Angela O Mahony Cultivate Coaching

Planning and Goal Setting for Fitness Completing fitness challenges can be one of the quickest ways of boosting your self-confidence. Like any other goal you wish to set, it needs to fit this criteria to hold any value.... For example, if you were to take running a faster 5K, planning for it would have to start with this: S- Specific Run a 5K in 28 minutes M- MeasurableTrack using stopwatch or fitness tracker A- Attainable Is it something you can train to achieve R- RealisticAre you a runner and have you been running 5K’s previously T- TimeHow long are you going to set yourself to complete this goal 1. Find out what it is you want to achieve 2. How will you track this progress 3. Is it something that is in your capacity to do 4. Is it a realistic target to reach 5. Have you given yourself enough time to reach this goal One such goal I set myself in the past was to complete a sprint triathlon, which I was able to achieve using the principles above. Goal setting isn’t as straight forward as saying ‘I’m going to run more now this month’ or ‘I’m going to start walking this week’. There is no specificity to the goal here. It isn’t laid out clearly and there are no definitive deadlines or pointers to help you along the way. To be able to achieve the goals you have in mind, you must have a clear picture of what it is you are looking to achieve and how you are going to achieve them. If you are someone who has struggled with setting and reaching goals in the past, message me today and let’s create a better system for you to achieve your goals!

Pregnancy and Training This ones for the ladies Training while pregnant can make women feel very unsure and worried about doing damage to their unborn baby.... Common questions: Can you even train while pregnant? The answer is yes! However, there are some considerations to be made as you move through each trimester. Is it a good time to begin a training programme? Yes, it is. There are many benefits of training throughout pregnancy however it is vital you know what type of training you want to start with. For example, if you are brand new to running then maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea to start with that. That example can translate across a lot of other training types Your body is going through many physiological changes, blood volume increases (up to 4 extra pints of blood flowing around you) heart rate increases (due to the increased blood volume) you will become breathless faster (even if you have a good level of cardio) your joints are more prone to injury in the 2nd to 3rd trimester (due to a hormone called relaxin, preparation hormone for labour) so more consideration needs to be made when it comes to the type of training you wish to choose throughout the different stages of pregnancy. These are only a couple of the changes that happen, I won’t get into the emotional changes ... Despite these physiological changes you can still train throughout pregnancy, in fact it is advised. Ok, so where do you begin? Whether you are brand new to training or have been training for years but unsure what is safe and advisable during pregnancy then these are a couple of things I would advise: Get clearance from your doctor to train Have a baseline understanding of your current fitness level Find a trainer you can trust and who has experience working with women during pregnancy Use their guidance to assist you through your pregnancy Working with a trainer will help you figure out what type of training will be manageable for you. They will help you adapt your training as your body continues to change. And help you navigate the overwhelming information available out there

Temptation Oh temptation How many times a day must we put our will power to the test? ... Many, many times I would say. Especially when it comes to food. Little temptations pop into our heads on at least a daily basis if not more frequently But these ‘little’ temptations carry a lot of weight, emotionally and mentally. How do they make us feel when we give in to them? With food for example, I know when I overdo it, I feel so guilty, disappointed and uncomfortable. Asking myself, ‘shit! How did I let that happen?’ The answer is, because we are human and resisting temptation requires a lot of learning when it comes to control around food and the things we over indulge in. So my advice, for if and when it happens is to draw a line right under it and think well I know now how I feel and its not bloody great. Like everything else it is not a straight line to conquering temptation, but a series of peaks and troughs. Over the past 10 years, I’ve learned how to cope with these peaks and troughs where I have made choosing the healthy option, the easy choice. This journey is about learning and growing from mistakes and challenges. We have all heard the saying, ‘nothing worthwhile comes easy’. So take the temptation filled days with the disciplined days and enjoy the ride

Have a strong why? Monday is here again. And it is usually a reset day for many, many people.... Creating expectations that are too high Putting too much pressure on too soon Ultimately setting themselves up for failure. Why? Because they have no why. Do you start the week with the best of intentions, but you fall off track in a couple of days? You need to find a reason so strong that it will help you avoid that slip or pull it back quicker. We have all fallen victim to, ‘’I’ll start on Monday, do 10,000 steps, eat healthy’ and by Wednesday we are already struggling to maintain any real structure. And then we berate ourselves saying things like ‘I’m useless’, ‘I can’t stick with anything’ ‘why do I always fall off the wagon’, I’m not the kind of person who can do that’ Put quite simply, unless your goals mean something to you it’s going to be extremely difficult to stay focused and adhere to that plan of action. Adherence comes down to knowing your why! Today ask yourself, what do I want to achieve and why do I want to achieve it. The WHY is the driver when it comes to achieving our goals. Determining your why will take away the excuses and boost your commitment to yourself and the results you want.