I believe that the mind is much stronger than the body. I have lived it. I have seen the extent to which my own mind could affect my health and my whole being, and then how I was able to use the power of mind and thought to change my situation. I know that if you put your mind to something, you can succeed.
But, there may be times when you are attempting to do something with your life, and it doesn’t seem to work. You may be having problems achieving a certain health goal, like getting fit or losing weight, and it seems as though the universe just doesn’t want it to happen for you. But, ask yourself: is it really that? Is the universe actually stopping you from moving forward and reaching your health goals or are you sabotaging yourself?
Are you subconsciously preventing yourself from reaching your weight loss or health goals? Check your thoughts and see if you are guilty of the following:
Perfection or Bust
April comes around and you realize that bathing suit season is just around the corner. You set your goal to lose 25 lbs to have the perfect beach body, and you are going to be able to do that in just two short months, right? But then you are not seeing the results you were hoping for. You get mad and frustrated, and you put even more pressure on yourself. In fact, you are so tough on yourself that you make the whole process even more challenging.
Does this sound familiar to you? If so, take a step back and ask yourself: would you put someone else, like a friend or a family member, under the same amount of pressure and duress? We are often very hard on ourselves where we would be kind and loving to others.
Change your focus and make reasonable goals.
Instead of beating yourself up, take a deep breath, realize just how far you have actually come along, and re-evaluate you goal. Or better yet, try to avoid these situations from the beginning by setting reasonable and realistic goals.
You have two months to bathing suit season. For example, instead of focusing on getting the perfect beach body, set a goal to improve your cardiovascular stamina, so that you are able to run 5 km at the end of the two months. Or perhaps your goal is to build more muscle. So focus on increasing the number of body weight exercise repetitions you do each week. And while you’re busy focusing on increasing your endurance and body weight repetitions, you will be amazed at the changes in your body.
110% a Hundred Percent of the Time
Many people think that in order to succeed at getting to your ideal weight, they have to put in 110% every waking minute of every day. They think that they have to give up every single guilty pleasure. And then, the deprivation hits and instead of indulging in a small piece of chocolate or a small bowl of pasta, they go to town and have two big plates and the whole chocolate bar! Then the guilt sets in… When they get back on track, they restrict it all again, and the cycle starts all over again.
Restriction is not the answer: your body needs nourishment, and I can’t think of a more delicious way to nourish it than with whole, live foods! There are many great options out there that are not full of chemicals and preservatives that not only your body will love but your taste buds will too! By ensuring that you don’t feel deprived, you will help avoid this cycle.
Ask for help
If trying to change the foods you are eating seems too overwhelming (and trust me I understand—I don’t profess to be Canada’s next MasterChef!), don’t be afraid to enlist some help. We have a tendency to be too proud to tell anyone that we need help, so we just try to go it alone and then fall short of our true potential. Why not talk to a professional?
Registered Nutritionists have studied in depth the foods that we eat and how they affect us. They are able to take all the information that is out there and weed out all of the myths and half-truths and give quick information on what you can eat. They can even recommend supplements that will help support your body in reaching your health goals. And best of all, they can provide you with recipes and nutritiously satisfying snacks, so you don’t have to spend so much time trying to figure it all out and you don’t feel deprived.
Personal trainers can provide you with an individualized exercise regime and ensure that you are doing each exercise properly. They will see that your exercise time is used the most effectively to meet your health and body goals. They will also help you avoid injury, since there are risks to doing certain exercises incorrectly. A personal trainer can also give you a “time off” plan as well, so that you have some exercises that you can do at home or in a gym in between sessions.
Emotional support is extremely important as well. In times of emotional distress or difficulty, we tend to turn inwards or use this distress or difficulty as a reason to not move forward. Asking those who are close to us to help us during these times may seem difficult. But chances are that you would gladly help them in their times of need, so they feel the same way too. And if you do not feel comfortable reaching out to a friend, a counselor or a Life Coach could also be a great resource to help you through the tough times and help you get into the right mindset to achieve the seemingly impossible!
The saying goes “failure is not an option”, but I prefer “Success is an option”. YOU are an important factor; so don’t stand in your way. The mind is a truly powerful tool once we take control of it. The journey may be longer than you originally planned, but the destination will still be there when you arrive. Be kind to yourself, set yourself realistic goals, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are worth it!