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Be the Best Version of Yourself in 52 Days

What are Healthy Habits?

What is your biggest challenge around the holidays with your eating & exercise? As human beings, we all have some sort of challenge around this time of year. What’s more continually frustrating is that we can have so much knowledge about this and still not always be able to change our behavior.  If you are overwhelmed with all the diets and options then read on to learn about how you can have the best version of yourself.

a woman holding healthy habits fansign

Healthy Habits to Lose Weight


  • Have a plan- and tell someone about it

  • You have to have a plan ahead of time and tell someone about it. Let's say you're going to an event, you can say to yourself:  “All right I know this is going to be a challenge. I am going to come up with a plan so that I can enjoy the event in congruence with what I want with what is going to make me feel good in the long term.”  

  •  Eat well (veggies and protein) prior to the event and have a snack before you go

  • Eat well throughout the day prior to the event with lots of veggies and protein.


  • Bring a healthy dish to a potluck

  • If you are going to a potluck,  perhaps you can bring something that's special that you really like but is also in line with your eating goals. 

    What is an accountability partner?

  • Have an accountability partner

  • Having an accountability partner is a great help. It can be your kids which is really an interesting new thing you can say: 
    “All right I'm gonna go to this party and I am going to have a small serving of two different desserts. I know that ahead of time, I don't have to think about it once I get there and I can do that successfully.”
  • Take a smart snack with you

  • There might be a type of protein bar that you really enjoy that has a little more sugar than what you might have on a daily basis. Throw it in your purse in case you’re feeling really kind of neglected or sad so you can have something good to eat.

  • Have a STRATEGIC splurge 

  • Have a strategic splurge at the event and think about what you want to have. Once 
    you've made that decision and then sit down and enjoy it.

    fruits vegetables and stethoscope

    How to get fit without going to the gym?

    Keep moving

    • Maybe you don’t make it to the gym but anything is better than nothing.
    • You can take a 15-minute walk (with or without a dog).
    • You can do a 10-minute yoga class.
    • You can lift some weights in between meetings. You can stretch while watching TV or hanging out with kids.

    It's hard to get to the gym but you don't have to go to the gym. Anything is better than nothing. A 15-minute walk with or without your dog is okay. The rule is to get up and move for three minutes every 30 minutes. A lot of us sit at the computer all day so even something as simple as getting up and moving around every hour or so can be a challenge.  If you have a smartwatch, it'll beep and remind you to do this. There are so many options on Youtube or anywhere else for a quick yoga class or have dumbbells next to you or in every room of the house so if you have 10 minutes between meetings you can throw in a little workout here and there.  

    If this is something you're interested in, you can contact Denel because she has a bunch of videos along those lines. Stretch while you're watching tv or hanging out with the kids because honestly, the kids need this too whether they're two years old or whether they're 16, they need it too.


    Self Care Strategies

  • Drink Water, Stay hydrated
  • Strategically splurge on alcohol or alcoholic drinks
  • Manage stress
  • Good sleep 
  • Relax, Breathe
  •  

    Drink water all the time and stay hydrated throughout the day. When you need or decide that you want to have an alcoholic drink or a sugary drink, once again STRATEGICALLY splurge so decide ahead of time. There's no guilt about it, you don't have to feel bad later you made that decision, it's part of your plan so enjoy it.

    a woman sleeping

    These are really important things we need to address. Good sleep is absolutely vital to long-term health.

    Take the time to calm down and tell our sympathetic nervous system like “okay we don't need to be in fight or flight all day every day 24 hours, we need to take some time out”. That could mean different things for different people. But you have to come up with a way that works for you to address.

    Take some time to relax and do some breathing. Meditation is amazing. But if you are more like Denel,  who can’t be still longer than five minutes, you can choose something that's two or three minutes, and do it a few times throughout the day.  


    The people that Denel feels need the most of her help are the people who might be intimidated or struggling to stick to a diet plan. People who are feeling uncomfortable in their clothes with low self-esteem and people who’ve already given up on diets and exercise.  She’s been working on forming a group of imperfect people with complicated and busy lives. They’re trying to form some healthy habits that are going to help them out in the long term. 

    Develop and Support These Healthy Habits Now and in 2022

    best body in 52 program banner
    With upbeat best Body Countdown 

    Denel is working on a program now for people on the same kind of path. 

    These are just some more quick details about the program:

    • It’s a guided 52-day journey resulting in total wellness – both inside and out.
    • This program starts January 18th and registration is open now.
    • The 52-day program is 100% virtual.

    The program was designed with Denel who is an exercise physiologist. She has a master's degree in this field and has been working with clients for almost 30 years. Together with her colleague who is a Registered Dietitian, has a degree and a year of internship.

    There’s a discount for anyone that you refer and eventually, it'll be a bump up to a more sophisticated plan. Denel would love to help out anyone that needs help on these challenges. If you need help with the sugar, that's a part of the programs that she does. 

    The 52-day program is 100% virtual. However, there would be two or three in-person meetings for local people depending on how Covid is going and how people feel about it. Last fall they had a lot of fun with the program, meeting at parks with people who are really comfortable being outside together. We do some in-person but it's not required.


    ABOUT DENEL BINGEL

    Denel Bingel feature friday image

    I'm Denel Bingel, and I make fitness fun and accessible for people who may not think that that is possible.  In my other life, I teach exercise science at a local college. So I spend a lot of time teaching my students how to create exercise programs for clients. Specific exercise programs for specific people. When I work with my clients I find a lot of times that they're missing some real basics of exercise science so I thought I would share some of those with you. 

    I have a master's degree in this and I've been doing it for 30 years. I try to stick with the science and watch all the fads go on by me and pick the good things out. I love the peloton, I use it two or three times a week. I think it's a great tool.


    Get to know Denel Bingel  more! https://relaxteams.com/products/denel-bingel-personal-trainer-group-exercise-instructor


    Recommended Readings: 

  • Basics of Exercise Science: Making Fitness Fun and Accessible For All
  • The Secrets To A Happy and Graceful Aging
  • Continuous Learning During the Pandemic
  • Learn About Functional Health Coaching
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