We often think that starting a new fitness or health regime is something that we are doing ‘to or for’ ourselves. This mindset becomes a fixed mindset that focuses on how we can free up time for a fixed period to lose weight so we can fit into those summer short.
I often hear from women who would love to get fitter and healthier and practice self care, however they have to “check with their significant other” to see if their time can be freed up from the kids or households they share so they can focus a hour of their day to themselves.
In many of these instances ‘the guilt’ of wanting some time away surfaces, and they end up in a vicious cycle where ‘fat diets and plan, pills and shakes become the only viable option’… These plans last a while, get the results for a period of time however seldom last?
Why? ,
Because of our mindset. We are fixated on on changing our lifestyle because its something that we need to do to fit into those jeans or shorts, or swimming costume.
Rather we should be fixated on changing our lifestyles beacause we love ourselves and want to have a body and mind that serves us into our older age. Our body and minds are a part of us – they are connected to us , and require self care and love and to be treated and maintained well so that they can perform optimally.
We are what we think, do, eat, breathe and say. So when it comes to starting on a pathway to changing our lifestyle habits, focusing on our body and mind can be quite overwhelming. Do you focus on fitness? Nutrition? Mindset? Changing Habits? Practising Meditation? All of the above? Absolutely! However knowing where to start and how to incorporate sustainable changes in your life can be overwhelming and thus counter intuitive.
These are my top tips on how to get started
Commit to a Holistic Body Transformation Challenge
Learning about your body and mind is an ongoing journey that will never end. Start with committing yourself to a holistic challenge that focuses on movement, nutrition, mindfulness practices, rest and restoration, relaxation and reflection
This means committing to a set time frame in which you are willing to dedicate yourself to achieving the results you are after through focus on your body and mind. Setting our intentions at the beginning of your program will help reduce overwhelm and give you an initial pathway that you can focus on.
Build Your Support Network
Share your intentions and goals with your transformation with people that care about you. Ask them to support your intentions, help keep you on track and help you stay motivated.
It is easier if we are surrounded by people who know “why we want to achieve what we want to achieve”. For many of us, having the goal and intention of getting healthier is great; however, if we don’t have the support of our partners, friends or children it makes it difficult to free up the time that we need to focus on our fitness, nutrition and self care.
We the tend to feel guilty about giving time to these things in our life. We start off prioritising, but slowly let other things creep in – work, household, life and kids and then stress, overwhelm and anxiety takes over.
Share with your loved ones why you need to do this for yourself. Be clear about what we need from them whether it is time to yourself, motivation when you are done, help around the house so you can have dedicated time. Or better still see if they will do it with you. Sharing goals helps people connect with you, understand the importance of this for you and being clear leaves no room for ambiguity.
Surround Yourself with Like Minded People
Exercising with like minded people helps boost your energy and motivation. When you exercise as part of a group, you get to feel the energy around you. It may be a little daunting at first if its a firt for you. Take the time to find the right fit group for you. This will help you draw on the positive mindset, motivation and drive that others have. Over the many years that I have been in fitness training, I see that this is one the biggest things that becomes contagious. My fitness members come along for the community and the motivation that is shared amongst them – they support each other through the fitness class and through life.
Your body is your temple – take care of it
Taking care of your body on the inside and outside is essential. Many of us may prioritise and focus on exercise and eating well, however forget self care or prioritise it much further down the list.
Taking some time out each day to be mindful is great for our minds and our souls. This can be achieved a number of ways.
Gentle stretching is a great way to release the tension through our muscles that is created through exercise, sitting over our laptops and phones all day long. Stretching helps reduce tension in our muscles, increase our blood flow and range of motion in our joints.
Use breathing to help calm your mind and reduce overwhelm and anxiety. When we focus on deeper breathing, we learn how to undo the stress that we are creating in our bodies. Breathing deeply can help reduce an increased heart rate which tends to send our bodies into the flight or fight mode. Teaching ourselves how to breath deep helps us in every day situations where we are frustrated or overwhelmed, thus reducing the impact of stress on our bodies.
Nourish your body with food mindfully can enhance your experience of eating and enjoying meals. This can in turn support healthier digestion, reduce over eating and improve our relationship with food. Taking time to use your senses when we eat – the sight, sound, smell, taste and touch of foods can helps us turn our attention and appreciation to our food.
Benefits of a Holistic approach to transforming your body
A holistic approach to your body, mind and soul transforms your health and well-being by connecting the physical with the mind. Many of us put our bodies under stress through our daily life habits physically, mentally and emotionally. Focusing on a holistic approach helps us connect and attune our bodies and mind. It can also help us become less anxious, increase our levels of calm and ability to deal with challenges, creates more compassion for ourself and others and it awakens us as individuals in our day to day lives
A few final thoughts
We are what we think, do, say, eat, practice and believe in. Our impact on ourselves, others and the environment around us is reflective of how we choose to live our life.. the choice is ultimately yours
Want to learn more? We focus on holistic body transformation programs through focus on natural living. We combine exercise programs, with clean foods, self care practices to change the way you live your life.