I’ve been working with women for the past 14 years now, and over that course of time you definitely notice patterns. The same issues come up, time and again, so what I want to do with this blog post, is to discuss the most common challenges I see that women face when it comes to keeping fit and healthy.
When you know you’re not alone, when you know everyone faces the same issues you do, it can help. It can help to know you’re not alone, to acknowledge the issue, but then to find a way around it. Finding a way around it is what my amazing clients do, I’m truly blessed to coach people like them. They have such a can do attitude and I love it. Their lives are no different to anyone else yet they’re consistent and they show up every week.
Figuring out your issues and finding a way around it, rather than dwelling it on it is the key to a healthy life. And when you’re healthy, you’ll live longer, you’ll fit well in your clothes and you’ll have great mental health.
Many women I speak to in the consultation phase either see massive barriers they can’t get past, or they’re great fits to our Tribe as they know they can and need to get past these challenges. That it’s a black and white approach. You get it done or you don’t. You do what needs to be done or you don’t.
Here are the top six challenges I see women face when it comes to their overall health:
1 . A Lack of Motivation
Many people think this is a big problem and I hear it all the time. Too many people let feelings get in the way of working out. I don’t think it would be normal to be motivated to workout. Why would you? I have rarely said’ Wuhoo, it’s time to get the trainers, on happy days!’ It’s about mind over matter, action over thoughts.
Enjoy the post workout feelings but ignore the pre-workout feelings. If you wait to be motivated to workout, you’ll be dead in the ground waiting. Get it done. It’s about your commitment to your health. Do you want to be healthy? COMMIT to working out. Do you want to be unhealthy? Wait to be motivated. If you’re busy, or find it tough to take action on exercise, I could not recommend enough the power of a coach. An absolute game changer if you struggle with motivation. They’ll have your back, motivate you and keep you on the straight and narrow.
2. A lack of time
Who doesn’t have a lack of time? You’re not alone on this. You either get around this issue to be healthy or you complain about no time. It’s really as simple as that. For a lot of women their 40’s and 50’s are particularly busy, so this is when you need to plan like a legend. Your workouts need to be planned down to the day and exact time or you won’t fit it in. Scheduling sessions in, working with a coach, doing 30 minute workouts can all help. Getting it done first thing in the morning. The benefits exercise will give you to actually becoming more productive are unreal. You’ll sleep better, perform better and feel really good. Make the time.
3. Sugar
Eating sugar during the week can lead to poor sleep, weight gain, a lack of structure and you feeling tired and sluggish. Having no structure to the treats brings so much pain. A lack of progress, your clothes feeling tight, feeling bad in yourself, eugh I have been there. I hate it, I know what it feels like, I really feel for you if you’re in that place. It’s horrible and you feel like you’re going around in circles. Get off the mid-week sugar.
4. Alcohol
Alcohol and health are on the opposite ends of the spectrum. There’s no point me even going into this as you know the story. It’s just so bad for you all the time. Keep it to the weekends and you during the week you’ll sleep well, feel good, be healthy and fit good in your clothes.
5. A lack of consistency
Progress is one of the biggest things humans need to feel to make them happy. When you’re not consistent, you never get anywhere. So on top of the frustration of a lack of progress, you’ll also feel unhappy with yourself for stopping and starting the whole time. It’s an absolute vicious cycle. What I always say to my clients is through the good and bad, through the bad cycles of food and good, workout. Let that be the number one consistent thing in your life.
6. Not prioritising yourself
Skipping a workout, or not doing something for yourself to make way for someone else is not good, and it’s something I see ALL THE TIME. Drop the guilty feelings. Workout, walk whatever it is you need to do for yourself to feel good, you absolutely have to prioritise it. You need to remember that focusing on your health is not selfish, it’s an absolute necessity to feeling good, to be around for others and to be the best version of you.
To your success,
Jessica Cooke
This is a great post! Thanks so much for sharing!