IT’S NOT ROCKET SURGERY….

A constant joke Hubs likes to tell for something that obviously isn’t super complicated, that we should already know and understand (like the phrase, “It’s not Rocket SCIENCE”) – and yet somehow we still manage to make a mess of things by making it more difficult than it needs to be (hence incorrectly phrasing it as “Rocket SURGERY”).

Are you making your health, nutrition, or weight loss more complicated than it needs to be?

I make posts/content for busy moms for that exact reason, WE’RE BUSY MOMS! We’ve got stuff to do. We’re constantly thinking about what needs to be done, who we’re doing it for, and how we’re going to make it all happen. So, why are we trying to over-complicate our health needs?

We’re being bombarded with information from every corner of our lives – social media, family, friends, work, community – and it’s easy to get caught up in the hype.

“If you mix cayenne pepper, lemon juice, honey, elderberry extract, ginger root, turmeric, vinegar, cinnamon, etc., etc., etc., it will blast the fat away!”

Well, I mean, maybe? Most of those items DO have compounds in them that CAN boost metabolic function. But I have yet to see a study where combining all those ingredients together into a shot glass and pounding it back every day has been proven to decrease fat mass in overweight or obese individuals.

But I HAVE seen studies where consistently eating proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables in recommended portions will decrease fat mass. I’ve also seen studies where regularly walking for 30-60 minutes per day will increase burning stored fat as fuel, and resistance training 3 days per week will increase lean muscle mass.

(And I understand these things aren’t going to work for every person, all the time, in exactly the same way! Unique and Individual, always!)

However, none of those things are new, sleek, sexy, or exciting.

Does it sound more exciting to eat an apple with almond butter and take a 15 minute walk during the afternoon, or to chug back a “fat-blast bomb” and do a “kick-starter, fat-melting, high-intensity 8 minute bootcamp”?

I know we’re all pressed for time. We have hectic schedules, and constant demands. It’s easy to get caught up in thinking the “fat-blast bomb” is going to help with your health goals faster than the apple. But sooner rather than later, the excitement and new-ness of the blast bomb is going to wear off. It’s not going to work like you thought it would. It’s going to take more time than it promised. Your schedule is going to become more demanding and the time it takes to “mix” the blast bomb is going to be more than you can manage. Or you might realize there is an unforeseen side effect you didn’t count on (the high-intensity bootcamp strained your back, or the blast bomb irritates your stomach).

What if instead you just committed to the BASICS?

Nutritious Eating – shooting for 70%-80% of the time.

Movement – going for 30 minutes of walking/cardio every day; resistance 3 times per week.

Drinking 70-100 oz of water per day.

Sleep – put your phone down 30 minutes before you go to sleep, and trying for 8 hours as many nights as possible.

Stress Management – finding ONE thing every day that relaxes you/calms you/makes you laugh.

Don’t worry about the fat-blast bomb. Don’t struggle your way through the high-intensity bootcamp if it’s not working with your schedule or fitting into your life. I’m not saying you should NEVER try these things!

I’m asking you to REALLY THINK about what you’re currently doing for your health, nutrition, and movement. Are you REGULARLY and CONSISTENTLY doing the BASICS of good nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management?

Please believe me when I say I get it. We’ve been gone four or five nights a week since basketball season started. Working. Getting through the holidays. Family visits. I KNOW your schedules are just as crammed as mine is, probably more, to be honest.

But my goal for this year is to go back to the BASICS.

To focus on what foods I’m eating (am I getting my protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and using healthy fats every day);

On my movement (am I getting at least 30 minutes of cardio daily and resistance exercises at least 3 days per week);

On my sleep (setting my phone down 30 minutes before bedtime and listening to sleep soundtracks);

And My stress management (journaling, prayer, devotionals, deep breathing and stretching).

Once I feel I have these basics firmly established, then I might experiment with a blast bomb or an intensive bootcamp to shake things up a little. But getting a solid grasp and consistently focused on my basics will ensure that no matter what else I do, those core components will be locked in, and my health will be on a steady course that is MUCH more difficult to derail.

If you’re interested in regrouping and focusing on your basics, too, I would love to give you this FREE PDF, that has food options, recipes, a sample meal plan (and a few other bonuses) to help you get started!