NAVIGATING HEALTH AND SUSTAINABLE HABITS IN 2024

Happy New Year! I have been thinking a lot lately on what I wanted to prioritize better for this new year. With that also means getting rid of things that no longer serve me purpose in this chapter of my life or no longer provide me happiness and pure joy. I love the new year energy with people wanting to better themselves. I don't see the glass half empty and complain when gyms are more crowded come January. I find it so beautiful to see so many newbies being vulnerable and setting foot into a new environment to expand and grow and crush whatever goals they set out for themselves for the new year.

I recently had a conversation with my husband on habits as he just finished reading 'The Power of Habit'. He was telling me that a habit consists of a cue or trigger, a routine or behavior, and a reward. A habit should start small so that it doesn't overwhelm you. You should be able to identify the cues or better yet recognize triggers that prompt the habit. It could be a specific time, emotion, or situation.

The next step is establishing a routine that is simple and achievable by developing a consistent behavior associated with the cue that creates accountability. By sharing your goal with others or making a dream board and hanging it somewhere you and others see it every single morning and night to stay accountable. You should be able to celebrate progress by acknowledging and rewarding yourself when you achieve milestones. This reinforces positive behavior. This next step is HUGE! So many people are extremely hard on themselves and think pains are gains. Sure you shouldn't be a wimp but you should be able to adjust as needed. BE FLEXIBLE! If a habit isn't working, modify it mama. Make it better suit your lifestyle and preferences so it sticks rather than torturing yourself, what is the fun in that?

Lastly is probably the hardest for me, being patient. Habits take time to form. Being patient and persistent, understanding that changes won't happen overnight is the key takeaway from this. Read that again if needed, because I just did too. The key to sustaining new habits is gradual integration and persistence in maintaining positive behaviors.

So after going over all that why the heck do we cheat the system and try all these fads? After having Sophie and wanting to regain my strength and reown my body again, my husband and I decided to jump on the hard 75 trend (2 workouts/day, strict diet, no alcohol, etc.). Who would volunteer themselves up for this the weekend of July 4th, having a 3 month old baby, 3 year old toddler, and about to go back to work. I'm sure you can guess how this went. We didn't last long. We survived only 48 LONG days! There was so many positives we took from it. I was loving the way my body was feeling and looking. I had such a clear head every single morning. My hormones were starting to regulate post baby. I craved working out every morning and looked forward to my night time yoga and mediation after we put the kids to sleep.

I told myself during these 48 days, I don't think I want to take another sip of alcohol ever again or eat processed food! Well then why the hell did I do the exact opposite of that as soon as I stopped? Because hard75 doesn't create habits that stick. This began to stress me the freak out. I had a new human who depended on me for everything including her source of food, along with going back to work and pumping while there, running a household, cooking homemade hearty and healthy meals, caring for my toddler, making time for my husband, and giving my dog a daily frisby run.

I didn't start small, in fact I did the complete opposite and tried to change every thing all at once. Which made creating long lasting habits impossible. I wasn't able to celebrate the progress because we were not eating any sugar or drinking any alcohol. I am a true foodie at heart. I wanted to reward myself with a celebratory meal out versus home-made meals, but that wouldn't work in our structured plan. I didn't adjust as needed. I was not flexible and this didn't work with my busy lifestyle with littles.

So this year I want to focus on 80/20 lifestyle in everything I do. I am a firm believer that restrictions only result in binging. Binging in food, alcohol, bad energy, etc is not the vibe for me in 2024. I have a beautiful family and business that deserve me fully. No more putting crap into my body to the point I feel ill the next day, resulting in a domino effect of the lazy version I want to say goodbye to. I believe in grounding and knowing when to listen to your body, but lazy/hungover/food coma/belly aches/energy drained is not that! Gosh, I love New Years energy and the love to never stop growing and evolving! Who's ready to join me in 2024 to embark on sustainable lifestyle changes for long-lasting well-being?

XoXo,

Your Esti Bestie Whitney