Is your environment looking after you?

Usually, you read about people needing to care for the environment rather than the other way around.  But in this case, I don't mean the environment as in the ozone layer and the ocean, rather the environment you live in and the people around you - your home, work, school, friends, family members, colleagues and so on.

When we are trying to get fit, lose weight, put on some lean muscle, or reach almost any goal related to our health and wellbeing our environment plays a huge role.  What you surround yourself with really matters.  Let's start with the people around you.  You may have heard motivational gurus say that you are the sum total of the five people you spend the most time with.  I am not sure that is entirely true, but who you hang around with does have an impact on your health and fitness.

Are the people you hang out with most always hitting the gym, choosing healthy places to eat when you all go out to dinner, getting to bed at a reasonable hour, do you feel comfortable to tell them that you don't want that extra glass of wine as you have to train in the morning? 

Or are they nudging you to go on, just eat that last slice of pizza even though you already said no a half dozen times, do they want to stay out all night and sleep the hangover off the whole next day?  Do you feel uncomfortable ordering a salad in front of them at a restaurant?  

These things make a difference over the long term as to whether you will make choices that will help your health in the long term or whether you will frequently find it hard to choose what is best for you rather than following the herd and making a less healthy choice.

Don't get me wrong, having the odd blowout is nothing to stress about.  Every now and then it's fine to get the fried chicken.  Aiming for perfection in our nutrition and exercise regime is a recipe for disaster, especially if we are self-critical if we miss the mark (which most of us invariably will).  It is the trend over time that you need to be aware of.  Are the people around you helping you reach your goals or are they making it harder?  

Your physical environment plays a big part too.  Are there plenty of unhealthy snacks in the house and always within easy reach?  Or is your single solitary packet of biscuits on the top shelf in the back of the pantry where you need a step stool to get to it? 

If it is convenient to get to foods that are less healthy we will eat them more often.  It is as simple as that.  In fact, if you need to get in your car and drive to the supermarket before you can eat those chocolates you are unlikely to make the trip compared to them being on the shelf right in front of you when you stare absent-mindedly into the cupboard looking for your after-dinner sugar fix.

Set yourself up for success by making healthy snacks easier to reach, and making less healthy foods either harder to reach/access or absent from your kitchen altogether.  If the things aren't in the house it is easier to avoid eating them.

If you would like to chat about other ways to make your environment work for you then get in touch with me through my website and let's talk.