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It’s one thing to recognize the value and truth in something and it’s another thing to apply that value to YOU.

For example I love this quote by Albert Einstein: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

However from time to time I’ll judge my weakness’s alongside someone else’s strengths and surprisingly… come up short!

If you can relate then todays show is for you. Today I’m sharing:

How To Turn Your Weakness’s Into Strengths.

My caveat before we get rolling is that I’m a fan of playing to your strengths. Fish should swim.

However for each of us there are some weakness’s that are currently costing us too much. Weakness’s that can be turned into strengths one way or another. So, as it applies to body gain here are 4 ways to Turn Your Weakness’s Into Strengths:

One: Recognize and Accept The Weakness.

The perfect example here is emotional eating. If you’re an emotional eater it simply is not something you can expect yourself to beat through discipline alone. As long as you kid yourself that’ll you’re just fine keeping that tub of ice-cream in the freezer till you next have guests or that those marshmallows on the top shelf of the pantry will stay hidden until the grandkids visit… as long as you pretend you have that level of self-control, you’re setting yourself up to lose the emotional eating game.

I did this for years however now I know irrespective of how strong and focused and committed to my goal I feel right now there will be a time… perhaps after a stressful day or when I’m over tired or just at 3.30-i-tis time when the need to demolish will take over.

The solution: is to stop denying that emotional eating – or whatever it is for you – is a weakness, so that you can accept and then out plan it instead.

Two: Seek Guidance from Someone You Trust.

Perhaps you have one aspect of your training or maybe one aspect of your body that you consider to be your weakness?

I know we’re meant to love ourselves as is, and we can, however I’m yet to meet the human who can’t name the body part or several they’d welcome a magic wand to fix.

I don’t have a magic wand for you however I do believe you can turn previous problem areas into assets.

If you’ve listened to the show on Booty Love you’ll know my previous problem area! A short recap. In my first job as piano bar girl at an Italian silver service restaurant the kitchen boys would break into song whenever I exited the kitchen.

I’ll save you my singing voice. It was a Sir-Mix-Alot number: I Like Big Butts.

Now that was somewhat HUGELY mortifying for a painfully shy little 18 year old. Although I didn’t seek guidance for years, and in the event I maybe didn’t consciously think “Hmmm, who has a really great butt that I admire?” …however I do remember scanning numerous fitness magazines and implementing the exercising advice from the ladies who had the physiques I admired.

Whatever your problem area is – another one of mine was flabby thighs… oh, and another one was scrawny shoulders… my point is if it bugs you enough it’s absolutely within your ability to change. 

The solution: is to find the person who has the results you want and model the actions they take.

Three: Be Ultra Prepared. 

So this is only applicable to that weakness that really is costing you. Take ego out of it. Some things we’re going to be rubbish at and that’s ok. For example I’m pretty un-coordinated and I’m down with that. It helps me relate to any un-coordinated clients.

However is there a weakness that is costing you too much time, energy, stress, money or JOY?

In a business sense this might be public speaking or networking and maybe it’s well worth putting in extra preparation time before such an event. Getting back to body gain: Perhaps your weakness is losing consistency with your eating and exercising habits every time you have a little break to your routine?

So maybe you go great when you’re at home. However travel time is a whole different story.

Every single time you travel for work or go on holiday… even for a long weekend, you ditch your hard fought for healthy habits and then struggle to force yourself back to them once you get home.

The solution: is to put in the time before you travel to out-plan whatever stops you prioritizing your good habits while away. 

Perhaps it’s not travel for you? Whatever it is being ultra prepared will help. In fact the majority of people who excel at something excel as a result of a heap of preparation and practice.

An example that comes to mind is the person with a bad back. I’ve seen this go either way.

Person A) has recognised his back is a weakness. Maybe he’s had a past injury or maybe it’s just a accumulation of contributing factors but the fact remains his back is something to look out for. He seeks out the advice of an expert he trusts and learns the best rehab exercises to do to strengthen and support his back. And then, well equipped he’s ultra prepared and pro-active.

Prioritising the back exercises every single day, without fail. This is the person with such perfect posture it’s rare… even a strength in today’s rounded over, computer hugging society.

Person B) has the same starting point. The same opportunity to be ultra prepared. However he chooses to be reactive and wait till his back is so bad he needs to hobble off to the oesto-chiro-physio only to be asked: “Have you been doing your back exercises?” You know the answer.

Four: Outsource Your Weakness Where Appropriate.

I’m astounded at how much we expect ourselves to be expert in. When really it’s such a relief to just let go of a few things – either let go of the need to be great (or even good) if they don’t count AND if they do count, to hand other the reins and outsource your weakness.

Perhaps it’s writing your exercise programs or even making your meals.

I know not everyone can afford a personal trainer and I can’t afford a personal chef (I’d love less kitchen time though!) however there are some more cost effective ways to outsource your weakness.

=> Perhaps you’re the one in charge of food shopping and you always arrive home with that sneaky little chocolate bar or the 2 4 1 biscuit deal? Is there another member of the house who could take over shopping duties? Perhaps you could do a little duty swap? Oy maybe ordering online is not as expensive as last time you looked into it?

=> Group exercise is a super cost effective way to never write your own exercise program. It also gives you support and accountability.

=> Maybe salads are a weakness? Either you won’t eat them or you make rubbish salads! There are plenty of idea outsourcing solutions here. How about asking 5 of your friends for their fav salad recipe? Or googling your fav veg and the word salad… even your fav protein and the word salad – it’s amazing what you can hunt down. What if you try to recreate the super delish salad you ate out recently? That’s how my mum and dads fav salad of rocket, finely sliced red pinion, shaved parmesan, roasted pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil came about. It’s also the basis of my kale crisp, baby cos, poached egg and almond salad.

=> If you’re the dessert expert in your family and as much as everyone loves your lemon cheese cake and berry pavlovaand chocolate mud cake with dark chocolate butter ganache… maybe, and I know I need to tread lightly however maybe,you could swap jobs with the health freak in your family (like me!) and take over salad duty while I inflict my sugar free – flour free delicious dessert creations on everyone instead?  

I know the last one’s a long shot however I also know whether we’re talking entrees, mains, desserts or whatever… when I put effort into sharing the way I eat with others they are always pleasantly yet hugely surprised at how great food without copious (or any) amounts of refined carbs and low grade fat can taste.

To get actionable today: What’s the weakness you’ve love to turn into a strength?

Your first step is to recognise the weakness so that you can accept and then outplan it instead.

Maybe it’s something where accountability would help? Like my weakness for interval training which I out-plan by sticking to a set time and telling as many people as I can when I’m due to do it!

Wednesdays, first break longer than 15 minutes by the way!

I’m happy to help hold you accountable too if you let me know in the comments for todays show.

That’s it for this week in Healthification. Thanks so very much for spending this time with me, I genuinely appreciate it.

If you enjoyed this show the best way to let me know is to leave me an iTunes review. That’d rock.

Simply head to iTunes and search for Healthification to leave that review. Huge thanks.

If you liked this you’ll also like: How To Maximise Your Daily Eating and Exercise Discipline.

If you’re yet to share the Healthification love – just click here to zip over to iTunes and leave an honest rating and review. It’d help me out big time. With gratitude, Kate.