Resist The Siren Song Of Treats This Summer With Crunch Flatbush
June 21st is the official start of summer, but we all know that the summer rhythm usually begins before that.
For you, maybe it’s after Memorial Day. Or the beginning of Summer Fridays at work. Or a vacation in early June. Or that first perfect weekend beach day.
Whenever it happens, it inevitably happens. Our lives slow down a little. The pace of things at work becomes slower. Kids are out of school. And (hopefully) we get to relax a little.
But while relaxing is great for blood pressure, it’s not necessarily great for keeping up focus on fitness goals. Summer can be hard. Yeah, the weather’s warmer and more conducive to outdoor exercise, but there are also tons of temptations, like what Bob Wells, Fitness Manager at Crunch Flatbush, calls “the siren song” of treat meccas, like those ubiquitous ice cream trucks.
Bob’s been really helpful in the past in giving tips for keeping one’s focus in times of seasonal transition, so we wanted to get his thoughts on how people can get through summer distractions like heat and, yes, ice cream trucks.
Here’s what he had to say:
Great preparation/planning is essential for sustained success. Nearly anyone can get “lucky” once or twice. However, without a great plan, sustained excellence is highly unlikely. For example, many of the people that we meet struggle with nutrition “plans.” They’re good until inevitable disruption happens, such as holiday parties, working late at work, or simply being too distracted or tired to “stay the course.”
For people looking for a great plan, we offer the kickoff as a way to meet with one of our amazing coaches and get straight on exactly how to reach one’s fitness goals and how to deal with inevitable obstacles.
Behold the power of the mind. One of my favorite quotes/ideas on this comes from John Berardi of Precision Nutrition: “Your mind is powerful. If you consistently visualize succeeding, surround yourself with images of success, and interpret all actions through a “success filter,” you will eventually succeed. Setbacks become “learning experiences” and “growth opportunities.” Failures become “life lessons.”
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Too often, we get caught up and overwhelmed by the long-term goal, but breaking it down into small, manageable steps/chunks builds momentum and belief in one’s efficacy. Take the first step, and focus on each small step after that. Leave it to a coach to manage the long-term picture.
Save it for a special occasion. When I coach clients on nutrition, their first and overriding fear is that I’m going to tell them to give up their favorite food or drink. NOPE! I coach them on saving the “indulgences” for a special occasion. Beer on a Tuesday (not Mardi Gras) is not a special occasion. Knowing that you can have treats on special occasions makes it easier to not give in to their siren song, or the song of the ice cream truck.
While you’re soaking up rays this summer, if you want to soak up more of Bob and his team’s fitness wisdom, check out the membership and personal training options at Crunch Flatbush.
Because summer starts…now.
This post was sponsored by Crunch Flatbush. If you would like to reach our readers, please contact us.