I used to believe weight loss was 70% food & 30% exercise.  

I’m now certain it’s 100% Mindset.

If your mind is STUCK you’re wasting your time moving your body.

Move your mindset to the ‘I Can’ empowered way of thinking, that’s the long term, sustainable solution.

Sometimes a little spark, or nudge into motion is all that’s needed to take that next step forward…

 

“Between stimulus and response man has the freedom to choose, and in these choices lie our growth and our happiness.”

Viktor Frankl, Psychiatrist and Holocaust-survivor

=> There’s certainty in knowing that although you can’t know exactly what’s coming over the next day, Month, YEAR – you can know you’re going to rise to the occasion.

The ultimate freedom is the ability to assume 100% responsibility and choose how you respond to any given person or situation.

 

“Successful people form the habit of doing what failures don’t like to do. They like the results they get by doing what they don’t necessarily enjoy.”

Earl Nightingale, Motivational Speaker

=> A lot of success has simple to do with your ability to tolerate stuff. To handle it. The fact is once you realize fat loss is difficult, it becomes SIMPLE.

The actions you need to take might be difficult to do as consistently as is necessary, however they are simple.

Once you simply knuckle down, you will see the basics really do work. The trick is to create the mindset that makes it easy to DO the things you used to find it difficult to commit to consistently.

 

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.”

H. Jackson Brown, Author

=> Some days you’ll feel tired / busy / possibly unwell / perhaps there will be an event beyond your control …whatever in the past has been an excuse to skip an exercise session or resort to food that does not support your ultimate physique, health and performance is not even an option.

Out plan and out think those old excuses.

 

“If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.”

Author unknown

=> Convenience is the most common reason for resorting to refined food.  That’s no longer an excuse as now natural, whole foods are easily available – as premixed salad greens, UNdressed coleslaw, mixed frozen veg… once you find your favs, you’ll find they’re as quick to grab as the refined alternate.

I’m not hugely disciplined, however I am a planner and I regularly out-plan my lack of discipline.

The smart/planner part of me sets up a ‘trick’ or effective strategy for the more impulsive emotional part of me to follow. The key is this must be done AHEAD OF TIME!

A lot of people lay out their exercise gear the night before (I’ve heard some even sleep in it!)

My tactics are more food related… I always eat before I head out if I’m not certain what food will be available and I always have a healthy meal prepared if I know I’ll be home late.  I avoid keeping my ‘trigger foods’ like nuts, nut butter, or bread at home.  I never buy more of a ‘treat’ meal than I’m comfortable with consuming that day.

 

“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.”

Chinese proverb

=> What you’re not willing to do will reveal how committed you are to what you want to do.

It’s a sad fact that in todays society being fit and lean is no longer ‘normal’ …this means to get and stay fit and lean you need to do things that normal people don’t.

1. Get up earlier to exercise.

2. Take your lunch to work.

3. Ask for adjustments to the menu.

4. Ditch the car when you can and just move more.

5. Eat a great dinner regardless of how late it is / tired you are / long your day was.

Make yourself stronger than your excuses.

 

“You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Player

=> The pain of regret of NOT doing something is generally a lot worse than the pain of just doing it.

 

“I’ve had thousands of problems in my life, most of which have never happened.”

Mark Twain, Author

=> All of our problem are problems of the imagination AND all of our solutions are solutions of the imagination.  Every behavior is created by imagination …imagine how good the chocolate will taste (for a couple of mins max!) v. imagine how great you’ll feel after training (ALL day & beyond). Choose your focus wisely.

How often has a unique perspective, be it yours or from someone else, provided the solution when you thought you were completely stuck?

How much of your time do you spend focusing on the 90% of problems that will never actually happen?

 

“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of it’s troubles. It empties today of it’s strength.”

Corrie ten Boom.

=> If you’re creating mental obstacles about an event that may never happen, then you’re wasting energy and creating unnecessary stress and pain.

You’re too smart to be the only thing standing in your way.

 

“I have learnt more from my failures than my successes.”

Richard Branson, Business Magnate and Investor

=> There’s nothing that can be done about the past – except learn from it – AND where appropriate, do things even better in the future.

 

“Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better.”

Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Author and Motivational Speaker

=> You can’t control making things easier, you do have absolute control over being better.

Challenges make us realize how important our goals are – “What am I willing to do to make this the way I want it?

 

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Oscar Wilde, Writer and Poet

=> Stop competing with others and start competing with yourself.

It’s doesn’t matter where you’re starting from – it IS important to push yourself beyond what is ‘comfortable’, there will be no strolling on the fat blasting highway (!) …as with everything worth achieving, hard work is necessary.

 

“Everyone is a genius but if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Albert Einstein, Physicist

=> We all are unique in our body-type, lifestyle and our abilities AND ALSO in our beliefs, passions and goals.

Don’t lose weight to conform to society’s ideal or meet someone else’s expectations. Be your healthiest you to live aligned with your individual beliefs and values and to make yourself proud.

 

“You are not beaten until you admit it.”

George Patton, General

=> Does the FEAR of giving it your best shot – 100% – and failing… out-way the pleasure of success?

Is it safer to always know you’ve still got the “I could try harder” card up your sleeve. To hold onto the DREAM, rather than making it a reality?

Failure ONLY happens when you give up.  While you’ll still taking action – no matter how small – each day, failure is never an option and not worth fearing.

 

“We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once.”

Calvin Coolidge, 30th U.S. President

=> The One Action Approach.  Sometimes EVERYTHING that we know we should be doing can get just a little – yes – That ‘O’ word… taking any one action is always going to be more effective than sitting and worrying about how you’re going to accomplish all of your actions.

Yes, with all the options for training & nutrition it’s possible to get stuck analyzing & never actually start.

SOMETHING is always going to be better than nothing – don’t be a perfectionist waiting for the perfect program or the perfect timing, jump in & just make a start.

Plus, it get’s you outta ‘stuck mode’ and into progress mode.  What’s one action that will bring you closer to your goal?

 

“Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.”

Warren Buffett, Business Magnate, Investor, and Philanthropist

=> How often have you started with the same old approach to exercise and nutrition that has failed in the past with the hope that this time it will be different?  Honestly.

Try something new – not your old strategy that hasn’t been working. Instead model the person who already has the result you want. If it’s hard you will want to revert to the old unsuccessful approach – DON’T – you need to either persist or if that’s not an option realize you’ve successfully identified another way that doesn’t work and find another way.

 

“What you resist not only persists, but will grow in size.” 

Carl Jung, Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist

=> Apply this to the way you think about exercise – how ‘difficult’ it is to do consistently?

How about some credit for the exercise you HAVE completed this week instead? Perhaps you’re even enjoying it a little more each time you do it…Yep, reinforcing your positive behaviour.

 

“Nothing will content those who are not content with a little.”

Greek Proverb.

=> Stay. Grateful. Remember… someone else is happy with less than you have.

What are the little things you’re feeling content – no, GRATEFUL for right now?

 

“We are repeatedly what we do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

=>  It’s your choice to use your time to bring you closer to your goals by never letting the things that matter least take precedence over the things that matter most.

Get one major thing done that will propel you towards your most compelling goal before you do ANYTHING else each morning.

My suggestion?  Start your day with a walk or work-out.

You’ll enjoy a feeling of satisfaction that the very first decision you make each day is to keep your word to yourself and prioritize your health.

AND your nutritional choices through-out the day will be better.  It just seems to happen that way.

No ex = “Let’s start the whole ‘health kick’ fresh tomorrow.” 🙁

Ex first thing = “Yes, I can do this and my body deserves proper fuel!” 🙂

 

“If you play to win, as I do, the game never ends.”

Stan Mikita, Hockey Player

=> It’s a relief to know you’re always just one good nights sleep or one healthy meal away from being back on track.

If you’re thinking of giving up – are you focusing on how far you’ve got to go or how far you’ve already come?

 

“Go as far as you can see and when you get there you will always be able to see farther.”

Zig Ziglar, Motivational Speaker

=> You don’t have to be great to start – but you have to start to be great.

If you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up… and know that all you need is progress not perfection.

 

“Wherever you are, be there.”

Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Author and Motivational Speaker

=> If you can text & train or chat & train, you are not there.  FOCUS. Utilise the proven mind:muscle connection & make your work-out time work for you.

 

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essayist

=> This sums up training pretty well for me.  I often get asked by my clients…”Will it ever get easier?”

Yes certainly, not that the work-outs will get easier, actually I’ll make it harder as you get fitter, stronger and better at pushing through the discomfort.  HOWEVER, as your attitude and power to DO the exercise do (!) strengthens it’ll seem A LOT easier.

 

“If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own.”

Socrates, Philosopher

=> To have the time, energy, money and physical capacity to exercise is a privilege not a burden. It’s 100%, gorgeously self-indulgent YOU time.  Appreciate it.

 

“If you think you can, or you think you can’t you’re right.”

Henry Ford, Industrialist

=> A belief doesn’t matter if it’s true, right or even real, just if it’s effective at getting the result you want.

If you have a belief that “I can’t attain my goal weight” or constantly ask yourself “Why do I always fail at fat loss?” there is no room to form healthy supportive beliefs.

What we can communicate we can have.  So, it’s time to put the time into communicating exactly how you want it to be.

Once a possibility is imagined, it opens the door to it becoming a reality – the questions you ask will invite your mind to find an answer, so make should you’re asking quality questions.

“Which one belief of excellence would make the biggest difference to your health, your life right now if you held it?”