Life has this sneaky way of sneaking around and throwing curveballs left and right. Life will always happen. There will always be a busy day at work or family problems or relationship ups and downs or sick kids. Once conflict arises, it seems that health and exercise routines go haywire. We reach for comfort food or just don’t feel like moving. However, these are the things that help us stay clear and balanced in both body and mind! So what do we do when conflict hits us right in the face (and it happens to everyone, so if you’re reading this, you’re not alone)? Avoiding conflict is unreasonable because we can’t always control what comes our way. Figuring out how to navigate through any problem is what needs to happen to stay on track.

I think many times we approach health and fitness goals with an “all or nothing” mentality. For example, you may think your day is ruined because you went off track with an unhealthy meal or snack. Or, she decided not to train today because she couldn’t do the allotted 60 minutes that she had planned. Instead of doing something, you may have chosen nothing at all. You gave up on the second day of 30 days of clean eating. Do any of those sound familiar? It doesn’t have to be all or nothing and something is better than nothing. My tips below can give you perspective on how to reach your health and fitness goals, even when life throws your way.

My philosophy is food, movement, mentality. If we can work on nourishing our bodies, moving mindfully, and maintaining a healthy attitude, we can function a little better day by day, week by week, month by month, and eventually adopt the healthy habits on a regular basis that we need. achieve total body balance.

1. Nourish.

Focus on one small thing at a time. Start simple and work from there. Don’t expect to change your eating habits overnight. Small changes made day after day, week after week, etc., can lead to really big changes. So pick a small nurturing action and practice it for a week or two before adding a new change.

Examples: work on portion control (regardless of food quality), add a colorful item at each meal, take 15 minutes to prepare the next day’s healthy meal, or skip your sugary after-dinner snack ( trade it in for a healthy alternative). You can eat slowly and chew your food completely, or focus on balancing your meals so that you have protein, carbohydrates, and fat at each meal. Skipping processed foods for one or two meals a day is also another great option. These are just a few examples, but it’s up to you to figure out what small step you can take to improve your nutrition.

2. Movement.

Take advantage of the time you DO have. Make room in the little pockets of your time. We look at time so often that we don’t realize that a little is always better than none. For example, it’s so easy to think that you have to do a 30 minute to 1 hour workout. However, wouldn’t 15 minutes of that workout be better than nothing? The answer is yes! So squeeze what you can, when you can.

Be unconventional. Maybe you don’t have time to do a “workout”. Do what you can with what you have. Maybe you’ll take the stairs that day instead of the elevator. Park in the parking space farthest from the building (gasp!) for a few extra steps. Get up from your desk and take a minute walk every 15 to 20 minutes. Run in the playground with your children. Movement doesn’t always have to be in the form of a straight-forward 30-minute HIIT workout. You can be on the move and active, outside or inside. What are ways you could get a little more movement?

Move carefully. Pay close attention to your body and what it is trying to tell you. Your body and energy levels will fluctuate from day to day, so take advantage of more vigorous workouts when you can, and also add active recovery, lighter workouts, or even yoga or stretching when needed.

3. Mindset.

don’t give up Don’t throw in the towel on eating well and moving your body. It seems easy to take the “all or nothing” approach, but it’s not necessary. Something is always better than nothing. Don’t give up! Life goes up and down for everyone. Take a look at where you are right now and what you can make it work right now.

The most important thing is to honor where you are. Only you know what you are capable of at this point in your life. Make sure the small steps you take are 100% doable for you and your lifestyle. Small steps over time can add up to a big change.