5 Tips for a Strong Body and Mind in 2022

Happy New Year to everyone! 2022 has certainly been off to a tumultuous start. At SmartMoves we have felt the full brunt of the omicron variant but are now all healthy and ready to start up again for our 3rd year at Dulwich Hill!

Everyone has no doubt had some free time to think about the year ahead, whether that be holidays or in isolation. The custom of setting New Years resolutions/goals is one of which a lot of people partake. However, a study found that 54% of people had dropped off by 1st July and 25% had dropped off by the end of January.

Below are 5 tips to help you achieve you achieve your goals and obtain the best physical and mental health that you can in 2022!

1)      Create more time for yourself

We all live busy lives and at times it feels as though we never have enough time to do the things that make us happy and healthy. Everyone has the same 24 hours to work with so how do we “create more time”.

 Simple. Get up earlier.

This may seem horrible at first but, like any habit, it becomes easier if you persist. An hour for yourself, before you think about things like work, kids and the general stresses of life, is the perfect time to attack your goals with less distractions and more purpose and focus.

From an exercise point of view, upon waking your body produces a cortisol hit of which you can use to supercharge your morning workout.

“But won’t I be tired all day?” Maybe a little bit to start, but it will get easier pretty quickly as your body adjust and your mind begins to welcome the idea of getting out of bed early.

 There is a lot made of the importance of sleep, and yes, it is very important. It just means that you will need to get to bed earlier! Studies have shown that getting to bed early and waking early will improve the quality of your sleep. This means that you will wake up more alert and have better energy levels during the course of the day.

2)      Do I need to be on my phone?

If I was to live to 85 and averaged 3 hours and 15 minutes a day on my phone (seems like a lot but its actually the average) I would have spent 7 years on my phone. I’d probably sleep for 1/3 of the time so it’s more likely around 10 years that I’d spend looking at my phone!

There are important things that need to be done on your phone but try and get into the habit of thinking “Do I really need to be on my phone now?” and you’ll probably realise how much time is wasted by mindless scrolling.

Phone use upon waking is unnatural, your brain needs to slowly reboot after a nights sleep. By stimulating it with work emails, Instagram posts or chat groups we set up a trend of distraction and stress that you will most likely carry through the day. If you can replace even 10 minutes of phone use with 10 minutes of exercise, you will see immediate changes in energy levels and focus.

Similarly, if you can cut out screen time at least an hour before bed the quality of your sleep will be so much better.

3)      Routine is everything

Health and fitness goals require persistence and consistency, the Australian Government guidelines are as follows:

Adults should be active most days, preferably every day. Each week, adults should do either:

• 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity – such as a brisk walk, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming

• 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity – such as jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, soccer or netball

• an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activities.

If you’re training for a sport or event, or have weight loss or muscle gain goals, you will likely need to more.

If you do something at the same time everyday it becomes a habit. You’re brain actually starts to crave it.

If you say “I’ll do it later” chances are that “later” will never come. The morning is the best time because you can rid yourself of commitments and distraction and focus solely on you.

4)    Make actionable, smaller daily goals that are part of a big goal.

Big goals are great and its great to push yourself but people will often be put off by the magnitude of a task. I have recently read “Will” by Will Smith and he tells story of how his father made him build a brick wall as a 9 year old. He viewed it as a lesson and was quoted as saying.

“You don't try to build a wall.

You don't set out to build a wall.

You say 'I'm gonna lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid

,' and you do that every single day

and soon you have a wall”

5)      Involve family and friends

Everything is more enjoyable with others, including health and well being.

Friends and family can be used in the following ways:

·         Training buddies

·         Track, share and compare results and data. Strava is a great app that you can use to share your progress with friends al other the world at a variety of different types of exercise such as walking, running, cycling and swimming.

·         Mentor – if you know someone who has achieved what you want to achieve, ask them how they got there. It’s likely they’re not just naturally gifted but have started at the same level you are at now.

·         Encouragement – making friends and family aware of your goals is a great way to help with compliance. Support from the people closest to you is crucial.