WINY DID THAT, SO HOPEFULLY YOU WON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT
I didn’t realise how important fitness was in my entrepreneurial journey until I looked at myself one day, a year into it and didn’t recognise myself. Any entrepreneur will tell you that, the first 5 years are usually the toughest. There are ups and downs — you’re just trying to figure it all out. I am really doing this? Is this really what I should be doing? Will this proposal go through? And more importantly, when will I get those dollar dollar bills y’all for all of my hard work?
My routine was as follows: I’d wake up, make myself a cup of tea, a breakfast and basically, sit in a chair for hours and hours without movement, staring at my computer just working without any physical activity. At night, I had trouble sleeping because my mind would never turn off so I’d wake up in the middle of the night thinking. Unless you have guaranteed work and a bank account full of cash (and even then), entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, believe me.
One day, last May, I woke up and decided I needed a positive stress release. Something that could help me deal with my new reality, see more clearly and get moving. I reached out to Elle Daftarian, the wife of Chris, one of the two brothers who own Forme Fitness. I had worked out at Forme before two years prior, it was in my hood and I knew that their fitness programs were no joke so it would get me going.
If you are currently in a slump like I was or even thinking of becoming an entrepreneur, here are some tips that will totally help you:
Get Moving, Bruh
At first, I started going to Forme Fitness once a week, then twice, then three and then 5 times a week. What I realised was that the 60 mins I spent there totally changed my mood, my decision making, my outlook on my day and on my projects. Everything became clearer. I also enjoyed the positive environment, proximity, the size of the classes and the intensity. For me, it was the perfect combo. At first, I was so rusty that getting through the warm up was a lot. But then, every time I went, it got better and better.
I Have No Time
Make time. It’s that simple. If you can’t dedicate at least 30 mins a day for your wellness, you basically have no life. You can’t be of service to anyone, whether it be a possible client, an actual client or even your family, if you are not at service to yourself first. I learned that the hard way.
Take a walk on the wild side
Not really the wild side, but just get walking. Fitness doesn’t mean you have to be in a gym, simply walking for 30 minutes to an hour a day makes such a HUGE difference. Don’t want to get bored doing it? Listen to a podcast! Here’s a list of great entrepreneurial & motivation podcast I’ve recommended on the blog beforehand.
You are what you EAT
Getting moving and caring about what you put in your body goes in hand in hand my friend. You know that clarity part I was talking about which is the result of physical activity? Food does the same thing. Eating whole foods that come from the earth, drinking plenty of water and keeping your sugar intake to a minimum. Keeping it 100, it took me 4 months after I first went to Forme Fitness before I incorporated the food component. Marty, who is the other co-owner of Forme had a chat with me during the summer and told me that it was time to combine nutrition to my fitness. Took me to september to actually do it (give me a break, it was summer, I wanted to live my best food life lol).
As an entrepreneur, we get busy and hardly work 9-5 so the best thing is to prep in advance so you don’t have to think about it and it’s just there. I usually do my meal prep on Sundays for the week. That way, I know what I am eating, I don’t leave it to chance or make bad food decisions because I am starving and have nothing to eat.
Consistency & Accountability
Consistency is the key to any habit. Remember why you’re doing this and how beneficial it is to you mentally and physically. Get into a routine that you can basically keep, be realistic. This isn’t the Biggest Loser, it’s not even about that. It’s about making that same commitment you made to create your dream to yourself. For me, consistency is going to Forme at noon, Monday to Friday.
Accountability for me when it comes to fitness had to have a tech aspect to it, obvi. With the Apple Watch, I have the ability to track my workouts, set goals, it even reminds me when I have not moved for a bit and it will tell me to get moving. It could be around my dining room table or just raising my knees for a minute but my Apple Watch is like a fitness buddy now that wants me to be great.
Community
As an entrepreneur, community is key. What I found at Forme Fitness was a community of like-minded individuals, many entrepreneurs who had the same objectives and goals that I do. It also has become a place for business collaborations. I’ve done deals with people I have met there while warming up before class. And more importantly, I’ve made great friends.
Are you an entrepreneur? What are you doing physically to stay sane? I wanna know!
Bisous,
Winy