This is MY journey and nobody else’s
The road to health, fitness and wellness is just that, a journey. The idea that you can change your diet and lifestyle around in six weeks is a idea built in the media’s mind to capture you into the dream.
Of course, real life isn’t anything like the dream and so we must take it one step at a time.
Be patient
There is a tendency to want results to come instantly, especially if you find the diet and exercise hard going and not particularly enjoyable. I often think, there is no destiny to arrive to where body image is concerned. Let go of that young girl running across the beach in a string bikini up her arse lol! Concentrate on your inner feelings instead. The journey is one to happiness and contentment. Are you happy counting the calories and the scales? Are you pinching your skin everyday wondering if you will lose those two stones in the next two days? Take an inventory every day of your feelings.
Every day when you get up, say one positive thing about your body, character or training regime.
A great mantra is, ‘I am getting stronger in my body every day’ Or ‘I am a little bit stronger today than I was yesterday’.
Here is where the real transformation takes place. Being comfortable in your own skin is priceless. Being finally able to trust yourself to see it through and getting out of your own way!
Getting out of your own way
It’s funny how many of us have a set gauge of how well we are mean’t to do in life. I have this all the time. I will do really well for a while and then I get in my own way. ‘Who am I to do this? I think I should go back to the old me now. Then just quit out of the blue.
When you start having these negative feelings, the best way I have found is to try and work straight through them. Once you start honouring these feelings, it’s game over. Train harder and keep telling your little old self, the ego, that tries to pull you down all the time, this is MY mountain and I am going to climb it to the top!!
Have bucketloads of compassion
With yourself that is. With yourself first. Whenever you have a big blow out on the biscuits or crisps, write down all of the reasons why that happened. Are you stressed? Do you need to find a way of processing some old or new emotions? Are you bored? Finding new ways of relaxing and hobbies to keep you busy is crucial in the nights, especially at the beginning of your food journey. Maybe it’s as simple as not having the foods in the house in the first place. If it’s there, you WILL eat it, guaranteed.
Stop caring what others think
This is a real toughie. When friends and family stop or don’t even encourage and support your new lifestyle it’s a real challenge. Most of us want to please and be liked and so it can really derail you.
This of course has more to do with them than you. Often human nature doesn’t like change as it refects things about themselves that they would possible like to change but feel like they can’t. In other words, you changing, makes them feel awkward. We can all relate to that on some level. It’s a good idea to try and get your friends or family on board with you, so you all help and support each other. This way, your social time will end up in the gym or local park, and not in the pubs and cake shops.
Stopping drinking at parties or eating all the cakes during lunch with girlfriends is a real challenge for instance. You may worry that you look boring, some friends may even call you that, and you may even be scared you will lose friends over it.
It all boils down to your commitment and reasons why you are doing it. Having a very strong list of positives of why you are doing it is very beneficial. You have to learn how to stand your ground here. From experience, saying you are not eating crap or drinking alcohol for health reasons, is usually sufficient in stopping the pleas and begging. Also, if your family and friends are really becoming jealous or resentful, try and find some other people who are more supportive of your goals to train with, for instance.
You don’t have to let it get you down, just do make sure you protect your dreams like a little baby. You wouldn’t hand your precious newborn baby to just anyone, and you shouldn’t hand over your dreams of a new life and goals over to just anyone either, for them to comment and make judgements over. It takes a lot of energy and commitment to make even small changes for a new life, career or new body. Be kind to yourself and just take small steps in the right direction every day, even if it means drinking that water!!
Have a nice weekend,
Nicola.
