A couple of weeks ago, we shared a reflection worksheet to help you pause and get curious about what’s working and not working to support your health + performance.

Whether you used the worksheet or have simply been thinking about what you’d like to change, you may have a list that looks something like this:

• My energy takes a big hit every afternoon, so I should start eating before my morning workouts.
• My training has ramped up and I’m not recovering as well between workouts, so I should add more recovery time.
• My evening workouts feel harder than they should, so I should improve my pre-workout fueling.
• I’m ravenous by dinner, so I should stop skipping lunch.
• I’m waking up tired, so I should get to bed earlier.
• Stress has been higher lately and the things I normally do to take care of myself are starting to slip, so I should get back into my usual routine.

That can be a lot.

Supporting your health and performance can start to feel like an extreme sport when you’re trying to do everything you think you “should” do. Instead of trying to address everything, consider what matters most right now and prioritize.

How to decide what to prioritize

Before adding each one to your to-do list, take a closer look.

What seems to be having the biggest impact on your energy, performance, recovery or daily life? What matters most given your current goals? And could something else be contributing to what you’ve noticed?

Take that afternoon energy dip. If you decide fueling before your morning workout deserves your attention, the next question isn’t necessarily: How do I make myself eat breakfast before I train? It might be: How can I fuel my morning workout in a way that works for me?

Not sure where to start? Explore our tips for fueling before early morning workouts.

Or maybe your training has ramped up and you’re not recovering as well between workouts. More recovery time might help. But what if your training volume has increased and your nutrition hasn’t changed along with it?

Wondering if your fueling is keeping up? Learn how to adjust your nutrition when training volume or intensity changes.

Your capacity matters, too

Maybe meal planning would make your week easier, but work is particularly demanding. Or you know your sleep deserves attention, but other responsibilities make changing your sleep schedule unrealistic right now.

That doesn’t mean those things don’t matter. Your capacity is part of the decision.

This is an important consideration, especially when your stress load is high. If the things you normally do to support yourself have started to slip, trying to reinstate your entire usual routine may just create another set of expectations to meet.

Focus instead on what would help most and what you realistically have the capacity to do.

The most useful priority may not always be the thing that could theoretically have the biggest impact. It also needs to be something you have the time, energy and resources to work on in the life you’re actually living.

Moving from reflection to action

Once you’ve identified what deserves your attention, think about what you can do with it.

Keep it manageable. Identify one or two small actions you can take consistently rather than trying to make several changes at once.

And if you’re not sure what action makes sense, this is one of the things coaching with Nutrify can help you figure out. We’ll look at what’s happening with your nutrition alongside your training, sleep, stress and recovery, identify where there may be connections, and determine what is the most practical next step for you.

Our FOUNDATIONS package is designed to help you do exactly that, starting with your nutrition. Learn more about our FOUNDATIONS coaching package and schedule a complimentary info call to see if coaching with Nutrify is a good fit for you.