Page 18 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - October 2017 - 24-10
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Page 18 Senior Times - October 2017
THE SIMPLE HABIT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
By: Troy Huggett, M.S.
Sandy started her fat loss journey with
56 pounds to lose, though when you see her now you’d never believe that she was once overweight. Today the lean and attractive mother of two walks confidently with a spring in her step and a smile on her face.
Given her amazing transformation, it’s easy to see why she’s so confident and happy.
But back when Sandy first came to me, she was fed up and constantly stressing about her weight. She was sick and tired of feeling unattractive, embarrassed and discouraged. None of the diets or exercise plans that she tried ever worked. Sandy felt hopeless about ever regaining the attractive body that she once had.
As I got to know Sandy, she told me about the way her body changed after her pregnancies, how the weight continued to add up over the years, and how each pound rendered her more frustrated and hopeless.
We came up with a simple plan, the first step towards regaining a body that she felt excited about again.
The simple habit that started it all...
Aristotle taught us that, “You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” His words aptly apply to fitness.
For Sandy, dropping 56 pounds was not the result of an act, but of a habit.
The simple habit that she adopted was to place her gym clothes on her nightstand before going to sleep each night. That’s it.
Every morning the first thing that she would see was the tidy stack of clean gym
clothes. So her first act of the day was to put them on.
Naturally, now that her gym clothes were on, Sandy would then go directly to her workout. By starting her day in such a positive, fitness-oriented way, Sandy was then able to continue making healthy choices throughout the day, ending it by putting the next day’s gym clothes on her nightstand before bed.
Did she have any hiccups along the way? Certainly. There were days that would
start out great, but then she’d get off track sometime after lunch. Discouraging as
the occasional setback was, she kept on putting her gym clothes out each night. By starting her day out with such a
positive fitness experience, Sandy was able to make a habit out of fitness. As a result she lost 56 pounds and regained her confidence and sunny disposition.
What about you? What habit could you adopt that would keep you on track with your fitness goal?
It shouldn’t be complicated. Maybe you will start putting your gym clothes out each night, like Sandy. Maybe you will make the recipe included for Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken each week to pack with some veggies in mini meals to eat throughout your day.
Pick one simple, fitness habit and add it to your daily routine. Don’t wait – start a new habit today!
Eating small meals every few hours consisting of protein and veggies is the most reliable way that I know of to drop body fat and maintain a steady flow of energy throughout the day. It’s pretty darn tasty too, when you make the meals yourself!
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
Ingredients for four servings
• 2 1⁄2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts • 1 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sweet paprika • 1 teaspoon minced garlic • 2 bay leaves
Instructions
1. Rinse the chicken breast and pat dry. Season with the salt and pepper on all sides.
2. In a slow cooker, whisk chicken broth, tomato paste, paprika, and garlic. Add seasoned chicken breast and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high for three hours, flipping chicken after one hour.
3. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let cool. Strain broth. Use two forks
to gently shred chicken, discarding skin, fat, cartilage, and bones. Store the chicken and broth separately in the fridge to use for up to four days.
Combine one serving of slow cooker pulled chicken (approx. 200 calories) with a handful of vegetables, greens of some kind, and drizzle with your favorite balsamic dressing and you’re good to
go. It’s as simple as that to make a quick, get-lean meal.
Having healthfully prepared protein on hand for on-the-go meals is a MUST when it comes to packing healthy meals to eat throughout your day.
If you need help coming up with the right new habit reach out to Troy at (269) 967-6300 or by email at troysfitnesspros@hotmail.com.
Timing counts when it comes to your social security benefit
Social Security can be one of your most valuable retirement assets. The decision of when you start taking your benefit impacts how much you’ll receive.
Call or visit today, and learn how your decision impacts your overall retirement income strategy.
Final decisions about Social Security filing strategies always rest with you and should always be based on your specific needs and health considerations. For more information, visit the Social Security Administration website at www.socialsecurity.gov.
Brent D Fast, AAMS®
Financial Advisor
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