“When you take the focus off of the weight and focus on the habits, it's amazing how your body changes.”

–Krystal Taylor

Exercise is not a chore. So many of us look at exercise as a thing we have to do to transform our body or maybe to improve our health. But what if we switch that up? Krystal Taylor is a certified personal trainer who realized that the real transformations were about changes in energy and confidence.

That isn’t to say that you won’t see changes in your body, but things shift when you change your focus. And for people who are exercise-phobic, think about movement. There are lots of ways to move your body.

What do we do so that we can keep being active in our 70s and 80s (and beyond)? How can we really build an exercise habit?

We talk about: 

• Focusing on habits like water, sleep — but one at a time
• Creating a realistic plan that you can be consistent with instead of burning yourself out
• Not restricting yourself when it comes to food—especially carbs—and accepting foods are part of your plan (not a cheat food or cheat day)
• What an accountability partner can do for you
• Simple ways to add more movement to your day
• Being kind to yourself and focusing on the why not the how

ABOUT KRYSTAL

As a Certified Personal Trainer, Krystal Taylor has helped hundreds of people who are on their journey to a healthier lifestyle. She doesn’t believe in fad diets, but instead in adopting a healthier lifestyle. The change happens with your mindset first so that’s her focus.

As a former Adjunct Professor and Corporate Trainer, Krystal has always had the desire to educate people. While she enjoyed those jobs, she realized her passion was to help people get healthier and look better. So she decided to merge her training skills and love for fitness to be able to provide the best programs she could for her clients and gain specializations in Fitness Nutrition and Weight Management.

She offers virtual training programs (meal and exercise), unique fitness products (playing cards), and consultations.

LINKS

• www.fitnessisnotagame.com
• F* The Scale: Don't Let A Number Weigh You Down
• YouTube @FitnessIsNotaGame 
• Facebook  @FitnessIsNotaGame 

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Action is how change happens.

Often we feel like our actions have to be huge to match the bigness of our desires, but we have seen over and over and over again that the little things add up. By stacking up a series of Doable Changes, you will create that big change that you crave. Choose the one that really resonates with you this week and really make it part of your life. 

Here are Three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• MAKE A REALISTIC PLAN. When you get overly enthusiastic and decide to work out every day … you’re likely to burn out and quit. When you are realistic about how much you are ready to add in for your body and what you can fit into your schedule, you are more likely to succeed. Two times a week that you do consistently is better than five times a week you don’t do. Once you make the doable amount happen consistently, you may find ways to build in more if you want to.
• ADD A FEW MINUTES OF MOVEMENT. Start adding more movement to your day in micro increments. You could dance it out to your favorite song. Add push ups off the counter when you fill your water bottle. Walk the dog or work in your garden. You could pick one thing that you tie to something else, like the water bottle example, as a way to build the habit, or pick something new each day … dancing one day, a dog walk the next.
• FOCUS ON YOUR WHY. Knowing your why helps in two ways. First it can help motivate you when you don’t feel like following through on your plan. In addition, you can shift your mindset with your why. “I can’t eat pizza” is a lot different from “I feel bloated when I eat pizza too often.” “I’m going to exercise because want more energy” is different from “I have to work out to lose weight.”