Let’s talk weight loss.
 
Are you're doing it the right way or the wrong way?
 
I'm not going to tell you what you should be eating. We are bombarded with so much information, overloaded with the latest trend and what foods to avoid. All I will say is that we are all so bio diverse, so we must be intuitive with our body and tune into what feels right for you.
 
Instead.....
 
I'm going to delve into the mindset side of weight loss. Are you coming from a place of control, frustration and watching absolutely everything that you eat? 

Pull your imagination out of your head, stretch it, make it bigger and squish it back into your head.

Ok, now your ready......

Imagine YOU in the future and where you want her to be. What is your ultimate goal and aspirations for your future YOU in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years time?

Seems too far away to focus on?

I'm going to use weight loss as an example here but you can use any goal in your life.

Have you ever said this to yourself before...

" I'll start when I have more confidence."

We wait for the courage to make a change and hope some day it will land in our lap. How long has this mindset kept you frozen where you are and unable to move forward or take the baby step needed to get get started.

​
​The chances are, you've been waiting a while and the confidence hasn't arrived?

It's the ACTION that we take that creates the confidence and not the other way round. We all have had to start from the beginning at some point. Had to feel nervous and vulnerable, worry about failing or not doing it as well as we'd thought we could or fallen down and felt embarrassed. 

Do you compare yourself to those who have got what you want and wish you had their confidence to do it?

As the Dalai Lama quotes 'a common mistake is to have expectations of quick results.  I feel it is more wise to practice without eyes anxious for signs of quick enlightenment.'

During your path of change, you may feel like you're not getting anywhere. Some days seem like you've even gone backwards and completely tests your ability or confidence to move forward and through the frustration that overwhelms your mad monkey mind. But overtime the small acts of the habit will create a profound change in your life.

I love this analogy I read in my latest read. If you want to start a fire by rubbing 2 sticks together, it won't happen if you stop and start and most defiantly not if you just think about it. I mention it so much but the secret is PRACTICE and CONSISTENCY. 10 minutes everyday is so much more realistic and worthwhile rather than 2 hours over a month. 

To help you with your motivation along the way, focus on your performance rather than the results. 

I'll use exercise as an example. You have started exercising and your MAD Monkey mind is telling you that you can't see a difference in your waistline. Your mind questions whether this is worthwhile and perhaps it's time you give up as its a complete waste of time. It's taken me so much mental and physical effort to get here with no results with how I look. Just look at that role of fat. (I've heard women talk to themselves like this many times.)

Where do you get your motivation from at this point? Instead, focus on your performance. Can you do an extra push up that you couldn't do before. Can you hold the plank for longer, can you lift that heavy box of wine from the car which you couldn't do before (a genuine observation from one of my clients.)

Slow and steady wins the race and embarks on the biggest changes, not counting your kilos on the scale every day out of habit and to aid your mind into shaming you. 

What can you do now that you couldn't do before? What changes in your mind have you done by doing the mental push ups that you didn't do before? Saying no to the mind making you feel guilty for taking time out and honoring the action. The consistent action it takes to maintain your new sustainable habit.

Guess what, it all comes down and starts with the internal chatter of the mind. Watch those thoughts and know you can overcome any blocks. 

The start is the hardest part, the rest is just repeat.

Speak soon x

Any action we take is because of a feeling we want to feel; a habit, an item, a lifestyle. It's not the actual destination but the good feeling we think we will feel when we get there.

Wherever you are right now has come about from a thought. Our thoughts create our feelings which determine what action we will take.

Are you on the go from the moment you wake up? Your head may fill with panic as you open your eyes in the morning and take your first leap out of bed thinking of your To Do list. Your feet might not have even touched the ground before you’re holding that cup of coffee for an instant energy fix as you juggle your morning tasks. You may not even remember the last time you sat down to just BE. There’s too much to be done to sit down.

Is this sounding like the average day for you?

The first steps in your change may seem tiny, insignificant or the equivalent of 1% of where you want to be. They seem so unimportant that we use it as a way to stay still and stagnant. But we know there is a cost to staying stuck and comfortable. No GROWTH.

The 1% is the most important part of your journey but it's also the hardest part as it takes the most effort. Getting past that zero point to create motion and action will challenge your mind so much as it persuades you to put it on your virtual shelf for some day in the future that never comes... 'One day when you have the time or effort.'

A mindful picture I took when I was recently in Ubud, Bali, having a mindful moment.

Do you see your path, know exactly where you want to be or even feel or know what you want but struggling to take action? Do you feel the path looks uneven, a little scary and too far to reach?

Is fear and doubt winning and taking over? Not starting or procrastination is just a form of fear. Fear that you'll look stupid if you don't succeed and wrapping up your self worth in achieving your goals.

You may not even think you're procrastinating and putting those blocks in, so I thought i'd highlight a few ways you might be playing it safe and avoiding taking action.

​Have you recently taken those first steps with a new habit or have you been trying out your new habit for a while and are feeling overwhelmed with the whole process, questioning whether it will get easier, when will I feel or see the results for the effort I've been putting in? When will I see changes?!

​Creating and managing new healthy and existing habits can be a challenge at times and from my previous blog, you know it's completely normal to have the self doubt creep in and you begin to lose your motivation! We've all been there!