Tag: weight loss

Tried diet after diet with no long-term results? Maybe you're starving yourself and lose a few pounds just to put it all back on (and sometimes more!) as soon as you resume eating normally? Perhaps you've been focusing on exercising vigorously but the pounds are not shifting? You become frustrated, give up and then the whole cycle resumes with the next hopeful approach to health and fitness.

How different would your life be, if staying healthy and fit just became part of your lifestyle? So much so that you didn't even have to think about it.

We know we need to put the right things in our body and use it in the right way but what stops us from doing this on a consistent basis? I've discovered that your mindset and more specifically your beliefs have a profound impact on your level of health and fitness. You see, what you believe is what you become! Your beliefs are what motivate you and drive your actions. 

In this blog, we'll explore:

• Health and fitness as a foundational element to a successful lifestyle
• The difference between empowering and disempowering beliefs when it comes to achieving our health and fitness goals
• Your specific beliefs and how they support/hinder your success in this area
• The power of your imagination
• Action steps you can can take right now to move forward with your health and fitness goals

How to Read This Blog

Just curious?

• Feel free to skim and take in whatever you like

Looking to improve your health and fitness?

• You don't want every detail just the 'big picture'
• Check out the Actions to take right now 

Want to geek out on the detail?

• Be sure to check out the highlighted 'delve deeper box' 

Not sure where to even start!

• Pay particular attention to the end where I share how I can personally support you in achieving your desired levels of health and fitness.

Why Do We Struggle With Health and Fitness?

A big part of this is our beliefs. What are your beliefs and how much time have you spent reflecting upon them? A belief is something we hold to be true (with or without proof). Many of us haven't spent much time examining our beliefs. For instance, where do they come from exactly? Our beliefs tend to come from our parents, schooling, culture. How do these beliefs serve or hinder us? This questions becomes very important when we want to create a change, especially when it comes to self-improvement or striving to achieve the next level of success in a given area of our lives.

Let’s examine the idea of beliefs more closely in relation to health and fitness. Notice how some of these are empowering beliefs, that help you to achieve your goals of vibrant health and fitness. Others are disempowering beliefs which often can be self-fulfilling prophecies.

Disempowering Health and Fitness Beliefs

Disempowering or limiting beliefs can turn us into victims - we become 'at effect' or helpless to the things that we deem to be out of our control. If we refuse to take responsibility as creators of our own experiences (or reality), then when a problem inevitably occurs - we have no power to change it. We end up in a place where we feel stuck, frustrated and disempowered.

If you believe you create your own reality, then if you don’t like your circumstances you change them!

We create our reality through both our physical and mental actions. As you think so you become. What you put your focus on you get more of it.  Do any of the following statements look familiar? You may have heard others say these or they could be deeply held beliefs of your own. 

• I'm big boned!
• Heart disease and diabetes run in the family
  
• Nothing works for me - I've tried it all!

Empowering Health and Fitness Beliefs

Empowering beliefs help you to take back control. Beliefs are like unconscious programmes that run in the background without us consciously being aware of them. This programming influences your decisions, choices and actions. Adopting empowering beliefs and thereby running a new programme, will help you to make the right conscious choices that support your health and fitness desires. Here's some examples of empowering beliefs:

• I take charge of my physics health and therefore my life
• I make conscious choices when it comes to what I put into my body and what I do with it
• My body is intelligent and knows how to heal and rejuvenate itself

Now, it's time to reflect upon (or perhaps discover) your beliefs with the action steps below.

Actions to Take Right Now

Firstly, find a quiet spot to do this exercise. Grab a piece of paper or open a new document on your device. 

1. FINISH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITH WHATEVER COMES TO MIND: 'I MUST...' Doing this will reveal your deepest held beliefs. 
2. WRITE IT DOWN AND REPEAT UNTIL YOU HAVE SIX OR SO STATEMENTS
3. READ ONE OF THE STATEMENTS OUT LOUD AND THEN ASK YOURSELF: 'WHAT would happen IF I DIDN'T?' This is a really important question because it will help determine whether your belief is limiting you or empowering you. Read out loud each statement and then ask yourself the same question:  “What would happen if I didn’t?” Just keep asking the questions and writing up each reply.
4. Understanding why your beliefs are so important 
   (1). What beliefs do you hold (or could adopt) that are empowering or serving you well and that you want to retain?
   (2). What beliefs do you hold that are limiting or disempowering you?
5. Write down what you actually want. Knowing what you want on an intellectual level is one thing but actually writing it down is something entirely different. The process of writing down what you want makes it real, tangible and helps you to clarify your desires. 
   What is your vision for your health and fitness? Here are some examples:
   • I plan to live till at least 00 years old and have an amazing quality of life
   • I am a lean, toned, and a flexible size x
   • I get the quantity and quality of deep of sleep I need on a regular basis
6. Why is what you want so important to you?
   Understanding the reason behind why you want what you want is key to unlocking success because this is what will motivate you. Answer the following two questions:
   (1). What pain are you currently experiencing as a result of where you are now?
   (2). What will you gain by achieving your desired outcomes?

Remember, what you believe today is not necessarily what you believed ten years ago or what you'll believe ten years from now. Beliefs evolve or change as you get more data (new information, experiences etc). Reflecting on why you hold certain beliefs is a useful way of staying open and receptive to new new ideas as you evolve as a human being.

Taking Consistent Action

One of the best ways to positively evolve and grow as a human being is the consistent habit of stretching yourself. The willingness to stretch yourself on a consistent basis will open you to new opportunities to learn and grow. We’re more than what we believe we are as humans. Stretching yourself not only helps you acquire new skills and resources but it positively impacts your beliefs by showing you that you can do things that you perhaps didn’t believe you could do once upon a time - ' If I can do that - what else can I do?' Often, our thinking is what limits us and this is underpinned by our beliefs.

Make a Commitment in the Comments Section 

Make a commitment to do something beyond your present ability. Make a public commitment in the comments section below and share it with someone who will hold you accountable and ask you about it. When it comes to improving your health and fitness, a meal plan and an exercise regime that works for you will be 80-90% of your success! There is a ton of nutritional and exercise information out there - it can be contradictory and overwhelming at times but you can do it! Commit to taking action - begin with one small step and then another and so on! This stacking effect will get you results - each step will build on the one before, creating momentum and ultimately getting you to your desired outcomes. Here's some suggestions, remember to consult your medical doctor where needed. 

• Speaking to a nutritionist
• Buying a highly relevant book
• Researching online

Devise a Strategy

Once you've armoured yourself with the information you need. Decide on what strategy you're going to use to make it happen? It is important to not be disheartened as you may need to try several different strategies before you find what works for you and your body type. Treat it like an experiment, you're getting feedback on what's working and not working, making necessary tweaks along the way. It's who you become along the journey and not just about the destination - so enjoy the journey!

Create a Feedback Loop

The other key ingredient is to have a feedback loop. If there is no way of us knowing whether we're on the right track or making progress, we're likely to give up. So set measurable goals and targets. Remember you're not relying on 'will power' alone but your empowering beliefs, which is you're compelling why/purpose for taking action.

One of the most powerful tools you can use is free and enjoyable. If you want to delve deeper continue reading.

Delve Deeper Box

The Power of Your Imagination

Mentally rehearsing your goals is really motivating because it makes what we desire real and appealing to us. What we imagine, has a real impact on our body. Research shows how athletes improve their performance by mentally rehearsing even without physical practice. 

Being clear about what you want helps you to see opportunities where you might not have otherwise. I talk more about the science behind this i.e. the reticular activation system in the mind chapter of my sleep book which you can download here.

There are so many benefits to mentally rehearsing - you can anticipate potential problems and solve them beforehand. It also makes your outcomes more clear and specific - breaking it down into smaller steps and then turning it into an action plan. This process then encourages you to ask yourself: what resources do I have to achieve my outcome - money, role models, personal skills and talents?

Recognise Your Destination

How will you know when you’ve achieved your desired outcomes? What will you see, hear and feel? How will it impact those around you? What are you doing now that is serving you well that you can continue doing?

Wishing You Health and Fitness Success!

I hope you’ve gained some tangible steps to move forward with your health and fitness goals and desires. However, if you feel completely stuck or don't know where to even begin or just want to be supported through the process - read on! 

Your Health and Fitness Visioning Session

In this 60 mins session, we will:

• Gain clarity on what a health and fitness lifestyle would look like for you
• The biggest limiting/disempowering belief stopping you from achieving this vision
• Leave knowing exactly what you need to do next to bring this vision to life

First, book a free discovery call to see if we're a good fit. 

Disclaimer: This blog is for information purposes only and must not be construed as professional advice.

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