PNF Fit Tip of the Week – Turn It Up One Degree More

Over the years working with clients, we’ve since that many people have an “all or nothing” mindset when it comes to fitness and nutrition. Meaning, they are all in and anything short or perfection is failure. But this isn’t the way sustainable success is achieved when it comes to fitness and nutrition.

Sure, there will be periods where you do better and times when you fall off a little. But when you fall off or slide back some the way to get back on track is turn up your focus one degree at a time. This also works if you are just starting a fitness and nutrition plan, instead of making a dramatic lifestyle change only change one or two things at a time and then over time those will all add up.

So why do we keep mentioning turning it up one degree? Well, you see water boils at 212 degrees, but at 211 degrees is just hot. That one degree is the difference maker.

With fitness and nutrition this one degree will be different for each person. For some who are not exercising regularly it will be committing to two or three workouts per week and for others it will be changing bigger things. The one degree depends on the person.

Here are a few ways to turn up that one degree.

• Commit to a regular workout routine if you don’t already have one.
• Set a workout goal for the year. Maybe 156 workouts for the year vs. every day for a month.
• Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
• Improve your sleep environment.
• Cut cheats back slightly.
• Focus more on recovery.
• Add 10-15 minutes of Yoga twice per week, as an active recovery workout. Try the app YOGA for this – it’s free and has a bunch of 10-20 minutes Yoga routines which are perfect for this.
• Start walking for 20 minutes each day.
• Add supplementation through fish oil, a multi-vitamin, vitamin D, a recovery shake, greens, turmeric, or a probiotic.
• Cut out sugar.
• Drink half your bodyweight in water each day.
• Eat 3 servings of veggies each day, or most days.

It really doesn’t matter what your one degree is, it just doesn’t have to be five different things all at once. Add one degree, master it and then add another degree. Overtime the degrees add up to a massive change while slowly moving you forward as each is added.

Need help getting in to fitness program? Our 6-Week Personal Training Kickstart is designed for people over 40 who are looking to back into shape. Learn more here.