As emotional beings, a lot of our behavior is driven by how we “feel” and what we “feel” like doing.
Anything in life can be accomplished if we truly want to succeed at it.
If we want to start a business, we jump in with passion and drive and give it all we got.
Why then do we let our own personal well being fall to the wayside?
We all need that extra motivation to propel us to do things.
Sometimes things we don’t like to do.
I believe that with the right attitude and a change of perspective, we can set out to do any task with passion.
Let’s look at ways you can create a healthier mindset to help you achieve a healthier mindset, and then a healthier body.
Create a strong enough “why” to change your eating and exercise habits:
Any thing that we do in life, we do for a reason or a desired final outcome.
It is so important to have a strong desire or reason why you should workout and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Grab a small notebook or sheet of paper and start listing all the benefits you will derive if you stuck to a healthy lifestyle and exercise regime.
For example, if I cut out gluten from my diet, I will experience increased energy.
Or I get to look great in my new black dress and also have more energy in the evening if I exercise at least 3 times a week.
When your motivation starts to waver, pull out your list and rev yourself up to take the necessary actions.
Get support from others”
Enlist the help of supportive friends. “Supportive” being the key word.
Many friends and family can subconsciously undermine our efforts for positive change as it can highlight weaknesses in their own life and make them feel like you are leaving them behind.
Be specific when you ask for help. Ask them to help you by not offering you treats or “junk” foods unnecessarily.
Ask them to call you each day to check you did your workouts. In some cases you may need the help of a trainer to really give you a motivational boost.
Use the power of awareness
This is a lot easier said than done. Most of us try in vain to be in the moment, but our present conditioning and circumstances make us multitask even whilst eating and working out.
Instead of striving for perfection, aim to workout and eat meals in silence and with no distractions some of the time.
Allow yourself to think and just be in the moment. Focus on the sensations of working your body or the taste and flavors of food whilst eating.
If you are committing to going Gluten Free, then aim to focus on the NEW and YUMMY foods you are trying for the first time, for example!
Commitment for Success:
Sometimes things happen in our life that give us a fright and we make a commitment to make changes.
For some, a potential illness makes us readdress our priorities and for others an insult or criticism can help push us into making changes.
Most of us though fall into a rut and get pleasure out of being complacent about our health and fitness.
We need to draw a line in the sand and commit to sticking at a plan of action to increase our wellbeing.
When you are committed, something like the weather or the time of day doesn’t stop you from following through.
When you are committed to getting a flatter belly and trying a gluten free diet, eating gluten at a social event is not so hard when you have made the firm decision to focus on your goal.
Tackle any challenges and then next time round you will have less resistance.
Analyze for success:
Sometimes it pays to stop and analyze your behaviors and actions. Ask yourself why you may have stuck to a workout plan in the past.
Was it because you had someone to be accountable to?
Was it because you got really sick and decided not to let yourself go that far again?
Whatever the reasons, aim to recreate that situation or condition and see if that helps you succeed again at your plan.
Enjoy your treats:
Deprivation will always lead to a binge.
When we deprive ourselves of our favorite foods, we set up an unrealistic situation.
Instead choose a day of the week you can have this treat.
Think about portion sizes and enjoy the treat while you have it. Eat in pure awareness and satisfy the urge for another week.
Life should be enjoyed, so long periods of deprivation no matter the object, is always the wrong way to go about it!
Reward yourself:
This is a must. Slot out on a calendar a 90 day period and incrementally put in rewards such as going to the movies, getting a message or just relaxing.
Set the conditions for being able to redeem these rewards, such as you must have completed at least 4 workouts per week for 4 weeks to get the reward at the 4 week mark or stuck to your Gluten free plan for 4 weeks.
Just these handfuls of tips can be enough for you to start to make a true lifestyle out of eating well and consistently exercising.
Remember if you aren’t enjoying your workout, change it. If you don’t like certain foods, change your menu plan.
Aim to enjoy the process, think about why you are doing it and seek the support of those around you so you can create the very achievable, well being feeling.
By Nalisha Patel
Author of Flat Belly Kitchen – Advanced Nutrition Program for a Lean Slim Belly – Click Here To Find Out More
