Do you feel exhausted? Try this. | NerdFitness

There’s a cycle that I see people get caught up in all the time – and it makes it extremely difficult to stay on track with training and nutrition.

Here’s how one of my clients, Josh, put it:

“Things become very difficult (work/home/etc.) > less time > not taking care of yourself (alone time, workouts, etc.) > lower mood > makes things even more difficult > makes self-care even less likely to happen > even lower mood > and so on.”

I know I can understand! 🙋‍♂️

Here’s what people often say in these situations: “I just need more motivation,” when they actually need more motivation. bandwidth.

This is where we call the Food Menu between.

What is a food menu?

A food menu is a list of things that help you feel restored – even just a little bit – physically, mentally or emotionally.

Think about activities like: reading, listening to music, taking a walk outside, talking to a friend, decluttering your desk, preparing a meal, stretching, etc.

The goal is to choose an action from the menu every day to restore some energy to your battery.

When you are stressed and exhausted, proactively practicing self-care helps create some momentum, consistency, and mental space.

I’ve seen that it makes a HUGE difference to the people I coach through different difficult times in life: becoming new parents, job transitions, relationship stress, etc.

We clear the calendar for a few weeks and focus ONLY on completing one self-care item each day. They look at their menu and choose the one that suits them that day.

Then, once they get their feet under them, we’re able to create more specific fitness routines that they can actually stick to without feeling like they’re drowning.

Obviously, a food menu doesn’t solve everything immediately, but it gives you a little respite.

And without that bandwidth, it’s like you’re trying to build a house (your fitness habits) while the foundation is on fire.

Four mistakes people make when taking care of themselves

As you create your own food menu, be sure to watch out for these common mistakes I see people making.

1) Having a list that is too narrow. I think this graphic says it perfectly:

Consistency depends on flexibility. Having more options at your disposal is a good thing!

2) Rely on “one-off” tactics.

For example, a massage is wonderful, but because it’s not something you have regular access to, it’s a wonderful bonus rather than a main menu item.

3) Confusing taking care of yourself with letting yourself slip away

Self-care is NOT about letting yourself go. It’s about taking care of yourself so you can stay in the game.

Of course, sometimes the right answer is to turn to Netflix and relax.

But more often than not, self-care LOOKS like doing the hard thing: going to bed early, doing a short workout, etc.

4) Viewing self-care as too “woo woo”

If you’re having trouble taking the idea of ​​self-care seriously, try thinking about it like this: system maintenance instead. 🤖

I choose you, Pikachu!

The new Pokémon game (Pokemon Legends: Z to A) is launched today. Being a huge Pokémon fan myself, it just so happens that one of my favorite the food menu variations fit in perfectly! My client Liz had the idea to theme her list after her favorite Pokémon. It made it fun, approachable, and a little less serious (which can be helpful when things are stressful!). For example, Snorlax represents sleeping more, Leafeon represents spending time outdoors, Machamp lifting weights, etc. 😃

Click to see more examples!

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Now I would love to hear from you!

• What are some ways you can proactively practice self-care (system maintenance) this week?
• What items are on your personal food menu?

You got this! 💪

-Mast

P..S. If you are looking for a coach who takes you into account as a whole, look no further! Now is the perfect time to see if ​Nerd Fitness Coaching​ is made for you, even if you can still benefit from our old rates. 😃