Healthy diets and exercise programs work great, until they don’t. We tend to start the year with high hopes and an eager attitude, but as the winter’s talons dig a bit deeper into our frigid existence and the post-holiday blues settle in, our stamina takes a hit and it can be hard to decipher why we started in the first place. Old habits do in fact die hard.
Missoula health coach Jamie Lynn understands the letdowns that come after the best plans have backfired.
“People often come to me after they've tried everything. They feel defeated,” said Jamie. “I want to give people hope. It is possible and you can feel better.”
Jamie’s decades of experience started with her own journey to health. “I was a single parent with two small kids at home. I ate well. I moved my body. After working with a health coach, though, I realized places that needed improvement, like my sleep and stress level.” Experiencing success in those areas inspired Jamie to become a personal trainer and health coach. She also went back to school to become a physical therapist assistant. “I wanted to learn more about how the nervous system influences our body systems. I’m a science fanatic. I want to know the ‘why’ behind a method and find the evidence to support it,” said Jamie.
With a foundation grounded in science, Jamie is able to expand her work with clients into the more nuanced realm of mindfulness. “A big part of our success is our own inner voice,” said Jamie. “We must accept and love ourselves where we are and know that we are all imperfect humans. I encourage people to be curious instead of critical.” For those who have tried everything and still haven’t seen results, becoming curious can make all the difference. Take for example one of Jamie’s clients. She had been battling a serious illness for years and was doing everything she knew to do. She ate healthy, she moved regularly. Still, her body wasn’t responding in a way she hoped for. When they first met, Jamie understood the woman’s frustration.
“The things that would normally cause a change weren’t working for her,” said Jamie. “After I explained the power of curiosity, though, she became much easier on herself, much more gentle. When she tried something new and it didn’t work, instead of becoming critical or blaming herself, she would just try something else.”
When it comes to exercise, Jamie teaches her clients how to let their bodies guide the pace of the work. “First, we figure out what kind of movement is comfortable and what you will actually do consistently. It doesn’t have to be hard or dramatic. Then, once that gets easier, we change it up again. We’re waiting for the brain and body to say, ‘I’m ready for more.’ It all goes back to tuning into the nervous system,” said Jamie.
When creating healthy eating plans, Jamie likes to start with what her clients are already eating. “I meet people where they are at. We identify some favorite meals and figure out how we can modify them to make them healthier. We talk about what might be the biggest obstacle right now. Getting curious and focusing more on adding things, instead of taking them away, makes those changes sustainable. Then, the unhealthy things tend to go away on their own.”
For Jamie, Missoula has been a wonderful place to live and work. “Missoula is full of hard-working, open-minded people dedicated to themselves and their health. There are so many opportunities to eat healthy, all kinds of different exercise options, and bodyworkers to help your aches and pains." she said.
No matter what health looks like for each of us, we all want the same thing: to feel good. The new year invites diet and exercise advice to come in troves, and some of that advice may help us meet our goals. However, if those external motivators fall short, we don’t need to stop there and quit or feel defeated. Jamie believes that we all have it in us to feel better and live long, happy lives. Sometimes, we just need someone to provide education, accountability and compassion along the way. “We need that support. It takes so much courage to reach out and ask for help,” said Jamie. “Let’s be curious instead of critical. Let's value progress over perfection. When we start there, the changes become easier to make.”
SIDEBAR
Let Your Curiosity Take Hold with Jamie Lynn and participate in her four-part weekly virtual class. This class is designed to help you learn to take control of your health and fitness to make 2023 your best year yet. Class begins on Wednesday, January 25, and finishes on Wednesday, February 15. Each class is held in the evening. For exact time and more detailed information, please visit JamieLynn-Wellness.com/Blog.
"We must accept and love ourselves where we are and know that we are all imperfect humans. I encourage people to be curious instead of critical.”