I have a lot of people assume when they talk to me that all I do is eat chicken and rice everyday because I am a bodybuilder. Sure, I do eat that on the daily, however, my daily meals include way more variety than just that. Variety is extremely important to keep the gut microbiome at its best. This is actually why I do recommend my clients to enjoy a meal with their significant others/ families on occasion. Now, this doesn’t mean eat like a complete moron, or pig out. It means just having a meal that is off plan. More so, it’s about having balance in your life.

Living a healthy lifestyle includes enjoying time and not always being restrictive. Setting boundaries for yourself is healthy and necessary to achieve goals. Another thing that is worth mentioning is when someone does fall off a plan, rather than beating yourself up, just do better the next day. Remind yourself why you started and what your goals are. Beating yourself up will only create more stress, which could make matters even worse for you. We are human, we aren’t robots and we do make mistakes. It happens. Forgive yourself and aim to be that much better the next day. Small wins still count and in the long run, you will acclimate to having more discipline, thus producing great results.

Another thing to keep in mind, be very realistic with your goals and the timeline to reach those goals. Oftentimes, we get so caught up in wanting that instant gratification, that when we don’t see drastic changes quickly, we want to throw in the towel and give up. Keep in mind it, it’s taken years for you to get to the point you’re at currently, it will take that much time, possibly longer, to get the results you’re going for. This is also why pictures are a great tool, and even measurements to keep track of progress. Hiring a coach is also a great idea to help give you guidance, as well as be there for accountability.

Achieving your goals isn’t a race, it does take time. Give yourself grace, especially when embarking on a new journey. You will more than likely face times where the struggle is real. That’s okay, and it’s normal. Be patient and trust the process. If you do have a coach, follow the plan that has been provided. If you mess up/ have a terrible week, re-evaluate and reflect again on your goals. Remember, do not beat yourself up. Set yourself up for success for the week. This can include meal prepping a few days in advance, or ordering meals from a meal prep company. Set a reminder on your phone to remind yourself to drink water if you’re not good about being on top of your water intake.

Also, remember to enjoy the process and still live life. Do not put yourself on house arrest, and feel like you can’t enjoy things with others. Food and alcohol doesn’t dictate everything, and you can still be social/ interact with others without having to partake. If you’re having a cheat meal, enjoy yourself, and do not feel guilty. Again, it’s important to have balance in your life. You don’t want to be so extremely restrictive that you become resentful of living a healthy lifestyle.

You can still live life and reach your goals. All is possible, and there are many coaches out there that can help you, as well as educate you to where you can not only achieve your physique and wellness goals, but you can also learn to possibly help others on their journey as well.

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