Monday, June 25, 2007

Lifestyle: Laying the Foundation for Success

As I started to discuss towards the end in my previous blog your words are very important and can very well be the foundation for your success. How you treat yourself will be reflected in your body and in your words to yourself. The first thing to note is how do you talk to yourself. Do you praise yourself for each step you take toward being in charge of your life, your fitness and your goals or do you admonish yourself for not doing it sooner, not having the body you want, or for not being able to do the exercises you think you should be able to? If you do the latter you are very much not alone, we all have moments of negative head talk, even very positive people. The key is to start noting what you say to yourself and if someone else said them to you how hard would you hit them? I'm joking but it's true, we say things to ourselves every day that we would never say to another person or would be flabbergasted if someone else said such things to us.

So after you have made a commitment to yourself to change your life and take steps to reach your fitness goals start paying attention to what you say to yourself. Also pay attention to how you phrase what you're up to to other people. Do you become self-deprecating? Do you put down your efforts or allow others to do so? Do you shrug your shoulders and say you're doing this for now but who knows? This is very important because your words lay the foundation for your success they reflect how you feel about yourself and about your possibilities for success, in any endeavor not just fitness. If you believe you can do it you will.

One of my favorite quotes is " Whether you think you can or think you cannot you're right" Henry Ford. If you've trained with me you have probably had this quoted to you or if you've been around me for any period of time. The reason for this is it's so very true. If you believe you can achieve your goals if you apply yourself then you know what you're capable of, because of course you can. If you think nothing you do will change anything, then of course it won't, your efforts will mirror your thoughts and feelings about your success or lack thereof. As Oprah once said and I loved it "any diet works if you stick to it". Now I don't like the word diet as it conjures up deprivation etc I prefer to say you're making a shift in your eating habits or I am consciously eating now. But the truth of the statement is if you stick to it you will succeed. Perseverance is key as well, as your words and belief in yourself.

So when you make the commitment to follow your dream of your best life in your best body praise yourself! When you do your food diary praise yourself! While you do your cardio and your strength training, praise yourself for DOING it, while you're doing it! When you fall off the proverbial horse, praise yourself as you get back on and for being conscious enough to notice! Praise yourself for being the type of person that doesn't let setbacks, set you back! You and your words are powerful! Live in your most powerful state; kindness and appreciation for yourself!

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