Men….. I live with one, I raised one, I am the only girl in the family with my brothers, and I work with a lot of men. I have personal trained men of all ages and abilities. In some ways, more and more, men struggle with the same issues that women do when it comes to their wellness. Body image concerns, food addiction, depression, lack of physical activity and exercise. But men also have their own unique challenges. Although as time goes on and society evolves and it is more the norm for men and women to have equal and similar roles in their family, many men still feel the pressure to always be strong and stoic, to be the protector and provider for their tribe. Because of this, some men have trouble asking for help and seeking out coaching for weight management or nutritional counseling.
It is also less likely to see men in many fitness classes that are offered, although that is changing more and more with a wider variety of classes being offered. Many men are moving toward practices such as yoga or attending group trainings for high intensity workouts. Chefs such as Rocco Dispirito http://www.roccodispirito.com/ (“Eat This, Not That,” and “The Pound a Day Diet,”) and Chef Jeff http://www.familystylewithchefjeff.com/ (Family Style), help to bring men’s healthy cooking to the forefront. Programs like the Engine 2 Challenge, created by an Austin Firefighter, Rip Esselstyne are becoming increasingly popular among men. http://engine2diet.com/
Recently I surveyed men about what some of the barriers were that they were facing to reaching their wellness goals. Money and support are common factors, but predominately what most men stated that had a moderate to extreme impact as a barrier was time. I think everyone can relate to that, from the most fit and health-conscious person, to someone who battles to get out of bed each day. Time can be a huge obstacle for many people.
Here are some tips on how to overcome the time barrier:
• We all have the same amount of time, what we do with it is where we vary. As Franklin Covey said, “Schedule your priorities, don’t prioritize your schedule.” Put your workouts and food prep time on your calendar. Make it a priority.
• Seek out help. Having a support system, whether it is a coach or trainer, a gym partner, your spouse, helps to create a sense of obligation and commitment.
• Do it early in the morning. Even 20 minutes in the morning gets your day started right and if you don’t get to the gym later for a full workout, you have at least gotten some exercise in. US News and World Report published benefits to exercising in the morning. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/09/23/6-benefits-to-being-a-morning-exerciser
• Don’t take weekends off from wellness. Make sure at least one of the weekend days is a training day whether you run, go to the gym, practice yoga, or pop in a Jane Fonda video… I won’t tell!
• Also prep food on the weekend. If you work Monday-Friday to prep food for the week so it’s easy to grab for lunch or to make full meals. I bake chicken breasts, boil eggs, prepare steel cut oats, healthy tuna or chicken salad and make sure we are stocked on mixed greens and grab-and-go fruits and vegetables each Sunday (and if I have big plans on Sunday, I do it on Saturday). It makes the rest of my week much easier and although I cook some dinners from scratch, it’s nice to be able to grab some already prepared food, like chicken breasts, to make a 10 minute stir fry for dinner.
Liz Jones is the Wellness Coordinator for the City of Mesquite and a wellness professional in Rockwall, Mesquite, Wylie and surrounding areas. She is a writer, certified yoga instructor, personal trainer and wellness coach. She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Strategic Management, with a graduate certificate in Ethics and Leadership. Her undergraduate studies included communication, business, writing, art, fitness, and dance. Liz Jones can be reached at: [email protected].
