Posts Tagged ‘gaining’
Perspective matters
Too often when working to lose excess weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle, we focus in on what we’re giving up instead of what we’re gaining. Yes, gaining.
Health. Happiness. Peace of mind. A longer life. The list of benefits is endless.
So instead of focusing in on the things you’re choosing to do without (temporarily!), focus on how it’s going to feel to be able to wear a favorite pair of jeans you haven’t been able to put on for a while. Or what it will be like to take a walk without panting excessively. Or how good you’re going to look at your high school reunion. Again, the list of benefits goes on and on.
When I was taking off over 250 pounds of excess weight, I kept a scrapbook full of magazine clippings that motivated me. Whether they were pictures of clothes I wanted to wear, people I wanted to meet or articles that reminded me why I was doing what I was doing, I could turn to these anytime I felt like I was suffering. In the pages of my scrapbook, I was reminded of the reasons I was choosing to get healthy and live life to the fullest. These days, you don’t even need a traditional scrapbook thanks to Pinterest. So why not start some motivation-filled Pinterest pages of your own?
Again, choose your focus. And focus on what excites you. Just as Rumi so wisely said, “Respond to every call that excites your spirit” — and your waistline!
Photo Source: Pinterest
What drives you?
Here we are… Almost a month into the new year, which begs the question: Where are you in regard to your current fitness goals?
The good news is that wherever you happen to be, today is a new day and the only question you have to ask yourself is, “Where do you want to go from here?” Even if you haven’t accomplished everything you set out to do this month, beating yourself up, mentally, probably won’t help move you any closer to where you want to be. Instead, give yourself a mental hug and remind yourself why you want to achieve the goals that you want to achieve.
Too often we focus on what we’re giving up rather than what we’re gaining (pun intended). Living life on the “healthy side” offers so much more joy, so much more happiness and so much more choice. Don’t rob yourself of everything you have ahead of you. And if that means dragging your butt to the gym or turning down a second helping of pasta, do it. Because it’s worth it. Put those “horse blinders” on and stay focused on the reasons you want to lose weight and/or get healthier.
The stronger your positive mindset, the stronger your chances of actually reaching your goals. And those of you who are familiar with my story know that I know what I’m talking about. I once weighed in excess of 450 pounds. I would become out of breath just from talking on the phone. One day I decided “Enough was enough.” And that was after a million different attempts at getting on the healthy bandwagon. So no matter how many times you’ve tried before, no matter what’s transpired this month — today is a new day. And you, my friend, can accomplish anything you set out to accomplish.
Ready? Set? Go!
Photo Source: Pinterest
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