Fundamentals
As you strive to workout regularly, you could think of your journey a little like a farmer tending to their crops. Your workouts are the “seeds” for your crops. Every repetition, set, exercise, workout is like a seed you plant. To become fit over time and “harvest” your seeds, you will need to also tend to your “soil.”
The fundamentals of the “soil” of your well-being can include:
- Nutrition
- Sleep
- Stress Management
- Support practitioners
The information on this page is intended to provide basic information and provide ideas to help you take care of your “soil.” It is not intended to diagnose, direct or replace advice from a suitably qualified health-care practitioner.
Please speak directly to your trainer or to your trusted health-care practitioner if you have any questions or concerns.
1. Nutrition
Nutrition is one of the most significant aspects of your well-being. In today’s world, it’s easy to be unsure and even mis-informed about eating to enhance your well-being.
At THRIVE, we have linked with Ann Jackson Nutrition as our Nutrition Coaching partner.
As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Functional Nutritionist, Ann has a passion for wellness through healthy eating.
A variety of coaching options and programs are available.
Contact Ann directly at 905-724-0670 / ann@annjacksonnutrition.com or visit annjacksonnutrition.com
2. Sleep
Creating optimal sleep architecture is a key recovery strategy. Here are some points to consider:
- You might consider using a variety of breathing or meditation protocols to help access your body’s relaxed state more easily at bedtime.
- Use your bedroom ONLY for sleep, intimacy and rest. Do not work in bed, eat in bed.
- Cut back on screen-time well before bedtime. If you have a TV in your bedroom, consider moving it out of the room. Screen brightness and radiant light energy have been known to disrupt sleep, making it harder to fall asleep.
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- Go to bed and wake up at more or less the same time every day. Having a consistent sleep “schedule” can be helpful in creating consistent sleep quantity and quality
- Do not consume caffeine or alcohol prior to bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol has been shown to also disrupt sleep quality, particularly making it hard to sleep more deeply and for the brain to fully rest. Alcohol also competes with progesterone for receptors in our brain. Progesterone contributes to optimal sleep quality.
- Consider your bed “set-up” – temperature control using the right blankets/covers is key. Choosing a pillow with adequate loft to suit your most common sleep posture/position is also helpful. Your mattress comfort and support should also not be overlooked, especially if your mattress is older.
- Humidity control in your bedroom may need to be adjusted, especially during winter when indoor heating tends to reduce humidity on most homes.
- Do not go to bed hungry. If you are hungry at bedtime, have a small protein-rich snack.
3. Stress
Everyone has stress in their lives. Different stimuli stress people differently. This a huge topic with many layers of information to it. Un-addressed stress affects us in numerous ways and can negatively impact physical, mental and emotional health.
Below is some basic information about stress.
Generally speaking, there are three sources of stress for most people:
- Intra-personal – this is most easily understood as the stress we place on ourselves. You may negatively self-talk, be prone to perfectionism, have been subjected to trauma that is unresolved years later, not fully grieved or healed after a significant loss in your life as a few examples. There can be many, many sources of intra-personal stress.
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- Inter-personal – this is basically stress in our relationships – at home, at work, with friends and acquaintances, neighbours or others. Lack of communication, unclear expectations, unresolved trauma, use of substances (e.g., alcohol, drugs), toxic environments, resentment, anger……the list of problems can go on and on.
- Environmental – everything from poor weather to excessive noise to cold, heat, humidity can contribute to making our environment stressful.
Generally speaking, there are also 3 ways to deal with stress:
- Directly – remove the stressor. Permanently. For example, if you work in a toxic environment, can you leave your job? This may create other stressors temporarily, but it might be necessary depending on the situation
- Indirectly – you may benefit from learning why you are stressed by certain factors or situations. Why do certain situations or people “trigger” your stress and anxiety? Indirectly dealing with stress usually involves learning better strategies to help us cope or resolve issues within ourselves. Changing our reaction or learning to deal more effectively with “triggers” can be involved in this approach.
- “Take A Break” – take time away from the stressor/situation to “reset” or give yourself space and time to de-stress. Vacations, a good book, a nap or a workout or walk/hike can sometimes go a long way to helping us reduce/manage stress.
There are many good resources to help us deal with stress and anxiety. You might also seek counselling/therapy from a qualified professional to help along your journey.
4. Support Practitioners
At Thrive, we have been able to connect with a wide variety of practitioners that can help you in your wellness journey in a variety of ways.
If you would like a suggestion for accessing other practitioners, please let us know.
We can suggest practitioners in the following disciplines:
- Holistic Nutrition
- Physiotherapy
- Massage Therapy
- Osteopathy
- Sports Medicine
- Chiropractic
