The
first steps toward a healthier life are without a doubt the hardest steps to
take. This happens because we are
listening to our inner voice and that voice is critical, judgmental, and
negative, it is our own worst enemy. The
fact is that when we are not in a routine that schedules in exercise we lose the connection with our body. We
are living in our bodies but are not connected to them. How could this be
possible? The answer is lack of
physical activity and using the muscles in our body on a regular basis, not
knowing our body’s capabilities and our own strength. All of these factors will lead us to lose
this inane ability to connect with the very thing that encases our being.
Let me
share a personal story. When I began
what I call my wellness journey I was scared to death about how out of shape I
had become. I was physically active my
entire life playing soccer for 10 years and playing water polo in high school;
even through college I had gone to the gym and had an exercise routine. I became disconnected to my body after
putting on an excessive amount of weight during my first pregnancy. I used the usual eating for two excuse as an
explanation as to why I had put on an excessive amount of weight. The actual number was 65 pounds which is not
recommended during pregnancy or at any other time in life. I had a lot of work ahead of me and
acknowledging my fears about my physical capabilities was the first step to
regain a healthy body. I didn't know if
I could even run anymore. I took it one
step at a time, I started walking during my breaks at work, then walking on
both breaks and walking for a half hour during my lunches most days. It was amazing and really rewarding to know
that I could reverse what I had done to my body but it wouldn't happen
overnight. It took about six months
before I even attempted to jog, but once I did I was exhilarated and an inner
happiness that came from my very core just flowed through my very being. There are no words to describe how thrilled I
was at the fact that I was capable of jogging in short spurts of time. Then I
worked up to a jog for about five to ten minutes and would fast walk in
between. I did all of this while having
a small child at home and working full time.
When busy moms say that they don’t have time for exercising I know that
that is not true. If I could do it then
anyone can, it’s just a matter of self-discipline and sticking to a schedule.
The
next topic I would like to touch on is negative self-talk and how to correct
it. We are all our own worst enemies
when we allow ourselves to compare our bodies to others. We were all born with different genetics that
determine our shapes and sizes.
Secondly, the societal standards that models set are unrealistic for
woman when they compare their own bodies and it reflects with our own inner
voices. Some of the words that are
detrimental to our self-esteem are: should, could, I’ll never, I wish and I
can’t. These are the words that I want
you to correct whenever you notice yourself thinking about them. This is a challenge but over time if you find
your thoughts drifting toward one of these negative self-talk words I want you
to stop the thought dead in its track and rephrase the thought to be more
positive and encouraging phrase.
Whenever I notice that my inner dialogue is becoming negative or I am
thinking about the I cant’s I stop my thoughts right then and there and get
back on a positive thought process. It’s
as simple as that. Over time it will
become easier and easier to correct negative thought patterns.
The
last topic I would like to talk about is expecting results over night. This is a common thought that people who have
started a new exercise routine get down on themselves about. They expect to see results after they have
changed their exercise and diet routine within a few weeks. The truth is that it took a lot longer to get
out of shape and overweight and there is no way that you can undo this in a
healthy way over the course of a few weeks.
It takes time, it is a transition and you won’t see results for a while
but it doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong. Determination is the key to success when it
comes to fitness and exercise, keep a regular routine and over time you will
gradually see results. I have noticed
that we are not the first ones to notice a physical change; it is usually
coworkers and people that we see daily that notice that we have lost weight or
toned up. This is the ultimate reward
when we get a nice complement from another person and this is what can be used
for motivation to keep up our new fitness routines. Always remember that wellness and fitness are
not a destination they are a journey.
The ultimate result we are looking for is a healthier body, mind and
spirit. Everything starts from within,
when we make these changes for our overall well being it slowly shows in the
physical realm.
