It is very true that if being healthy was easy that every person would be healthy. We all have our excuses too. The biggest one being time. I have to say, we all have the same number of hours in the day. I often feel like I preach about habits and priorities. The choices you make each day, reflect your priorities and will determine your level of health. Seems so easy.
But there is so much more than that. A huge key to physical health is not the number you see on the scale or on the tag of your jeans. Your mindset is huge. For some people, you just are not in the right mental frame to make healthy choices a priority. I find myself more intrigued with the mental health, total transformation aspect of weight loss the longer I am working with people. I have seen people get so excited and hyped by the support when they announce they are beginning a weight loss journey, that is enough for them to feel successful. I have seen people lose 100 pounds, only to gain it back when life happens.
I listened to Andie Mitchell’s interview on Girls Gone WOD podcast recently, and she really hit it home for me. She talked about how when you are on a weight loss journey, you envision this finish line. In actuality, once you lose the weight, there is no finish line, just more of life. You need to love yourself at your current weight, yet love yourself enough to change your lifestyle habits. Andie has been open about needing therapy once the weight was gone, to cope. It makes sense, when you think about it, if you always turned to food, what do you have when you no longer use food as a coping mechanism?
“The first step towards getting somewhere, is deciding that you are not going to stay where you are.” J.P. Morgan
Once you decide that you are going to be healthy, and that you can be successful, suddenly you will make the time. For meal prepping and planning, for exercising, for getting enough sleep. There is not a blue print to follow, but having the mindset that it can be done, will bring you success.
Along this journey of being healthy, I have noticed my greatest growth and change has happened when I have focused on my mental health. I think it is important to point out that it is an evolving process. Over the course of this journey, I too, have wanted to not meal plan, skip the water, and not had time to work out. When I get my mindset right, everything comes back in order.
What have you noticed about your mindset? Do you need an affirmation, journal time, or meditation to change your mindset?