If you want to improve your health and fitness, and if you want to continue to improve for many years to come, think bigger. 30 minutes a day of some kind of movement. Whether that’s a walk or hike, a strength workout or a spin class, yoga or dancing doesn’t matter – what matters is that you do it!
   
3. Eat at least 3 servings of fruit/vegetables each day. Fruit and vegetables are packed with the good stuff: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and water. These are the nutrients that you need not only to live, but to thrive. And though supplementation (in the form of multivitamins and minerals and superfood juices) can help, it’s not the same.
   
4. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Everyone benefits from 7-9 hours of high quality sleep. This is when your body recovers physically and mentally. There is no other time of day that your body repairs and recovers in quite the same way it can while you are asleep.
   
5. Take a walk at lunch time. 10 minutes. That’s all you need to reset your mind and your mood. How many times have you found yourself completely spent – mentally and physically – at the end of a long day? You’re wondering why you’re physically exhausted even though you didn’t workout. A quick walk at lunch time helps to ward that exhaustion off. You get to move your muscles, take a break from the stresses of the day and spend a little time focusing on you (preferably in the sunshine).

Check out this LifeHack article for more ideas!