Healthy Living in Recovery: How to Make Better Choices and Save Money Doing It

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Money is tight when you’re in recovery. Not only does addiction do a number on your finances,
but once you’re clean, you also have to pay for rehab and start rebuilding your life from the
ground up. So, when everyone talks about the importance of getting healthy in recovery, it’s
easy to think, “With what money, exactly?”

 

The truth is, telling yourself you can’t afford to fix your health is just another excuse to avoid fully
committing to recovery. If you’re going to succeed in sobriety, you need to take complete
ownership of your body and your choices. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to heal your body
and mind without blowing your entire budget.

 

The Healing Power of Exercise

Exercise doesn’t just give you something to do during the times you’d otherwise be using.
Exercise also adds structure to your day, relieves stress and depression, and heals damage to
your heart health, immune system, and physical fitness inflicted by addiction.

 

That’s all well and good, but what if you can’t afford an expensive monthly gym membership?
Good gyms aren’t cheap, and on top of membership fees, you have to buy workout clothes, gym
shoes, a gym bag, and other gear just to get started.

 

Instead, skip the gym and use the money you’d spend on monthly dues to buy home workout
gear. You’ll ultimately spend less and have a more accessible place to work out. Gadgets like
activity trackers and smart scales keep you accountable to your fitness goals, while inexpensive
equipment like free weights and running shoes get you started with aerobic and strength
training. When you’re ready to upgrade your home gym, search for coupons and promo codes
to score discounts on full-priced gear. With a Best Buy promo code, you can save money on
exercise equipment like stationary bikes, adjustable kettlebells, resistance bands, and more.

Nutrition’s Role in Addiction Recovery

Healthy eating is not a priority when you’re using. People in active addiction skip meals; choose
cheap, empty calories over nutritious foods; and develop nutrient absorption issues due to the
damaging effects of drug and alcohol abuse on the gut.

 
Poor eating habits perpetuate the cycle of addiction by disrupting your brain chemistry. This
leads to irritability, anxiety, depression, and other emotional triggers that drive you to use. To
conquer cravings and restore health to your body and mind, you need to eat a diet rich in
complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

 
It’s a common misconception that healthy eating is unaffordable. It can be expensive, especially
if you shop at the most expensive stores or eat out instead of cooking at home. But preparing
healthy meals at home is cheap and easy when you develop a basic meal plan and use coupon
apps to save money at the grocery store. Cut your grocery costs more by eating meatless meals
a few times per week, learning how to cook cheaper cuts of meat, buying in-season produce,
and shopping in the bulk section for grains, nuts, and beans.

 

Managing Stress Without Substances

 

Good news: Eating well and exercising don’t just improve your physical health — they boost
your mental wellness too. However, that’s not all you need to do to break your habit of reaching
for drugs and alcohol in times of stress. Good stress management habits are key to avoiding a
relapse when things start to get tough.

 
Yoga classes and massages are a lovely way to unwind, but you have plenty of other options if
those activities aren’t in your budget. Reading, meditating, and journaling are three ways to
unwind that cost nothing at all. If you find solace in spending time outdoors, splurge a little on
hiking boots or gardening tools, shopping last season’s stock to help save money. Hiking and
gardening are among the best stress-reducing activities thanks to the therapeutic effects of
nature, and after the initial investment, they’re practically free.

 
Ultimately, living a healthy lifestyle is one of the most budget-friendly things you can do. Not
only do healthy habits increase your chance of succeeding in recovery — which means less
money lost to drugs and alcohol — but they also counteract the expensive health issues caused

by prolonged substance abuse. Instead of viewing health and fitness costs as just another
expense, see them for what they really are: an investment in yourself.

 

 

Jennifer McGregor

 

Rick Adams Health

want

How to Approach Your Goals: Want vs Wish

/0 Comments/in , , /by

People come to me with goals they hope to accomplish to improve their lives. Their attitudes towards how they will accomplish their goals often gives me a good idea if they will succeed. Some of these people truly want to achieve their goals, while others only wish for them. Let’s look at the difference between wanting and wishing your goals. One often leads to success while the other often does not.

 

Early last year I was invited onto a podcast to discuss New Year’s resolutions and if they were a useful tool to reach health goals. I explained that a New Year’s resolution can be a good time to improve on health goals because It takes place after holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s when people are more stressed, traveling, and usually eating more sweets. The biggest barrier to having a successful New Year’s resolution is how people approach their goal. They treat their goal only as a wish.

 

Far too often people treat their resolutions as a wish, like they discovered a genie and would be granted a wish. There is usually little to no planning on how to actually achieve their goal, just the outcome the desire. When you only wish for your goals, they are very likely to never come true. When you actually WANT your goal, you will be willing to plan, seek out help, and work hard to achieve your goals. If you really want to achieve something that will better your life you will go through hard times to get it.

 

A recent example I can give is my goal to improve my public speaking ability. It would open up doors to improve my career, so I decided to make it a priority and professional goal of mine. I began by researching and asking around about where I could improve on my public speaking skills. I learned there was a local Toastmaster’s chapter where I live. It is a group that meets, gives speeches in front of other members, and you receive feedback on how to improve your public speaking. I attended a few meetings and realized it would be a great tool to help me achieve my goal. Though I may not always feel like going because I may be nervous to speak in front of more experienced members, I know that it will help me achieve my overall goal of becoming a better public speaker. Sometimes to accomplish our goals we have to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations that we know will help us.

What can you do?

If you have a goal for yourself, whether it be health related or otherwise, consider what you need to do to achieve that goal. It may require studying, practicing, or joining a group. You do not want to have a goal with no way to accomplish it. Then your goal becomes just a wish, and unless you have a genie, that wish is most likely not going to come true. Think deeply about how you can achieve your goals and then act on it. WANT your goals, do not only wish for them.

 

 

Rick-Adams-Signature

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

 

 

Want to work with and learn more nutrition, exercise, and how to improve your health? Contact Rick to set up a free consultation now

3 Types of People That Work With A Personal Trainer

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Consulting and using a Personal Trainer can be a great way to help meet health and fitness goals. A Personal Trainer helps people exercise and improve their health and can assist you in a gym, outdoors, or even meet you at your home for a workout. There are many reasons that someone may hire a Personal Trainer. Let’s go over a few types of people that would work with a Personal Trainer.

 

  • Are you brand new to exercise or the gym?

Walking into a gym can be intimidating when you do not know how to use the equipment. There are machines, free weights, and bands that all have specific uses. Each exercise should be performed with proper posture and technique to work the intended muscles and to reduce the risk of injury. A Personal Trainer can teach you how to use all of these types of exercise equipment with safe and proper technique.

 

  • Do you struggle with motivation?

To reach your health goals it is important to stay consistent with your healthy habits. This means you have to keep yourself motivated long term to stay consistent with your physical activity. For certain people this can be difficult. Starting and stopping your exercise routine will only lead to plateaued results in the long run. Working with a Personal Trainer can help you maintain accountability and motivation in the long term, which will help you reach your goals.

 

  • Do you find your exercise routine boring and your routine stale?

Maybe you do exercise consistently but you find the same exercise routine dull after months or years. Working with a Personal Trainer can bring ideas to help keep your exercise routine new and interesting. Maybe you are used to using machines and doing body weight exercises but have never tried exercise bands, free weights, plyometrics, TRX, etc. A Personal Trainer can open up new ways for you to exercise that you may have never tried before.

 

 

There are many reasons why you would work with a Personal Trainer. If you are currently searching for a Personal Trainer try to find one that makes you feel comfortable, is open to help you reach your health goals, and provides the best service possible. A Personal Trainer can be a great tool to assist you in losing weight, build muscle strength, or help maintain strength into older age.

 

Contact Rick Adams Health Coaching for Personal Training to meet your health needs.

 

 

Rick-Adams-Signature

CHES, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Started

No Wrong Way to Get Started

/0 Comments/in , , /by

We all have our own unique motivations for living a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to exercise, there are many ways people become active, like sports or training with a friend. There is no wrong way to get started being physically active. I had a fairly unique beginning which grew to much more over time.

 

As a young child, I played sports like baseball and hockey; I never saw that as exercise, and I never trained outside of those sports. I quit playing sports while I was still young and remained inactive for several years. I put on weight and was quite out of shape. (The required one mile run in gym class soon became my nemesis) What lead to my return to being physically active was actually more accidental than intentional.

 

I was recently asked what inspired me to make exercise a priority in my own life. Honestly, I could not remember how I started being active on a regular basis, but after a day of dwelling on that question, the answer came back to me. In eighth grade, I was a huge sports fan and would watch ESPN as much as I could, especially in the morning before school. ESPN was channel 25, and ESPN 2 was channel 27. I would flip back and forth between the two channels to watch as much sports coverage as possible. As I flipped between ESPN and ESPN 2, I would often see a flash of a bright, beautiful beach that caught my attention. It was channel 26, and I eventually decided to stop and see exactly what it was.

 

Channel 26 was Lifetime, “Television for Women.” It was Denise Austin’s morning workout show. Whether I stopped for the beautiful beach or the pretty woman, I can’t really seem to remember. I watched it in little bits during ESPN commercials and I began to say to myself, “I can do this.” So I did. I started slowly doing body weight exercises in my bedroom before school. This was the beginning of my regular exercise routine. To this day, some of my favorite core exercises are ones I learned from her shows. After following along in my room for a few episodes, I started to feel stronger and began to look more toned. Probably not how most teenage boys start a regular exercise regimen.

 

So why share this funny tidbit about my life with you? There is a very important lesson to be learned from this story. As I stated, the beginning of my regular exercise routine was different than many other teenage boys my age. That is exactly the point of this story. There is not a wrong way to get started with your exercise routine as long as it is done safely. Whatever type of exercise you start with is OK, there are so many types of exercise and ways to get started. Whatever way you decide to start can lead to more success down the line. You just have to get started.

 

Rick-Adams-Signature

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Health Coach

[Video] What is a Health Coach?

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Here is a quick video I made about What a Health Coach does and how they work with someone to help improve their health.

 

Rick-Adams-Signature

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

resolutions podcast

Rick Adams Health Coach on the Evansville Podcast

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Enjoy my segment on the Evansville Podcast from January 2017 where we talk about New Years resolutions and important tips to improve your health.

Evansville Podcast

 

resolution

3 Ways to Set Yourself up for New Year’s Resolution Success!

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Here we are at the end of the year. Looking back on the past year, we reflect on what we have achieved and what we hope to accomplish in the New Year ahead of us. People think about what their New Year’s resolution should be. Some people consider it seriously, and others somewhat jokingly say what they would like to accomplish. While many resolutions do not come to fruition, there are ways to achieve yours. New Year’s resolutions often fail because people do not set themselves up to succeed. You would not take a test or give a speech without some kind of planning or preparation. Let’s take a look at some ways to turn your resolutions from a wish into a realistic goal.

 

Put the Holidays Behind You

When the New Year comes, I often work with people that set one or more resolutions. Sometimes they say it in an apologetic manner, as if it sounds silly or cliché. They understand that many people set these resolutions but give up on them soon thereafter. Honestly, waiting for the New Year to set new goals for yourself is a good idea for several reasons. In the last few months of the year, the days begin to get darker, the weather begins to get colder in most parts of the United States, and the holiday season sets in (and with it comes stress, sweets, and large meals). As we head into January, the major holidays are behind us and the days (slowly) start to become longer again. The last few months of the year are usually difficult for most people and many people get off track with a healthy lifestyle. Don’t feel bad about making New Year’s resolutions; it actually makes a lot of sense!

 

Prepare and be Specific

Alright, you have decided that you are going to set one or two resolutions for yourself. Now how exactly are you going to follow through with them? Most people make resolutions with little thought on how they are going to reach their goals; unsurprisingly, this does not work. Before putting your resolutions into action, make a plan for how you will approach them. Set a time frame (Example: “For the next month…” “For the next four months…”), decide what days you will work on your goals (“3 days a week” “every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday”), and obtain what items you need before you begin (“gym membership” “Nutribullet”). Also, make sure to remind yourself of your goals to get into a consistent routine (set phone reminders, write notes on the calendar). By actually having a plan of action, your likelihood of reaching your goals increases greatly.

 

Partner Up

One of the great things about New Year’s resolutions is that many other people set them too. Everyone has a friend, coworker, or family member that has set a New Year’s resolution. It is a great opportunity to partner up with another person to help each other achieve both your goals. Accountability is vital to sticking with your routine and creating a habit out of your actions. Having another person to help you stay on track throughout the ups and downs improves your chances of reaching your long term goal.

 

Now you have a better idea how to actually make your resolutions into achievable goals. New Year’s gives everyone an even, fresh start to work on their resolutions. Your goals will still require hard work and may not always be easy. The more planning, preparing, and support you have the greater your chance of success. Best of luck on your New Year’s resolution!

 

 

Rick-Adams-Signature

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Setting Realistic and Achievable Goals: 3 Keys to Reach Your Health Goals

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

It is not uncommon when I first begin working with someone that they have a long list of areas of their health that they want to address and work on. Eat healthier, exercise more, have better sleeping habits, drink less soda/coffee, manage stress better, etc. Those are all fantastic goals, but often people try to work on them all at the same time which can easily overload and cause them to not achieve their goals. Another issue is that someone I’m working with may want to lose weight but thinks they should lose 30 pounds or more in a month. It can sound like a good idea on the surface, but it is unrealistic through a healthy lifestyle change.  Understanding what areas of health you want to improve is important, but it is necessary to approach your goals in a realistic and achievable manner.

 

  • One At A Time

For most people, it is best to take on each goal one at a time. For example, put your effort into improving your eating habits, THEN start to focus on improving your exercise habits. Working on too many areas at one time often leads to failure with all areas you are working on. Create a list of which goals are most important to you. Make sure to have consistent success with each goal before moving on to the next goal. This makes the process more organized, less stressful, and easier to manage.

 

  • Break It Down

You may have one large goal, like trying to quit smoking a pack of cigarettes a day or trying to lose 50 pounds. The goal can seem quite daunting and so far away when you first start working on it. It is important to break down your long-term goal into smaller, more manageable goals. Using the earlier examples, you can cut back from 20 to 15 cigarettes or reduce your weight 5 to 10 pounds in the first month. Moving in smaller steps has a greater chance of success than trying to do too much, too soon.

 

  • Recognize Failure Can Lead To Success

Having realistic and achievable goals also means realizing it will not always be easy and you may not always reach your goals the first time. Roadblocks to success come up all the time. A family member gets sick, work responsibilities change, or the holiday season gets busy and stressful. Realize that this is part of the process to success. Go into accomplishing your goals with a mindset of learning throughout the entire process. Be open to better ways to address and succeed at your goals as you go along.

 

Whether working on many small goals or one large goal, always take time to break down your goals into manageable pieces. It takes time, effort, and patience to achieve long-term success. Learn from your experiences to find the best ways that work for you. While it may not always be easy, make it as manageable as you can to give yourself a realistic chance to achieve your long-term goals.

 

Rick-Adams-Signature

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant