The stronger your want is for your goals, the closer you become to achieving them! This is called creating your will power. So MANY people think, they don't have any will power, or they are not "determined people." I hear all the time, "Christine, I'm just not disciplined" or "I am weak." NO you’re not! That's BS, because you’re not weak in raising your children, you're not weak at your job, you're not weak at all! So why sell yourself something that's not true? Problem is: You’re just not connected with your true wants. Your mind and heart may have a slight disconnection. They can be lacking synchronicity.
This is the perfect time to discover what you really want for yourself. Is it an image that you think you should live up to, or is it a true want that makes you feel good? In order to be successful at any task, you really do have to want it! Yes, it's a commitment but so rewarding. I meet so many different types of people on a daily basis who possess a variety of goals. Those who are successful are able to keep their goals in the forefront of their minds and constantly remind themselves in a loving way that everything they truly need comes from within.
And the most amazing thing is, once you make this connection, this powerful choice is a mirror reflection upon everything in your life. You don't need anyone to believe in your dreams to be successful. You don't need anyone to believe in you to "help you lose weight or get healthy." It's just a choice that you decide to make when you really want something. Please trust me when I say this, it is so exciting and life changing to watch you build through consistency.
A long time ago, I really struggled with my weight and the motivation to get out there and exercise. I sold myself every BS line there ever was...I will start on Monday, " just let me sleep 5 more minutes and then I will get up and exercise," "as soon as I come home from work, I will go for a run...,” yada ...yada ...yada, and then, I went to the opposite end of the spectrum... I used to FREAK out in the morning if I didn’t carve out exactly the time I needed to fit everything in my workout. I didn't take phone calls because if I did I felt I lost the "energy" to work out. Then, I stressed about it. I worried if I missed exercise for even a day or two, then my body would get used to taking a break and would become lazy and I would lose my drive. Basically I sold myself a lot of nonsense because I wasn't connected with why I wanted my goals and I wasn't trusting myself... I had no confidence that I could be consistent without falling into the perimeters of being perfect.
One special person in my life guided me to see that everything that I will ever need in life comes from within. He asked me quite simply, "What do want for yourself?” For me, I feel so good when I am physically strong, and all the little details of perfectionism don't seem so important and my life has a better meaning when I am physically strong. So in realizing this, I threw away trying to be perfect, I thought about what it would take for me to reach my goals and day by day, I ate healthier, I exercised freely with daily goals, and I built a consistent foundation that worked for me and the rewards are endless. Consistency is such a confidence booster! I realized I had control over my choices and I was healthy, happy, thin and proud.
As an athlete, I compete a lot in races and sports. I am always trying to find ways to conquer my inner obstacles and although I use so many methods to self-soothe and focus on the task at hand, the one thing I always remember when I am feeling off is, "how bad do I want it?" Connecting myself with those wants always shifts my focus back to a good place. Your wants may change as you grow in life, so just keep staying in touch with yourself. Connect with your true wants, and see how it serves you.
Here are some simple weight loss tips that work for my clients and me:
1. Drink water with very meal. (Science says we should drink half of our body weight in ounces daily). This will help you feel fuller, eat less and water aids in fat loss.
2. Eat every 2-3 hours with a proper combination of proteins, carbs and fats to keep your blood sugars stable and your metabolism going (note: each one of these macro nutrients has a digestion time and by combining them, it will allow your metabolism to work at a steady pace for digestion). For example: Instead of eating a simple sugar alone, (which will digest in 20-min to 1 hr), then cause an insulin spike, and within that hour that spike will drop, leaving you looking for more.
3. Try to keep the sugars in the evening to a minimum. Our metabolism is working slower at night as we lower our activity level. Stored sugar (glucose) turns to fat when not utilized.
4. For best results with weight loss, cardio can be done 30-60 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week, using a variety of intervals which will not only get the heart strong *(don’t forget the heart is a muscle) which will also help change the physiology in your metabolism and burn more calories! (For people needing to lose a significant amount of weight, I suggest doing "Two a days" try doing 30 minutes of cardio in the am & 30 minutes of cardio in the evening.)
5. If you are struggling with food, dedicate one high calorie day a week where you can eat up to 500 more calories than your normally do, to keep your satiety in check.
6. Strength-train. Larger muscles burn more calories.
7. Have a healthy attitude about food. Don't make it so important. We often make plans around dinner or restaurants and I feel a healthier approach if you need to lose weight, would be to focus on the company you are keeping or make an activity date like bowling, etc. Thinking of food more as a tool for survival instead of the center of your entertainment can be very helpful.
About the Author: Christine Lusita , is a Certifed Personal Trainer & Nutritionist in the westside of Los Angeles for more info you can visit her on www.zenpenfitness.com.
