Measure Your Fitness with Wellness Milestones
Do you obsessively measure your fitness success by a number on the scale?
You’re not alone. For many people, their sole milestone is reaching a certain weight. Then when they do, they strive for the next new number on the scale.
But recognizing other wellness milestones could leave you feeling more fulfilled and successful with your fitness goals.
What Are Other Wellness Milestones?
While striving to reach a specific weight is a worthy goal, it can leave you feeling discouraged when the weight plateaus or doesn’t come off as quickly as you’d hoped.
So a good way to keep up morale is to pay attention to all of the other milestones you achieve so you can put them in the ‘victory’ column. Ask yourself the following:
1. How Dedicated Am I To My Workout?
Did you make it to the gym or your fitness classes as many times as you’d hoped this week? If so, give yourself a pat on the back! Even if the number on the scale doesn’t reflect that, be proud of the fact that you reached this important milestone.
And if you didn’t, or you’re losing momentum in this department, you can regain that dedication by connecting your workout with something greater than you. For example, maybe you dedicate your workout to a person you love or a cause that ignites passion in you.
2. Am I Drinking Enough Water?
This may not seem like a big deal. But for many newbies to the fitness realm, drinking water can feel like a serious chore. It’s crucial that you hydrate when you’re involved in a fitness program though.
Obviously, it’s not just about quenching your thirst. When you regularly drink water, you’re aiding digestion, normalizing blood pressure, cushioning your joints, transporting nutrients and oxygen to your cells, flushing bacteria from your bladder and protecting your organs and tissues.
So if you love your surgery soda and energy drinks, start slowly by swapping out water for some of these. Then work your way toward a reasonable (i.e. attainable) number of glasses of water per day. Over time, you’ll see that this wellness milestone is not that hard to achieve and you’ll want to celebrate it when you notice how great you feel.
3. How Is My Sleep?
Each time you go to sleep, your brain begins a journey – traveling repeatedly through two different types of sleep. There is non-REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep where the eyes demonstrate no movement behind the lids. And then there is REM sleep where rapid eye movement behind the lids indicates that the brain is more active.
At one time, scientists believed that REM was the most important sleep phase for learning and memory. More recent data suggests, however, that it is non-REM that’s crucial for these tasks. Non-REM is also considered the more restorative phase of sleep.
The deep sleep that occurs during non-REM sleep is important because this is when your body works to repair muscle, organs, and other cells. It’s also when immune system strengthening chemicals begin to circulate in your blood and the body works to regulate hormones.
In addition, research shows that a lack of deep sleep can alter the levels of leptin and ghrelin – the hormones that control hunger. This can impact how much you eat and lead to weight gain.
So if you’re getting enough sleep every night rather than burning the candle at both ends, it will benefit both your fitness routine and your overall well-being. And that’s a milestone worth noting.
4. Do I Resist Trying Something New?
As much as dedication to your workout is an important wellness milestone, so too is the willingness to switch out your workouts every so often.
For most of us, doing the same workouts everyday can get boring pretty quickly. And when you’re bored, it can be difficult to stay motivated and engaged.
So while you’re celebrating hitting the gym five days per week, consider swapping one of those days out next week for a Pilates class, a brisk walk in the woods, or a rock climbing adventure. Give it a try. It could just be that while you’re celebrating this milestone, you discover a whole new workout along the way too!
Let Us Motivate You
Whether you’re an avowed Pilates practitioner, or looking for something new with GYROTONIC® or GYROKINESIS® classes, contact us today to see how we can bring you to a whole new level with your fitness goals.
Our skilled instructors will assist you every step of the way as you continue to celebrate and add new wellness milestones.