How to Build a Strong Foundation for Habit Change
Say you are a hardworking individual who is working their way up the corporate ladder. You are working long hours and putting in extra work to be recognized for your efforts so you can get that coveted raise or build your resume to land that perfect job..
If you have kids (furry kids count too!), you probably barely have time to spend with them because you are tired and exhausted from running errands, tending to family members emergencies and juggling the rest of your busy calendar.
You don’t really have time to cook so you either opt for the same quick easy meals that satisfy but not really nourish. Or perhaps you are one of the many individuals who opt for takeout because you don’t want to cook AND clean just to eat your meals.
Whenever a birthday, vacation or special event approaches, you tell yourself that you will finally get in shape so you can be your best self but you procrastinate for so long you just settle for a cover up or a more conservative version of the outfit that you really wanted to wear.
You’re not thrilled with your current quality of life but you can’t really find any wiggle room in your current life to make changes or you know what changes need to be made but you can’t find the motivation to implement them consistently to see results.
First off, let me say that after being in the fitness industry for 9+ years, I have seen countless individuals such as the one described above, sign up to train with me and then give up on their goals to get in shape, feel better and regain energy to conquer their health and life goals because of one of the following “distractions”:
- Stress
- Unable to see results in their desired time frame
- Hard times/overwhelmed
- Mental health concerns
I call these things distractions because they are essentially allowing a temporary circumstance to force them to give up on their long term goals… Their DREAMS!
When I was a trainer working for a gym back in Georgia, I was only allowed 30 mins to work with clients and so we didn’t really have time to delve deep into their insecurities or obstacles that would arise in their lives.
And whenever I would try to talk to them about nutrition, they were always vague and say things like: “I eat good.” or “I eat my veggies and stuff. I think I’m good with the nutrition.” Even though they weren’t sticking to any real guidelines or routines and as a result, they would stop coming to the gym.
As a holistic nutritionist, I teach clients how nutrition, mindset and spirituality are all necessary to reach your health goals.
When I became a Life Coach, I was able to articulate why you can’t reach your life goals until you step into alignment from a psychological stand point. Also, we often get stuck in life and to remain in control of their thoughts, emotions and actions to get their desired results.
As a result of my new found knowledge, I’m no longer concerned about them reaching their body goals unless they are able to maintain it and enjoy it how they intended to. Because what’s the purpose of having that ideal body if you are still living you same life, dealing with your same stresses?
As a result, Stress Alchemy was born 🙂
Now the STEW Method has 4 parts:
- Drop the Baggage
- Set Your FABS Foundation
- Create Your PANDA Checklist
- Get the Wheels Rolling
The first part is simple, we just become real clear about:
- What we want
- Why we want it
- What is holding us back
It can be difficult for some people because they may not see what is holding them back. It can be things such as:
- Not being able to set boundaries (which can be the cause of their stress) or
- Not being aware of their emotional eating habits, or
- Not knowing how to overcome the anxiety or emotional triggers which keeps them stuck, or
- They simply don’t know which path or advice to take when it comes to successfully reaching their goals.
The second part is a little more complex because once you drop the baggage you have to get real strategic with your plan otherwise you will run the risk of falling victim to the same issues that you did before and you will give up or not see results. Before ANYTHING in your life can change, you must first have made a change in your mind.
Remember the movie Grease when John Travolta and his crew made Grease Lightening? They envisioned their dream car and then built it. The STEW Method basically allows you to envision your future self and helps you follow through with your makeover story. You get to build your Grease Lightning body and life so to speak.
But you have to have a vision first! Then and only then can you build.
When you build your FABSS foundation you have to ask yourself some questions:
- Who does your future self look like?
- What do they wear?
- What do they do for fun?
- What do they spend their extra money on?
- What job do they have?
- What type of friends do they have?
- What kind of relationships do they have with their friends and loved ones?
If you are visualizing your future self and that person is putting a smile on your face then that means that there is a shimmer of hope that this person can be real. If it is not then you need to figure out why your own damn imagination won’t allow you to be great LOL.
Making sure you have a solid foundation is critical to reaching your goals but also maintaining them. Its one thing to say “I once had that hot body or that wonderful life”… but its another thing to say, “hey I got that body or life and I was able to maintain it for decades.”
Your FABS Foundation has 5 components:
- Faith- What do you believe? What are the principles that you live by?
- Affirmations- What do you say to yourself to keep going or stay motivated when you get tempted? Scriptures? Quotes of encouragement?
- Boundaries- What boundaries are you setting for yourself to ensure that you don’t get deterred? I call this setting yourself up for success!
- Self Talk- What is that little voice in your head saying to you on a constant basis? Is it uplifting or off-putting?
- Shift-forward strategy – What systems are you setting in place to make your transition from your current life to your ideal life, one that offers minimum resistance or discomfort but is also easy to sustain?
When it comes to a shift forward strategy, I created a convenient little PANDA Planning Checklist which helps you incorporate weekly action steps that you reach your goals health, relationship or career goals with minimum stress, distractions or confusion. To read more about the PANDA Checklist and how to create your own, click here.
I hope this helps. If you are having a hard time setting a FABSS foundation then sign up for my free Healthier, Happier Challenge and I can walk you through the process. Click here to sign up.
In Good Health,
Amber Stew BS,
Holistic Nutritionist
Certified Master Life Coach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist,
CTNC Mental Health Specialist
TBMM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Hi! My name is Amber and I’m a Body Goals Builder, Master Life Coach, Certified Health Coach, CTNC Mental Health Specialist, Stress Alchemist & Fear Conqueror
I used to be a people pleasing, work-a-holic who stressed herself out to climb the wellness industry’s corporate ladder, while obsessing over her self image. I soon realized that none of it mattered if I wasn’t happy with myself, inside and out, and surrounded around people who loved and respected me.
I now help individuals who are stressed out, out of shape and struggling to find balance in their lives learn how to ease their worries, improve their health, create 10x more joy in their lives and manifest the life of their dreams. At the STEW Project, we are maximizing our living potential by Simply Taking an Emphasis on Wellness.
