Gain One, Lose One - Habit One
This month at Coachman we’ve began implementing “Gain One, Lose One”. Meaning, pick one good habit you want to work on gaining over the course of the month and pick one back habit you want to lose. So, in the spirit of this, I’ve decided to start offering nutritional tips that have become habits of mine over the past few years. Yes, years. Not all of these things became habits at the same time, same month or in some cases not even in the same year. Habits take time to form. Also, keep in mind that each tip is something I have found works great for me. I’ll explain why I made it a habit and the benefits behind it, but just because its been a good thing for me doesn’t mean its going to have the same effect for you!
Try them out and then keep the habits that work, but drop the ones that don’t!
The first tip I want to share is my most recently developed habit and the one I do first, everyday. The very first thing I do is fill my water bottle and add lemon juice to it. I drink the entire water bottle before I eat or drink anything else every morning. Why? Because it helps alkalize my body. Why is that important? Because our body’s PH is balanced when its alkalized and when it is balanced our entire system functions better. Here is a great article that will clearly explain the importance of keeping your PH balanced here:
If you’re like me, the thought of a cold glass of water in the morning is the last thing you want first thing. Try to use warm or hot water instead. Warming it up a touch will help trick your brain into thinking you're reaching for a hot mug of coffee, as well. It will help the habit stick if it feels like something you already do anyway.
Another reason to grab the water before going straight for coffee, is so you can start your day out hydrating your entire body.
Think about it, we go almost all night without hydrating. Simply because we’re sleeping. Then many of us get up, go to the bathroom, drink a few cups of coffee and go to the bathroom a few more times before we ever take a sip of water. Ever wonder why you're sleepy by 10am and have a slight headache? You’re probably slightly dehydrated. You wouldn’t start a road trip by putting oil in the gas tank! The same idea applies to your body! Give it what it needs in the beginning of your day, so it can run properly all day.
There are a couple more habits I have developed that involve my morning beverages. However, for the sake of simplicity and to not be overwhelming right out of the gate, I’ll give you one more. Since you’re now drinking water first thing in the morning, try to also stretch the amount of time you’re awake before you pour that first cup of coffee. The goal would be to get to 90 minutes of being awake before your first cup of coffee. However, baby steps are okay! Start with 15 minutes, then go for 30. Little by little make your way to 90. Why? Because this allows you to wake up naturally. It teaches your body to wake itself up instead of depending on a substance to get the job done. Why does that matter? It helps prevent the mid morning or mid afternoon crashes. Allowing your body to wake up on its own, as painful as that might be at first, helps your body sort out the cycle of the day. Believe it or not it also promotes better sleep at night! More details are discussed in this intense podcast about sleep on the Joe Rogan Experience. (Warning Joe Rogan has no filter!)
So lets make this simple:
1. Wake up, poor a glass of water.
2. Pour a little lemon juice (or fresh squeeze a lemon) in your water.
3. Warm it up if that helps.
4. Chug it down!
The time it takes for a habit to form is different for everybody! So stick with it! One morning you’ll wake up and follow all 4 steps without even thinking about it!
