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I used to envy those “genetically gifted” girls and guys.

You know, the chicks whose thighs are naturally lean and cellulite free AND meant to rock short shorts? Or the guys that eat burgers and chips AND beer… and as long as they still “get to the gym” they get to stay super buff and ripped.

It’s like the smart kids at school – who didn’t need to study – and still excelled in their exams.

I’ve come to understand though, like those smart kids at school, our genetically gifted friends get complacent.

They haven’t learnt how to work hard for results, how to overcome those struggle-street times and how to stick with it for as long as it takes.

They often let even their lax (in comparison to those of us that have always slugged away at it!) standards for eating and exercising drop… and often, to their surprise and mortification – they chuck on the kilo’s. At this point Mr or Mrs “genetically gifted” seems to flick on their discipline switch and after 2 weeks of insanely-focused-hard-core-exercise and severely-punishing-food-restriction they are back to lean and buff… rockin the short shorts and guzzling the beer.

And then, they get complacent…

What does this have to do with living a healthy vegan lifestyle?

In today’s show – part 4/6 in the Becoming Vegan Series – I’m covering:

How To Educate and Accelerate Your Way To A Healthy Vegan Lifestyle. 

Today is all about giving you the best practice ways to THINK to make sure you get to keep your fit, #plantstrong, healthy body, easily, sustainably and without complacency.

I covered part 3 in show E605: How To Eliminate Limiting Beliefs and Live A Healthy Vegan Lifestyle Long Term.

I covered part 2 in show E603: How To Align Your Goal To Live A Healthy Vegan Lifestyle Long Term.

I covered part 1 in show E601: 6 Step System To Becoming Vegan and Living A Healthy Vegan Lifestyle Long Term.

What we’re going to do is equip you with the tools that make eating great vegan food and exercising consistently natural rather than discipline reliant.

Why?  Discipline is limited. It’s never a long term solution.

So, let’s get rolling with How to ditch a reliance on discipline and ensure your thoughts are HELPING you achieve your goal. In 3 steps:

Step 1: Utilise the power of your language.

The way you talk, especially your SELF TALK, can have a huge impact on how you feel – whether you feel certain, confident and positive. Or, the reverse.

You know “self talk” – it’s that lil gremlin on your shoulder – who will often shout down that lil angel on your other shoulder… it spouts rubbish like:

“You always give in at some point – why not just have those hot chips now thunder thighs and be done with it!”

Or: “It’s freezing outside and so gorgeously cosy in bed, roll over and have a tad more shut-eye, you deserve it and exercise is soooo boring!”

Shut the gremlin down. Because your unconscious mind is listening to – and believing – everything that gremlin says. Your unconscious can’t differentiate between fact and fiction – so it makes sense to feed it language that fuels a positive frame of mind and subsequent positive actions.

In short: Be conscious when choosing your language because it can carry massive emotional intensity.

You can use that emotional intensity in 3 ways:

A). To build the pleasure or intensify the pain.

When I state “I love crispy brussel sprouts” Do I really mean, I love them as much as my family? Of course not!

Or a good Shiraz with a close girlfriend? No way.

Or my most sexy super-fav pair of jeans? Hell no!

However, I’m intensifying the good and the pleasure in the same way that I am conscious to avoid intensifying the pain when I talk about cardio.

“I hate cardio doesn’t make it any easier for me to do”

“I LOVE the way I feel when I finish my cardio” does make it easier to just make a start.

B). To feel possibilities or pressure.

Language filled with pressure is anything that begins with “I have to” or “I should” or “I must”

“I have to go for a walk”

Test it out. You feel less inclined to DO that that thing you feel pressured to do right?

However a simple switch to “I want to” or “I can” or “I choose to” gives you choice and possibilities.

“I CAN go for a walk”

Even that simple one word switch makes me think that Yes it is my choice to go for that walk if I decide it’s a priority and actually I’m really grateful that I can. That I have the time and the health to do it.

C). To find the best in a situation or to focus on the worst.

As just demonstrated, one word can help you filter in the best and filter out the worst.

By ‘filter’ I’m referring to our natural process of filtering the information that hits our 5 senses every moment.

More on that soon… here’s an example, when I say, “Preparing healthy meals in advance is painfully boring, hugely expensive and an absolute time suck” your emotional response is likely different to if I were to choose this language, “Preparing great whole food plant based meals lets me feel organized and in control. I know I’m investing my time and money well by creating my most confident and efficient body.”

Step 2: Utilise the power of Focus.

This is where we explore the info that hits your 5 senses every moment – it’s a lot – 2 million bits of info in fact. To cope you filter in around 7 chunks… AND the vital component is you filter in based on your own unique beliefs and experiences – or more so what you’re choosing to make those experiences mean.

In short: When you are intentional with your focus and focus on the positive, the learnings, the opportunities AND on what you can control, then you will filter in more of the same.

Think of your unconscious mind as a 5 year child or eager little puppy dog that just wants to please you and goes hunting for evidence of whatever thoughts you’re choosing to entertain… well how about this – your unconscious mind LOVES questions. If you ask it a question it will just go hunting for evidence and won’t stop till it gets it (loyal little thing!). So what if you were to ask yourself questions like: “Why do I always hold myself back?”

Just think of the (nasty) answers that puppies going to come back with. Alternatively if you were to run with something like: “How can I be even more confident and focused on living a healthy day every day?” I’m much more excited to think of what that pups going to work for you (24/7!) on dragging back!

You can focus and filter your experiences in 3 ways:

A). To Generalise to your advantage or disadvantage.

I used to generalise that ALL cardio was hideous and that ALL salads were bland, boring and pretty much a waste of time. I’d filter in evidence to support my belief (because there is a lot of evidence right?) and the vicious cycle perpetuated of either avoiding any cardio and salad or feeling resentful and hard done by when I put myself through either.

What have you been generalising that has been a convenient excuse?

B). To Distort to your advantage or disadvantage.

Regularly I meet ladies who have distorted that to lift weights will result in a massively bulky, chunky physique. They filter in evidence of figure models or body builders who look bigger than “their personal” ideal. And surmise – incorrectly – that picking up a dumbbell or having a protein shake will lead to a radical change in their body. If only it was that easy!

What have you been distorting that has been sabotaging your efforts?

C). To Delete to your advantage or disadvantage.

For years I deleted any evidence of lean, ripped soy consuming vegan athletes… I had once heard (I don’t even know where) that soy can mimic the effect of estrogen in your body and in doing so send your estrogen levels outta whack. AND as a result, lead to extra fat storage in estrogen sensitive areas such as your hips and thighs! I had my blinkers one so far as any research to suggest that perhaps the simple soy bean might be the victim of animal agriculture propaganda in the same way that as consumers we’re led to believe there might be such a thing as “happy meat” or “humane killing.”

Eventually I decided to look into it… to my joy I learnt that soy is not going to give me thunder thighs or give a gent man boobs. I share my findings (and my current  Go2 soy recipes in show 518: To Eat SOY Or Not To Eat Soy?

What have you been deleting that if filtered in would help your create your best #plantstrong body?

Step 3: Utilise the power of Physiology.

Have you noticed that happy, positive, healthy people tend to get around all slumped over and lethargic?

Yeah, me neither.

The fact is motion creates emotion. Whether you’re by nature an enthusiastic and high energy type of person or not – you can cultivate and nurture these qualities. You can use your physiology to initiate changes in your physique in 3 ways:

A). To recognise that when you’re feeling flat your posture is painting that exact story.

Test it out. Recall the last time you felt absolutely exhausted. Totally wrecked, nothing left to give. You know – when you’re dragging yourself home after a huge day at the tail-end of a huge week at the tail-end of a huge month and you’re so tired – your body feels so heavy – that you’re are tempted to just drop to the ground, curl up on the footpath and go to sleep…

B). To acknowledge that taking responsibility for getting moving or choosing to wallow in your fatigue is 100% within your control.

Yes, there are times when your body just flat out needs and deserves some chillaxation! However, dragging yourself through super-slow-mode need not be your default speed!

I bet you all know someone who drags themself through their day… and their life. They do everything slowly and with maximum effort. Even watching them is tiring. Likely you also know the person who always seems to be bouncing outta their skin energised? Its your choice which one you are.

And, Yes it really is that simple. If you’ve never been the bouncing outta your skin person, I’ll let you in on a little secret… those people sometimes have to fake their bounce! They do it because they know motion creates emotion and acting “as if” will likely lead to them feeling as if. Equally, indulging slow and tired will always build on itself.

C). To commit to some simple additions to your daily routine that making moving more natural.

You just will not drag yourself to happy and energised. So, the question becomes “Which is the more enjoyable way to spend your day?” It’s an obvious answer right? So here are some actions to implement or better yet, take the time to come up with some actions of your own.

=> Perhaps, getting up and stretching for a couple of minutes every hour or so at work.

=> Maybe always taking the stairs or walking up the elevator.

=> Maybe getting off the bus a stop or two early or even better – walking to work.

=> Investing in a stand-up desk or insisting on walking meetings.

=> Finding the song that makes you want to get up and move whenever you hear it and having it ready to play at your natural slump time of the day.

What next?

You guessed it – it’s the time of the actionable.

First though, you may be thinking these seem like fairly inconsequential steps to take so far as creating your best #plantstrong body.

Perhaps you’re tempted to ask: Kate, just tell me what to eat and what to never eat!

The thing is, Your Language, Your Focus and Your Physiology have so much power over your results – I can share what to eat, what to avoid and even the very best way to exercise HOWEVER:

1. You have a fairly good idea of what to do anyway. Although I have my personal beliefs around “The Best Ways” (and disclaimer they are ALL vegan and primarily whole foods) the fact is many ways to eat and exercise will work – if you stick to them.
2. Each step we cover in this 6 part series is designed to make it easier for you to stick to whatever way to eat and exercise best fits into your lifestyle.

Here is your action step:

Track your language, focus and physiology for a day. ONE day. That’s all I’m asking.

Once you have an awareness of what you’re choosing to FILTER IN to your life then you can decide whether you want more of the same?

Or, whether it’s worth the initial effort required – a period of manufacturing the best case way to think (even if it feels fake and staged) for long enough until it comes naturally without effort or discipline – to make a change and ensure your thoughts are helping you achieve your fit, #plantstrong, healthy body and sustainable vegan lifestyle.

I really excited to share this weeks interview with you.

I’m chatting with the individuals who wrote my most valued / Go2 book on the matter of veganism and animal rights activism. If that doesn’t sound as exciting as it feels to me (!) then I should share this couple are certainly up there with the most polarising people in animal rights.

I was both nervous and hugely excited for this long planned chat. Only one question was met with initial silence and something along the lines of “I’m not sure what you’re asking!”

That’s a teaser. In truth this weeks interview was such an honour and genuine pleasure. Stay tuned for E608: where I chat with Gary Francione and Anna Charlton authors of Eat Like You Care: An Examination of the Morality of Eating Animals.

That’s it for today in Healthification. Thank you so very must for trusting me with your time and attention today. It means a lot.

The Healthification podcast is proudly bought to you by my FREE ‘Easy Vegan’ plan. It took me 25 years to transition from a meat eater to a happy, healthy Vegan! You can do it in just 3 days with  my simplified ‘easy vegan’ plan!  Get the fit, strong, and healthy plant based body you deserve… while avoiding ALL the mistakes I made along the way!

Till next time, remember Creating a body and life you love is Freedom. (If this ex-carb queen, non genetically gifted, naturally uncoordinated vegan chick can do it – so can YOU!!!)

If you liked “How To Educate and Accelerate Your Way To A Healthy Vegan Lifestyle” you’ll also like: The Best Advice I Wish I Knew Prior To Adopting A Vegan Lifestyle.

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.