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The quick answer to this post's title question:
DAMN RIGHT WE ARE!!
We're complicating it.
We're overthinking it.
We're overanalyzing it.
We're stressing ourselves in our efforts.
Back in 2016, my certification organization, CSEP (Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology) released the 24-hour movement guidelines for Canadians. Since that time, several other countries around the world AND even the WHO (World Health Organization) has followed suit.
CSEP breaks down the recommended focus for Canadian adults (18-64yrs old) as follows within a 24hr period:
Physical Activity: Performing a variety of types and intensities of physical activity which includes...
-Moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, such that there is an accumulation of at least 150min per week
-Muscle strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice per week
-Several hours of light physical activities, including standing
Sleep:
-Getting 7 to 9 hours of good quality sleep on a regular basis, with consistent bed and wake up times
Sedentary Behaviour: Limiting sedentary time to 8hrs or less, which includes...
-No more than 3 hours of recreational screen time
-Breaking up long periods of sitting as often as possible
How are we doing with that?
In recent article from Waterloo University, featuring Zach Weston (CSEP's CEO), it's mentioned that for those who meet two of the three, of the 24hr-movement guidelines show improvement in 60% of the health indicators!
Those health indicators include;
-Obesity
-Blood pressure
-Blood sugars
Think about that; By meeting not even all three guidelines, we can show that much improvement in these markers. Good deal. So how are we doing with that as Canadians?
Quick answer: AWFUL. 🫣
According to Zach Weston, only 7% of Canadians meet all three guidelines... Pardon? 😮
The guidelines are not asking for much as minimums here.
If this isn't a case for changing our approach to our health and health practices, I really don't know what is!
Revisiting my initial points
1) We're complicating it. There's two elements at play here;
First - We don't trust or listen to the amazing human body, and therefore we don't let nature do it's thing.
Second - Because of the previous point and lack of understanding of nature and our physiology, we do way more than we need to (which only complicates our daily lives more). 🙄
2) We're overthinking it. Our mind is amazing at story-telling. We conjure up the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to "getting healthier" and taking action. Because of this, we often don't start OR by the time we do, we already are stressed out with the whole thing to the point that has no hope of being a lasting practice.
In addition to that, if/when we do get going, we are never satisfied with what we're doing because we listen to everyone and everything else about what they're doing or what we "should" be doing, forgetting where we are right now in our health and abilities. 🙁
3) We're overanalyzing it. This goes hand in hand with the previous point; We're never present in whatever practice we're doing because we're constantly searching for something "better". In health, MORE is often NOT better. It's finding YOUR balance. Too often, we get going into a routine, practice or new habit and we (for some reason) keep searching for something new (podcasts, YouTube, social media, the person at the gym...) yet we've only just started our current efforts a week ago!
Inevitably the overthinking combined with overanalyzing leads to LESS patience and MORE confusion about how we can help ourselves. This in turn leads to LESS confidence and trust in ourselves. 🙁
4) We're stressing ourselves in our efforts. The above approaches to our health and wellbeing only causes us to end up here; In a place where MOST people are lost, confused and feeling like a "failure" when it comes to taking care of their own health. I spend much of my time coaching, trying to help people see what they ARE doing positively for their health and help them see how simplicity and consistency promotes health benefits and less stress attached to their health practices (meaning they're more likely to do it for the long haul).
Zach Weston's article and our current statistics in Canada show us that we need to give our heads a shake and wake up to the reality: The way we've been trying to approach our health and wellbeing IS NOT working for us. Clearly.
The shakeup I feel we need is focusing on the habits and practices that surround these aspects of our health routines. For example, if we talk about physical activity - rather than stressing about the activity directly, focus on the elements that LEAD YOU TO doing the chosen activity more, such as:
-Connecting with friends to set up a tennis game, round of golf or to go for a hike
-Getting your shoes, clothes, bag etc ready to go and in plain view the day BEFORE your chosen activity
-Planning your week in advance and blocking off your activity time in your calendar to avoid conflicts / reasons not to do it
... to name a few.
These SMALL actions are PROACTIVE. They SET YOU UP TO TAKE ACTION. I challenge you to shift your mindset to this mode for a month or two and pay attention to how it alters your stress levels surrounding your activity, sleep or sedentary time. Use your environment and your time SURROUNDING your health practice to make the practice itself that much more DO-ABLE for you. While you work on this, DON'T stress about your intensity, time etc DURING your chosen health practice. JUST DO IT. The rest will fall into place later, I promise (and much more smoothly I might add).
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If you're struggling to find that flow or to ease the stress in your health practices, this is where a health and wellness coach can help!
If you are tired of feeling lost, confused or like you're failing in your health, this is where a health and wellness coach can help!
If you want to feel GOOD about positively impacting your health instead of beating yourself up every day, this is where a health and wellness coach can help!
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