Sabotaging Your Own Fitness and Healthy Eating Goals?

I have an uber important question for you today. But stick with me for a minute because it may appear hokey.

Do you have a fear of eating healthy and exercising more?

Do you ever feel ready to take it to the next level, and yet sometimes find yourself behaving in ways that directly conflict with what you say you want? “I want to feel better. I want to lose this weight that is driving me crazy. I want to have more energy.”

Do  You Dream?

Do you dream of having the energy and confidence that comes from taking better care of your body, and yet you still eat crap food and never make time to work out?

If this scenario has ever happened to you, you are in good company. Many people experience this.

Here’s The Thing

Because our beliefs drive our  behavior, it doesn’t matter how much we say we want to feel good, have more energy, and lose a few pounds, if deep inside us, arriving at success in healthy eating and exercise equals some kind of pain.

My experience in working with others and with myself is that under the surface, we wonder if it is really worth all the pain ( loss of freedom with eating whatever we want to, eating out with friends and family less often, loss of time with doing more cooking instead of just going out, rejection of our family and friends who just don’t get why we want to feel really good and energized because they think we already are, embarrassment of being “picky” when eating out with others, or just plain shame that we “need to improve ourselves” when those around us do not think they need to improve themselves).

The Bottom Line

It doesn’t matter how much you say you want success.  If you believe somewhere deep inside that it isn’t worth the pain, you will not let yourself do what it takes to succeed.

 

5 Step Guide to Aligning Your Beliefs With Your Actions:

Step 1: Expect to mess up. Changing lifestyles is messy. Realize that change is never a one way direction but more a zig zag.

Step 2: Get Specific. What are you fearful of? Is it thinking you will never get to eat dessert or have a couple glasses of wine with your friends? Is it that you’ll have to exercise with those gym people? These questions are so important. Write them down. Then…

Step 3: Make a promise to yourself. For example if it turns out that your fear is that you will not be able to have a glass of wine and dessert with your friends then make a deal with yourself. It will go something like this: “Hey, I know I am on a healthy living plan but if it turns out that I am not able to make sensible adjustments for having dessert and or a glass of wine at a party then we can stop this healthy living agenda immediately.”

Step 4: Start looking at positive role models who have a healthy lifestyle, exude energy, look great, and yet still occasionally have a drink or dessert. These models are all around us so start looking and admiring how they do it.

Step 5: Set an affirmation that aligns with the belief system you are trying to build. Here’s an example:” I believe that healthy living gives me the best possibility for a carefree life unencumbered by physical,emotional and mental pain.

Try it out and let me know how it goes.

Kim