Small Changes, Big Results

It’s that time of year when we think about all the changes we want to make for a better life. So often, these changes are so big that they often feel overwhelming. But, what if we look at things a little differently? Instead of starting off with big changes, what if we started off with small changes that produced big results? To help you ease into this process, we’ve put together a list of 9 small changes to incorporate into your daily life that will provide big results over time!

1. Dairy-free Milk Alternatives

Remember we’re talking about small changes, not major life changes here. Simply switching your primary milk to a dairy-free version can help with improving your gut health, reducing daily calories, and increasing your protein intake. There are so many ways you can incorporate the change without even noticing the difference, particularly in recipes as an ingredient. So, if you like to drink a glass of milk, keep that as dairy milk and use a dairy-free milk alternative in recipes and other less obvious options (ie cereal, creamer, etc). You can learn more about dairy-free milk alternatives with our dedicated blog here.

2. Meatless Monday

Now, we’re not talking about switching to a full-on vegetarian or vegan diet. We’re suggesting eating a meat-free diet one day a week. We always recommend eating a variety of proteins because you get important nutrients from each type. Meatless proteins such as beans, lentils, tofu, edamame, and hemp seeds are another way to increase your nutrient variation. The benefits of reducing (not eliminating) your meat consumption by one day a week can help save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and introduce you to other sources of protein and nutrition, which also potentially reduces the incidence of chronic and preventable diseases such as diabetes. Meatless Mondays can be turned into a great way to expand your healthy recipe collection and get creative with your current favorite recipes. EatingWell has a great collection of Meatless Monday recipes here.

3. Eat Healthier Snacks and Desserts

You know we aren’t about eliminating all the “good” stuff from your diet – that never works. It’s about not overindulging and finding alternative ways to have “the good stuff.” Check out some healthier snacks and desserts that will satisfy without the guilt, particularly our Peanut Butter Ball recipe.

4. Use a Meal Prep Delivery Subscription

Control your portions, spend time in the kitchen, and take the stress out of meal planning by finding a meal prep delivery subscription that meets your needs. Buyersguide.org updated their Best Meal Delivery Services – 2022 Buyer’s Guide in January 2022. When choosing a meal subscription service, consider YOUR priorities. Are you looking for convenience, portion control, variety of meals calorie control, macro blend, or all of these things? Our programs with Fit Farm at Rock Springs teach our guests how to have a healthy relationship with food and fitness. Combine what you learn from one of our retreats with the convenience of meal subscriptions for a sustainable, life-changing approach.

5. Use the 10-minute Challenge

Feeling hungry, but it’s not “that time” of the day? Well, STOP, DISTRACT and RE-EVALUATE. That’s the 10-minute challenge!

Step 1. First, STOP going to the kitchen to grab a snack.
Step 2. DISTRACT yourself with something you LOVE to do for 10 minutes.
Step 3. Now RE-EVALUATE your hunger pains. To be honest, at this point, you likely will have forgotten that you were hungry before the distraction. But if you are still hungry, find yourself a healthy snack to tide you over until your next meal. You may also need to re-evaluate your daily calorie intake to make sure you’re nurturing your body the right way. But that’s a whole other blog for another time.

Things to remember about the 10-minute challenge – The distractions you can do at home are different than what you can do at work or when out and about. We recommend having a list of distractions that are appropriate for different settings.

6. Full-body Workouts

Finding time in your schedule for a workout can be one of the top excuses to skip one. After all, we’re all busy! We’ve found that finding efficient ways to work out is the key to getting it done within our busy lives. Full-body workouts that include strength conditioning and increasing your heart rate are a good approach. At Fit Farm at Rock Springs, we teach our guests the art of building workouts that work in their everyday lives. Here’s an easy-to-follow workout below that you can do at home using only a set of weights. Be sure to follow us on social media for more!

30 Minute Tabata
Follow this format for each round: 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest, Alternate between exercises, Repeat continuously for 4 minutes, Rest 1 minute

• • Round 1 – High Knees, Jumping Jacks
  • Round 2 – Burpees, Superman
  • Round 3 – Push-ups, Calf Raises
  • Round 4 – Crunches, Glute Bridges
  • Round 5 – Biceps Curls, Tricep Extensions
  • Round 6 – Squats, Bicycles

7. Build Accountability Into Your Routine

You hear this everywhere, “Have an accountability partner who keeps you honest about how you are doing along the way.” Well, finding someone who can provide the tough love needed as an accountability partner can be challenging. The recent trend of tech tools (FitBit App) and social media/online challenges is a new and inventive way for accountability. Try looking into online challenges for a 5K, step challenges, or Fitbit Adventures. This new trend might just be what you need to keep you on track.

8. Practice Mindful Meditation and a Mental Reset Every Day

Taking the time for a mental reset allows you to get back to the business of your everyday life. If you don’t already meditate, find a time that works best for you and start small with a 3-5 minute reset. Allow yourself to build up more meditation time as you need it. Meditation apps are an excellent source for learning the process of peaceful meditation. We recommend checking out InsightTimer.

9. Fill Your Love Tank – 5 Love Languages

Author Gary Chapman introduced the concept of 5 love languages back in 1992 with his book, The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. The book is focused on improving the relationship with your partner by knowing each other’s love language. Over the years, the author has added more books specifically for men, teenagers, children, the military, the Alzheimer’s journey, and more. The concept remains the same; knowing how you give and receive love combined with knowing how others give and receive love allows you to better understand the intention behind actions so you can receive love and fill that love tank. Here at the farm, we teach and practice the 5 Love Language concepts as part of a guest’s wellness journey. Read the book, take the quiz and work within your sphere of influence to improve your relationships by learning more about this powerful message through our supplemental blog, What’s Your Love Language?

Follow this blog series to learn about the small changes you can make with food, exercise, and mental health that add up to big results by subscribing to our newsletter. If you’re looking to get a jumpstart on your 2022 goals, get in touch with our team about how Fit Farm at Rock Springs can help you turn small changes into sustainable, life-changing results!