It happens to everyone. It has happened to me many times. It may happen when you’re looking in the mirror or standing on the scale. That moment when you realize that you must do something about your weight.
Your first thought is probably “I need to watch what I eat”. But how often have you been down that road? How successful has that been in the past? Think about it. Are ghosts of a hundred diets past returning to your mind? If so, so will the frustration.
You diet. The weight will come back, as it always has. Then you’ll be back in front of the mirror as discouraged as ever. But the answer is not to go on another diet. The answer is to change your lifestyle.
Lifestyle Obstacles
You’ve heard this advice before. So why haven’t you done it? Well, most people resist changing their lifestyle for two reasons:
Change is uncomfortable: Whether you realize it or not, your life is in a constant state of change. Though you cling to the familiar, it’s inevitable. Change always wins. The most consistent thing in life is change. Since you’ll never escape it, you might as well channel it. It’s time to make the change in your life purposeful and positive.
Lifestyle misconception: How many times have you heard the term ‘healthy lifestyle’ only to picture a healthy nut and dry tuna eating out of a can with some celery sticks? The truth is that most people think that changing their lifestyle will be an extreme and unpleasant experience – and that’s just not true. Improving your lifestyle does not mean swearing off chocolate for life or living in the gym 2 hours a day, every day. You don’t have to eat tofu for lunch. You can still enjoy a nice plate of pasta every now and again. The key is strategic planning and moderation.
Making the Change
It’s time to lose your ‘all or nothing’ mentality. Embrace simple, small changes that will add up to big improvements in your lifestyle. These are your main venues for change:
What You Eat
Let’s face it, most of the foods you eat aren’t the healthiest. Some are downright terrible. While others are simply excessive (the snacks you eat regularly while watching TV).
The solution to cleaning up your daily diet is not to go back on a ‘diet’. In fact, I never want you to go on a ‘diet’ again. Instead, I want you to make permanent healthy changes to your eating habits.
Brining Healthy Changes To Your Eating Habits
- Choose salad or vegetables over chips or fries
- Eat fresh produce with every meal
- Limit desserts to one or two per week
- Cut out mindless snacking
- Drink water, not soda
I don’t expect you to eat a perfect diet every day of the week – that’d be ludicrous. You should, however, make way more healthy choices every day than unhealthy ones.
Exercising For Healthy Lifestyle
Exercise is a huge component to a healthy lifestyle, and quite frankly you’re not getting enough of it. How often does an entire week go by with you lacing up your sneakers only once or twice? Don’t disregard the importance and power of a good workout.
Your new healthy lifestyle means exercising on most days of the week. “Most” meaning “majority”. Those bad at math, that means at least 4 days a week. I know this may seem tough. But those that work with me know that my training programs are created for busy people just like you who only have so much time to dedicate to exercise. 30 to 60 minutes a day, 4 days a week. You can find the time! Even if you only had twenty minutes and your body is your only piece of training equipment you have, you can get a great workout in.
Simple Ways To Move More
- Watch less TV
- Stretch stiff muscles every day
- Play at the park with the kids
- Go for a walk or jog
- Do some pushups and prisoner squats every morning
While none of the above are meant to be a substitute for a solid exercise routine, they are great ways to become more active and to improve your lifestyle.
Your lifestyle is the balance of all the choices that you make regarding your body. Swing the balance in your favor – make majority of your choices health conscious. Once you do this consistently, the next time you’re in front of the mirror you won’t be worrying about your weight.
