Taking Steps Toward A Healthier Lifestyle

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.