Are your current lifestyle choices making you happy?
Do you wake up on a daily basis, look in the mirror and wish you were slimmer? Had a firmer bottom? Bigger breasts? Less Cellulite or anything else? If you answered yes to this question, it's certainly not uncommon and if you're feeling like this now then maybe it's time to do something about it. While it may take some time to change our bodies, let's focus on something that we can start to change immediately, our mindset. Picture the scenario: OMG I’ve put on so much weight, right that’s it diet starts Monday! (it's Wednesday) Time to indulge on sweets, chocolate, fast food the lot; because, you know - the diet is starting Monday right?! Monday - yay I've started I'm going to do great, Tuesday, I'm so hungry and tired, I hate this diet already! Wednesday - stuff this=PIZZAAAAA! Sound familiar? You wouldn't be the only one, I've been there too! What I teach my ladies now is to change the mindset towards their body and towards food. Repeat phrases such as 'This is my body, I love and respect it, I will choose to love it and nourish it with foods that make me feel good inside and out'. During workouts or through the communities I often say to my ladies, 'you get out what you put in' (It's a standing joke now!!), and often, we have found out just how true this saying is. When we eat poor quality food, don't move our bodies enough and drink too much alcohol, we generally feel sluggish, tired, moody and can't sleep because we are then loading our bodies with caffeine, we are also susceptible to fall ill more often. To some people, diets can feel like a punishment, which is why so many fail, this is why having a healthy lifestyle approach towards nutrition is so important. If you're just starting out or want to start on a healthier lifestyle, here's 10 top tips to succeed: 1) Have a goal: Know exactly what you want to achieve, if you decide you want to get to a size 10 but a 12-14 would be more realistic then that's not the goal. Why not set the 12-14 as one of your milestones but the size 10 as your overall goal? Picture it and imagine how fantastic you will feel when you get there! Keep reminding yourself of your goal on a regular basis 2) Stop believing in Fad diets: they don’t work, they are there to make money from you and to ensure that you go back to them when you fail. 3) Have a fantastic support network: it’s hard to do these things alone so if you have someone else who is in the same boat as you then why not use one and other to push yourselves towards your goals, it helps to have someone else accountable to other than your health and fitness coach. If your friends and family are supportive of your quest they will do what they can to help you get there. My Boot camps and online programmes all have a support network, this really helps with peoples motivation. 4) Get up an hour early to do some exercise: it has been proven that exercising increases energy, reduces stress, boosts metabolism and improves mood, so what better way to look good and feel great, get outside for a walk, do a HIIT workout or even a workout under the sheets with your partner ;-) (After all it is valentines day today haha). 5) Eat a healthy diet: it’s not rocket science but some people do believe that you can exercise and eat what you want and still get an amazing body. You cannot out train a poor diet (trust me I’ve tried!) so you really need to be including healthy foods in your diet, green leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, lean protein (grass fed / freedom to roam sources), nuts and seeds and remove / reduce sugars, caffeine, processed foods and alcohol. 6) Hire a professional: if you wanted to learn to drive you would hire an instructor, if you wanted to learn to dance you would attend a course/hire an instructor. There’s so much poor information out there to cause major confusion over health and nutrition, so it makes sense that you hire a professional to help you along the way. I also hire coaches :) 7) Follow the advice given by your professional: if your coach has told you to cut out certain foods such as dairy, wheat, alcohol and sugar for 21 days then do it, if they have instructed you to follow a certain training plan, follow it, they have put it together for a reason, whether it be specific to your needs or because it is tried and tested and achieves results. 8) Don’t always listen to your friends – your friends are telling you that ‘Mary followed this (fad) diet and dropped 10lbs in 1 week’ and asking why you’ve chosen to do things the way you have instead of the quick fix. Sometimes your friends might not understand fully what you’re doing so may not show the encouragement you desire, they might even get upset that they haven’t got you to go out drinking and eating junk food with them anymore, but don’t despair, when they see how much happier you are and amazing you're looking after your hard work, they’ll want to follow the same advice as you! 9) Have belief in yourself: It’s too easy to take an I Can’t attitude, or ‘I’ve always been big I just can’t lose weight’ this kind of talk is defeatist talk, the minute you mutter those words you have set yourself up for failure – Have an ‘I Can’ attitude and anything is within your grasp when you set your mind to it. 'I can get my health back on track, I can exercise three times a week' 10) Make exercise a priority:If you're not exercising or moving your body at least 3-4 times per week, then you're not making it a priority in your life. You're saying other things matter more than your health right now. Sure there's going to be times where you might be ill or far too tired to exercise, and at these times you need to listen to your body, a walk in nature will have a great effect on the mind if you're not feeling up to a more physical workout. Schedule it into your diary and keep to that appointment. Take responsibility for your body, be accountable, and be honest with yourself; are you doing things that are leading you closer to the healthy and vitality that you want or further away? Staying committed to your health and wellness, Debbie x
