30 Day Mediterranean Lifestyle Challenge
Sara is an adventurer and ASHA's Resource Manager for Multicultural Affairs. She recently completed an incredible climbing expedition in Ecuador and now she's planning to do a 200 mile team relay in Zion National Park. She blogs about her adventures on Accidental Adventures. I asked Sara to share her experience rallying support from family and friends.
Sara at a potluck with friends from her gym |
After two years, I still struggle sometimes, but what I hope
to provide here is some knowledge and insight as to how, through the ups and
downs, I stay on track in the big picture.
I lean heavily on my personal goals and good friends to maintain focus
and direction, and the two go hand in hand.
I make an effort to set goals that are a little bit scary, a
little bit beyond my comfort zone – if the idea gives me goosebumps, I’m
usually sold. If you’re about to make a
change in your lifestyle, I think having a goal, a reason for that change, is
wise and motivating. It can be your
source of inspiration. It doesn’t have
to be a goal of an insurmountable magnitude, it just has to be important to
you. To me, a goal should be specific,
measurable, and motivated by something of personal importance.
So, with goals in mind, good friends are often the
sustenance that keeps you going. As I
have made changes over the last two years, I’ve recruited the support of
friends and family, because let’s be real – no matter how committed I am to my
goals, that piece of apple pie/chocolate shake/donut looks realllllly good, and
I’m not infallible. Sometimes I need a
little bit of extra help! At first, I
was hesitant to seek that support and shared my efforts only with my best
friend. She had her reservations
initially – my dietary changes meant fewer pizza and ice cream nights for
us. You’re going to encounter this in
friends and family – hesitation, even resistance at times. Change is hard, but if you can coummunicate
the significance and importance of your goals and the changes needed to reach
them, you’re more likely to meet a positive response than resistance. “It always helps me to know your goals and
why they matter. As your best friend, I
want you to cheat sometimes because it would be fun to eat a bunch of ice
cream, but as your best friend, I want you to meet your goals more,”
was the summation provided recently. My
goals give direction and power to my commitment and progress, they do the same
for the commitment and support of my friends and family. Recruit the support of someone in your life
who can support you, someone who’s on your side when you lose sight of the
“why” you’re doing this, someone that can refocus your attention and efforts on
your goals. The responsibility is
ultimately yours, but it’s nice to know you have someone in your corner.
As I have made these transitions in the last two years, I
have also taken advantage of the friends and family in my life that embrace a
similar commitment to health and follow similar dietary and fitness patterns to
mine – dinners together, recipe swaps, words of wisdom and encouragement,
inspiration and motivation from their commitment and progress, and occasionally
the proverbial “kick in the butt” when I need a less-gentle reminder to stay
focused. These people probably exist in
your life too, so don’t be afraid to tap that resource – people are generally
enthused about sharing their experiences and providing support!
A few friend-related tips I have found helpful:
- Share
your goals – recruit support from friends and family by communicating to
them the significance in what you’re doing, why it’s important to you, and
what they can do to help. Be
specific in identifying why this change is important and a few things that
you might find helpful – “I’m really committed to eating healthy right now
because I want to be able to start running two times a week by April 1,”
and “Let’s get lunch at the Mediterranean CafĂ© next week instead of
XXX. It’s a lot easier for me to
make healthy choices there, so it would be really helpful.”
- Don’t
hide from your social circle while you take on these changes - invite
friends for dinner at your place and make a delicious and healthy
meal! Recipes abound on the
internet and friends are often enthused about positive changes – you’ll
recruit more support and might even inspire someone else to make a
healthful change! Not interested in
cooking? Meet out for dinner! Scope out the menu first so you’re well
prepared and know what your options are.
- Swap
recipes - find someone making the same lifestyle changes you are and swap
recipes and tips. New ideas ensure
variety and keep the entire experience fun – which makes it a ton easier
in my opinion to make this a true lifestyle shift, not just a challenge in
the short-term!
- Encourage
someone else - with such a great program launching, many people will be
embracing healthy changes.
Providing support and encouragement to others and showing
enthusiasm for the efforts of a friend reminds me of my commitment to my
goals. It keeps me inspired.
- Celebrate your progress – if your goal is to run three miles, celebrate with friends as you progress. Identify milestones – running without stopping, running a mile, running two miles. Celebrate your commitment, your efforts, and your progress with friends and family who are committed to your success!
Find a goal, find a friend, and get excited about the great
changes you’re about to make in your life!
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