Greetings 4am Fitness Crew.

Spring is back! And she is exuberantly greeting us with her bounty of colors and fragrances, and vibes.   Delicious spring flavors to reacquaint the tastebuds eagerly beckons us to her seasonal delights: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, baby artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, and fava beans flavored with mint and parsley are just a few of the treats that await. Yummy!

Our favorite walking, running and biking paths welcome us back with the chorus of birds, treats of wild blackberries and a mesmerizing kaleidoscopic display of flora and fauna. A production that only spring could pull off with such effortless artistry. With such piety. Aww Springtime!

While spring is fleeting (I guess that is why she is so coveted), she is never in a hurry … patiently waiting for us to embrace her renewal and experience her rebirth.  A rebirth and renewal that re-steadies the hope that winter battered.

1.  Enjoy Sunrises Regularly

Stillness.  Acceptance. Our Sanctuary of Serenity. Dawn graciously allows that fleeting emancipation of the soul.

Our 4am Fitness Crew members know how rhapsodic we are about the primacy of experiencing sunrises regularly. We bike, hike, run, drive, swim, even catch a flight – if that is what it takes to experience a “perfect” sunrise.

Frigid temperatures … no problem. Swelting heat … no problem. We embrace that moment, that staccato, utopic moment that seems almost alien to time – but concomitantly necessary to time. This is when time is finely balanced - even before it functionally begins. This is where the emotional blocks of our day are quietly and intentionally laid. Let there be light.

Unlock your benefits

a. Better Quality Sleep

• If you commit to celebrating sunrises regularly, you will most likely be (also) committed to experiencing a quality night’s rest. Other than the spiritual, emotional - and the undistilled beauty of dawn, a good night’s sleep also has some really exciting health benefits. 1 (Source: Get Enough Sleep MyHealthFinder|health.gov)

• Get sick less often

• Stay at a healthy weight

• Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease 

• Reduce stress and improve your mood

• Think more clearly and do better in school and at work

• Get along better with people

• Make good decisions and avoid injuries — for example, drowsy drivers cause thousands of car accidents every year

b.    Better Quality “Me” Time

Whether you call it “me time,” meditation, prayer, or your Sanctuary of Serenity, this is your space. This is your time. Prioritize you. This might be the only time of the day you can hear your voice unfiltered. This is not you the husband, this is not you the wife, this is not you the parent, this is not you the boss. This is just you. Emotionally naked and not anxious or ashamed. Embrace this moment. 

No phone. No social media. The morning paper can wait. You care deeply for your partner and your kids – but you cannot share this space. You cannot authentically affirm others if you have not first affirmed you. This is the time to hear your voice, and your voice only. In this tranquil space you can sort you out, you can confront you, you can forgive you. You can uplift you. Go ahead, embrace all of you.

c.    Better Quality Exercise Time

Transparency time: This was what really inspired me to embrace the 4am fitness hour initially; I did not want to rush my fitness routine or squeeze it into my busy day. At the onset it was not about a holistic approach to wellness – because I made little effort to get quality sleep or set aside that sacred “me” time. But thankfully I evolved (i.e., listened to my wife and mother) – and now my early morning exercise space is not merely less hurried but also infused with calmness and joy.  I very often extend my “me” time into my exercise space. A blast!

d.    Unhurried Breakfast

Making that super healthy breakfast from scratch takes time. And you really do not want to rush that delicious green-blueberry smoothie and avocado toast.

Healthy eating is not just essential to fueling your exercise regimen, but also the energy you will need for a productive and creative day.

e.    More Energy throughout the day

This is where it all positively amasses. Energy! You have been up since 4am – that is twelve hours ago – but you are still filled with all the protracted perks that the 4am wellness space has gifted you. 

 2.   Eat Joyfully

I am so very tired of the food debates - maybe quoting the holy book will bring some perspective back? I can envision some of you are rolling your eyes: “really, the same holy book used to justify slavery and genocides and bigotries?” well, holy books have always been misquoted, misinterpreted, and misapplied. Ok … Can we just focus on nuance here?  The table at which we break bread should be a sacred space where joy and laughter, solace and support, reconciliation, and forgiveness flow as freely as tasty food and wine. A place of gladness! A place of acceptance.

 12,000 years ago, humankind FINALLY achieved the luxury of sitting down and enjoying a meal – after abandoning our nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle (anyone misses those days?). Why are we spoiling this moment (that modern agriculture has afforded us) with whose diet is better arguments. This foodie war between the raw foodist and the vegans, the vegetarians, and the flexitarians, the pescatarians and the Mediterraneans (diet) … STOP!!!

We can all eat clean and healthy and yes, joyously in whatever space we are in, or getting into, or transitioning out of nutritionally. The clean, unclean dichotomy employed in these useless and vexing foodie arguments are often burdened with ethnocentric, regional, and even personal biases that are seldom evidence based.

Bottom line is, you can enjoy your curry chicken, I can enjoy my curry tofu and cousin Kyle can enjoy both of our dishes – both clean, healthy, and nutritious. All with a “… joyful heart.”

3.  Live Embracingly (of your community)

At our 4am Fitness Crew, community is one of our wellness pillars. We believe how we interact with our communities reflects our wellbeing. Are we kind? Are we patient? Are we respectful? Are we gracious? Are we welcoming?

Yes, our communities are complex, diverse, and changing rapidly, but if we open our hearts and are generous with our time and our resources, we can be bridge builders for beautiful spaces:

Volunteer

• At a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

• At your local homeless shelter.

• At your local food bank or soup kitchen.

• At a senior care facility.

• At a local soup kitchen to deliver meals to seniors.

• At an immigrant resettlement center.

• For community clean ups and other environmental initiatives.

• At a local animal shelter.

• Add your Volunteering here.

 Donate

• Money to a local charity.

• Food items to your local food bank.

• Clothing items to your local non-profit thrift store.

• Your time to coach a community-based sports team.

• Your time to mentor or tutor.

• Add where you Donate here.

 Advocate

• Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) 

• Affordable housing

• Local Businesses

• Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability

• Add your Advocacy here

Building a Better World Begins by Building Your Community.

4.  Exercise Cheerfully

Humans, listen up. Whether it is the food we eat, the relationships (that) we are in, or our exercise and recreational activities – if it does not bring us joy and satisfaction – it is not sustainable – and it most certainly does not serve your wellbeing.

You do not have to run across the country or ride your bicycle across several continents or finish your 90th marathon on your 90th birthday to have a fulfilling exercise lifestyle. Those impressive people did what worked for them and the cause they were promoting. Similarly, you do you.

The 80/20 Rule

This is your “Get Out Of Jail Card” if you are not a gym rat or exercise enthusiast. Or you might just be burnt-out and want to explore something new.

The 80/20 rule states, 80% of healthy weight-loss or healthy weight maintenance comes from diet and 20% comes from exercise. I really do not know if those figures are evidence based, but nutrition certainly carries way more weight than exercise– no pun intended. If you want to peruse nerd-land on this topic – check out this exciting piece from NIH 2 (PMID: 28825615).

So …

• Walk with a friend. Walk the dog. Walk alone. Enjoy.

• Yoga

• Zumba  

• Hike

• Rock Climbing. I recommend indoors with a rope around your waist.

• Running behind your kids and grandkids. Now that is a fun workout

• Martial Arts

• A standing desk

• Gardening

• Join a Rec League

• Sign up to play tennis, ping pong, basketball, or pickle ball at your local community center.

• Add your fun activity to this list 

It is spring, step outside, soak up that vitamin D, elevate your heart rate, build muscle, burn calories, and do not forget to give an encouraging wave to your neighbor who is training for his fifth marathon in five years. That neighbor might just be me.

5.    Laugh Heartily 

What if there was a very effective medical “prescription” that has the potential to enhance your health and wellbeing? What if it was absolutely free and had zero side effects? The “Laughter Prescription” is here! 3 (The Laughter Prescription – PMC)

• Laughter releases stress.

• Laughter improves heart function.

• Laughter relieves pain.

• Laughter boosts our immune system.

• Laughter relaxes our body and our mind.

• Laughter boosts your health and wellbeing

Suggestion: Surround yourself with friends, family and colleagues who uplift and value humor. 

Ensure your music, movies, books, and social media are flavored with laughter.

6.    Budget Prudently  

Not taking care of our physical bodies affects our health and well-being. Similarly, not being attentive to our finances affects our health and well-being. But many argue correctly that it is not that simple. While financial literacy and discipline do contribute to better financial outcomes and stability, the unknown – those areas in which you have little control can be a constant source of stress. In fact, for 90% of us it is, according to a CNBC survey. 4 (90% of Americans say money impacts their stress level, according to survey, cnbc).

This study clearly confirms that money is our top source of stress – more than politics, family, and work. From when to get married (28%), to having kids (28%) to purchasing a house (51%), financial stress is “very” or “extremely” significant. Even in activities that are supposed to reduce stress – daily leisure activities (36%) and making social plans (32%) financial stress is very impactful.

Tips to Improve Your Financial Wellness

My mantra in the financial wellness space is control to the maximum what you can. A lot of the macro-economic stuff is out of our control – but we can take significant actions in our personal financial space to boost our financial wellness and therefore positively impact our health and wellbeing.

-       Create a budget

There are a lot of online tools and apps that can help you create an accurate budget. A budget is a very basic view of your income and expenditure. Live within the realities of your present income and expenditure and not what you anticipate “tomorrow.”

-       Have a discipline Savings and Investment Strategy

Many banks, credit unions, financial institutions, even your employer offer free financial advice relating to savings, investments, and financial literacy. Take advantage of these facilities. Your barbershop is a really fun place – but please, not for financial planning, literacy, and investments.

-       Get a Financial Mentor

A financial mentor is a trustworthy individual who has successfully navigated the financial space towards financial stability. This person will offer you sound and levelheaded advice. Not “flip” this here and “flip” that there nonsense. Sound, stable and steady will be your mentor’s astute guidance.

-       Be on the Same Page

If you are in a serious and long-term relationship you MUST be on the same page financially. A relationship is not just romance but also a business arrangement. Like any well-run business, couples should plan budgets, monitor spending, have financial goals - like purchasing a home or a second home and a comfortable retirement. These discussions should be regularly scheduled, transparent, grounded in reality, and respectful.

7.  Cheat (Gastronomically)

I am a serial cheater. I cheat most Saturdays (“Sinful Saturdays”) and most Sundays (“Sin Some More Sundays”). And yes, Jennifer always joins me on my (unrepentant) cheating escapades.

I really do not feel guilty about my gastronomic cheating because eating healthy has become a way of life for me. I am pretty confident that one serving of Trader Joe’s Vegan Chocolate Ice cream on Saturday night or a serving of pizza from my favorite joint on Sunday will not sabotage my health and wellbeing.

I used to view my cheat days as reward days. That anticipation of a cheat-treat day served as a very strong motivation. I exercised consistently; I did not deviate from my healthy eating plan. It worked. But my buck wild cheat days oftentimes left me feeling physically exhausted and emotionally out of it. Left me with a food hangover.

My five days of clean eating body did not react kindly to my weekend overindulgence of excess salts, sugars, fats, and ultra processed and fried foods. My body’s rebellion was swift and painful: stomach pains, bloating, headaches, lethargy, emotionally exhausted. This is not what I signed up for. I had to rethink my buck wild cheat days.

My cheat day regimen is now simply another day of healthy eating. I still enjoy my chocolate ice cream on Saturday nights - one cup – as opposed to wiping out the whole carton in a sugar driven frenzy. I now look forward to my “cheat days” with relaxed anticipation, hanging out with friends, trying new restaurants, and feeling happy and pain-free the morning after. If our cheat days undermine our health and wellbeing, they are not cheat days but destructive days. The bottom line? You should always eat a healthy and balance diet, even on “cheat day.”

 Cheat Day Hacks: Pick your Cheat Meal; breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

• The Apple Hack: Eat one apple before heading out to eat with friends. Apples are high in fiber and promotes a feeling of fullness – and therefore can decrease calorie intake.

• The Water Hack: Sip on a glass of water before the meal. Water is a proven way to create a sense of fullness and reduce your appetite.

• The Salad Hack: After you have finished drinking your water, order a big colorful, low calorie, fiber packing, digestion boosting, detoxifying vegetable salad. Do not sabotage with unhealthy salad dressing.

• The Portion Hack: Go for small. Go for one serving. Eat slowly.

Concluding Thoughts

The beauty of contentment is, it is achievable, it is accessible - it is not chasing rainbows. Yes, it takes mindfulness, it takes intentionality and discipline, it takes introspection and sacrifice, - it might even take reshuffling your social circle – but contentment and the happiness it brings is not asking for too much.

Now we are prepared and open for the possibilities that spring offers. We are equipped to boost our health and wellbeing for spring and beyond. Enter this season of renewal and rebirth with expectancy. Reclaim. Reset. Affirm. Boldly affirm!

Your best life awaits.

Helpful Resources

1.    Spring Recipes

• Fresh Tastes Of Spring (USDA SNAP-Ed Connection)

• Seasonal Recipes ((USDA my plate.gov Seasonal Recipes

2.    Financial Tools

• My Money Five (MyMoney.gov)

• Free Financial Planning Tools (Investor.gov)

3.    Cheat Day Resource

• The Skinny on Cheat Days (Northwestern Medicine)

4.    Motivational Sunrise Quotations

• The Best Sunrise Quotes to Inspire Your Wellness Journey

Ready to start your wellness journey?

Visit our Wellness Coaching page to learn more and schedule your consultation today!