Home›Newsletter›Issue 17
A tool can help you. It cannot build the habits for you.
Whether it is weight loss, strength, or relationships, the things we build along the way matter.
By Jianna Bustamante, DPTWhole Health Weekly
Happy Friday and Happy Newsletter Day!
If there's a newsletter to read, it is this one! I am sure you have heard all about GLP-1s in news or in the media or from your social circle. During this week's podcast, Gary and Peter dive deeeeep into the weight loss drug conversation.
Also, there's a good lesson in "This Week in the Clinic" so don't skip that section!
Weekly perspective
A tool can help you. It cannot build the habits for you.
One of my favorite parts of this week's podcast was the conversation around GLP 1s because it went beyond the usual debate of whether they are "good" or "bad."
They are a tool.
And for some people, that tool may be incredibly helpful. The important question is what you are doing while you use it.
If you lose weight but never learn how to eat in a way that supports your body, build and maintain muscle, sleep well, move regularly, or understand your own habits, what happens when that tool is gone?
This applies to way more than GLP 1s.
We are always looking for the thing that will make change easier. A new diet. A new program. A new watch. A new supplement. A new routine.
There is nothing wrong with getting help. Sometimes help is exactly what we need.
But the best tools give you an opportunity to build something that lasts beyond the tool itself.
That is why I liked the point Peter made about sustainable weight loss. The goal is not simply to lose weight as quickly as possible. The goal is to create a lifestyle you can actually continue living.
So whatever goal you are working toward right now, ask yourself:
Am I only chasing the outcome, or am I becoming someone who can maintain it?
That second part is where the real work happens.
Exercise of the week
Kettlebell Swing
What is it?
The kettlebell swing is a dynamic hip hinge exercise where you use power from your hips to move the kettlebell rather than lifting it with your arms.
Why is it beneficial?
It builds strength and power through your glutes and hamstrings while challenging your core and getting your heart rate up. It is a great way to train explosiveness without needing to jump.
Who's it for?
Anyone who already has a solid hip hinge and wants to add a more powerful movement into their strength training.
How to perform it
- Start with the kettlebell slightly in front of you.
- Hinge at your hips and grab the kettlebell with both hands.
- Hike it back between your legs.
- Drive your feet into the floor and quickly extend your hips.
- Let that hip drive move the kettlebell forward.
- Allow the kettlebell to fall naturally and hinge again for the next rep.
Pro Tip:
Think hips, not arms. If your shoulders are getting tired before your glutes and hamstrings, you are probably trying to lift the kettlebell instead of letting your hips create the movement.
Healthy tip of the week
Healthy tip of the week
Give yourself a "minimum" for busy days.
We tend to think healthy habits only count when we do the full version.
Can't fit in an hour workout? Skip it.
Can't cook the perfect dinner? Order whatever.
Can't get your full walk in? Stay on the couch.
Instead, decide what your minimum is.
Maybe it is 10 minutes of movement. Maybe it is adding a vegetable to dinner. Maybe it is walking around the block after lunch.
Your minimum is not meant to be impressive. It is there to keep you connected to the habit when life gets busy.
Something is usually better than nothing, and consistency gets a lot easier when every day doesn't have to be perfect.
This week in the clinic
Friendship Has No Age Limit
Something that has come up a lot lately is multigenerational friendships.
I know I have the best job in the world, and one of the reasons is that it has given me the opportunity to make genuine friendships with people in so many different stages of life.
I've noticed the same thing at my run clubs. I talk to people of all different ages, and I really enjoy that time.
There is so much value in having people in your life who aren't exactly where you are.
Someone older than you has lived through experiences you haven't reached yet. Someone younger than you may see something from a completely different perspective. Neither is necessarily better. They are just different, and there is a lot we can learn from that.
Sometimes I think this is something we are missing. We naturally surround ourselves with people our own age because they are often going through similar things. There is comfort in that. But there is also a lot of value in stepping outside of your own generation.
Friendship does not have to have an age requirement.
Talk to people. Ask questions. Listen to their stories.
You might be surprised by how much you have in common and how much you can learn from each other.
Upcoming Events
- Prenatal Yoga + Pelvic Health Evening
- Tuesday, September 22, 5:30-7pm
- Location: Whole Health Solutions
- Stay tuned for more info!
Jianna mentioned this week's Different Life podcast episode. Want to hear it?
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