prioritise your health ...

Experiencing my own weight loss journey I personally understand what it feels like to be  overweight (read obese!) tired, lethargic, unhealthy and overall not happy with myself.
It’s easy to look at someone else who is overweight and judge them. We wonder how they ‘let that happen’, vowing we would never allow it to happen to us. But at the end of the day we are ALL human and often neglect our own health while putting our kids, family, career or other people and ‘things’ ahead of ourselves. However, if you want to take care of others, you HAVE to take care of yourself - FIRST!  Can you really give someone something you do not have? You?
If you know you’re not happy with something in your life, then you need to decide what changes you wish to make EXACTLY - if it’s to lose weight then how much? Is it to exercise more frequently? How often? Improve the health of your lifestyle - then in what way? Once you know what your goal is then you can use your awareness of it to create an action plan. Turn the big step, into little steps. Otherwise it all becomes overwhelming and you don’t make it past the first couple of weeks. Include in those mini goals your steps towards reaching that main goal - exercise, nutrition, personal achievements along the way.
Then, you need to change your thoughts, attitude and negative habits.  Create a positive mental focus.  Why is it so important to you that you achieve the goals you are after? You’ve got to really think about that answer and how your changes are going to enhance your life. Nutrition and exercise are critical components to your success - but without the right mental focus you’re never going to succeed. You’ve got to be ready to make proactive changes because no matter what your end goal, it’s often going to be hard work.
Decide to put yourself on the top of your priority list. Unless YOU FEEL ‘worthy’ of the end result you won’t be able to put any of your weightloss, health or fitness goals into action. It’s just a back and forth battle.
Your unconscious thought patterns, your habits, beliefs, your values, your way of thinking... are the core fundamentals of your mental attitude - the driving force that determine everything in your life. Understand which actions, habits, beliefs, values and toxic attitudes you own that have been sabotaging your life until now. Shift your thinking. Psychologically many hold onto their ‘extra weight’ for protection or other negative reasons. This needs to change to be successful.
Once you begin to understand your own mind in more detail and begin to make the necessary shifts you then need to create new habits, nutritionally. Create an individual meal plan for yourself. Once created, you can then organise to shop and prepare your food on a regular basis. To have the energy to be successful each day, preparation is a MUST. Nutrition is such a broad topic and so individual with what is required, but we all know the basics and we’ve covered many areas over the past few weeks. Cut out the sugar. Completely!! It’s actually an addiction we acquire, usually when babies. And it can be eliminated. Avoid processed foods, take away, fried food, soft drink. You want nutritionally dense food that will help you reach your optimal level of health.
Then. There is exercise. Walking or training at home is great, so certainly keep at it, but if you’re doing it on your own, it seldom works long term. Our bodies often adapt to the level of fitness we are at so exercise needs to be progressive, and we need to be continually shocking and challenging our bodies.
Commit yourself to joining a gym. Use a personal trainer if you need to and stick to set times. The benefits are huge and go well beyond that ‘session’ you may spend with them. A trainer makes you accountable, creating an
awareness and shift in your behaviour.
I guide and support all my clients, encouraging and motivating them to stick to their plan which increases the chance of success at reaching their goals. Individual needs are a top priority.
Throughout your journey, there are bound to be some hiccups. It’s a rollercoaster ride for sure! No matter how motivated, disciplined or focused you are, occasionally it will seem like a LOT of work for little results. You will wonder why you bother! Too much effort! Other moments it will seem easier, the load, light. But how bad do you want your results? How determined are you? Please never give up. Because it IS worth it! You can choose to work towards your goals, taking each day as it comes and fight through. Or, you can choose...  not to.
As simple as that. Make the former, your choice. Make your life, an amazing  and healthy one.
Each day brings a new opportunity for you to grow by creating NEW habits that will enhance your energetic new lifestyle. Remember we are a product of our own habits so we must change our habits if we truly desire change.
This week, make a focussed choice, to work positively, towards your goals! Cheers, Ann.