The New Year is upon us and this time of year I am inundated with calls from people that need help in actualizing their New Years weight loss resolutions.
In this post, I'm going to share with you, just what I will most likely tell them.
In this post, I'm going to share with you, just what I will most likely tell them.
We all know people who woke up one morning and waved their fist to the powers that be and vowed they were going to set their life straight. A few short months later, they were fitting into jeans they hadn't worn in 8 years, and qualified to run the Boston marathon.
Though that makes a great story, and we all love a great story; this is not reflective of what most of us will experience. The once overweight, now skinny jean wearing marathon runner, excites the human affinity to find purpose in narrative. Like all great stories, we'd like to replicate it in our own lives, but that could be the biggest mistake that could inevitably sideline your health goals.
There are so many books written that follow the logic of duplicating what others do to attain equal results: "The 7 habits of Highly Effective People" or "Studying the Lives of Successful People", etc... Whether this is an effective strategy in building professional and financial success raises its own questions and hopefully some doubt, but as far as following what others are doing and expecting identical results where health goals are concerned; it's an absolute myth. Not only do you have to contend with your own genetic body type but you also have to consider: your availability of time for exercise, knowledge of how to exercise, knowledge of cooking, family responsibilities, work demands, and let's not forget available energy to do it all.
The only sure way to move in the right direction that promotes a sustainable approach is to start building your own story. I'm not advocating totally ignoring the useful advice you can attain from others, I'm just emphasising the need to ensure that it can fit into your lifestyle and personal needs. For example; if someone says that running helped them to lose unwanted fat and you attempt it, but find it irritates your arches and knees; you may need to just try walking. In another instance; your colleague may praise the importance of eating organic, but your financial situation just may not allow for it. You shouldn't see this as a set back. You can align yourself with a perfectly healthy eating regime by purchasing your produce in the local grocery store. There are many ways to implement better health choices into your life. Don't get caught up in what others are doing especially if it's creating too much physical or mental conflict.
You need to look at what your means can produce and accept with pride that it is how your story must unfold at this particular chapter in your life.
Our life story is written one chapter at a time. You can't possibly learn proper nutrition, safe exercise, attitude adjustment, and commitment to a new health philosophy all in one chapter. Why is it that we have so much expectation in our ability to implement so much change and so quickly in this avenue of life? There's no other facet of our lives that we hold ourselves to such unrealistic standards.
This New Year, start developing your own story and as it unfolds, you'll have a better idea of the direction you're headed for. But like any story, you just have to stick to the plot.
Happy New Year
Though that makes a great story, and we all love a great story; this is not reflective of what most of us will experience. The once overweight, now skinny jean wearing marathon runner, excites the human affinity to find purpose in narrative. Like all great stories, we'd like to replicate it in our own lives, but that could be the biggest mistake that could inevitably sideline your health goals.
There are so many books written that follow the logic of duplicating what others do to attain equal results: "The 7 habits of Highly Effective People" or "Studying the Lives of Successful People", etc... Whether this is an effective strategy in building professional and financial success raises its own questions and hopefully some doubt, but as far as following what others are doing and expecting identical results where health goals are concerned; it's an absolute myth. Not only do you have to contend with your own genetic body type but you also have to consider: your availability of time for exercise, knowledge of how to exercise, knowledge of cooking, family responsibilities, work demands, and let's not forget available energy to do it all.
The only sure way to move in the right direction that promotes a sustainable approach is to start building your own story. I'm not advocating totally ignoring the useful advice you can attain from others, I'm just emphasising the need to ensure that it can fit into your lifestyle and personal needs. For example; if someone says that running helped them to lose unwanted fat and you attempt it, but find it irritates your arches and knees; you may need to just try walking. In another instance; your colleague may praise the importance of eating organic, but your financial situation just may not allow for it. You shouldn't see this as a set back. You can align yourself with a perfectly healthy eating regime by purchasing your produce in the local grocery store. There are many ways to implement better health choices into your life. Don't get caught up in what others are doing especially if it's creating too much physical or mental conflict.
You need to look at what your means can produce and accept with pride that it is how your story must unfold at this particular chapter in your life.
Our life story is written one chapter at a time. You can't possibly learn proper nutrition, safe exercise, attitude adjustment, and commitment to a new health philosophy all in one chapter. Why is it that we have so much expectation in our ability to implement so much change and so quickly in this avenue of life? There's no other facet of our lives that we hold ourselves to such unrealistic standards.
This New Year, start developing your own story and as it unfolds, you'll have a better idea of the direction you're headed for. But like any story, you just have to stick to the plot.
Happy New Year
