How to Commit to a Health Kick
How many times have you set out on a health kick feeling crystal clear and fully committed about why you need to make changes to improve your health & fitness… to find you gravitate right back to your your bad habits before your body has had the chance to respond?
Like everyone else, I occasionally experience times in my life where an unsupportive habit or two sneaks in, and like anyone who values feeling good, I devise a plan of action to correct it.
Whether it’s a short term, or a long term plan, depends on the situation and desired outcome. And whether or not I last the distance and see myself through to success, for me, depends on one thing…
* My need for constant reminders!
The difference between me successfully making changes (and seeing results) ‘vs’ having good intentions and failing to follow through, is a very practical one.. I treat myself as someone who has severe memory loss.
The truth is, our unconscious conditioning and habitual self loves comfort. It loves to bring us back to feelings and habits that feel safe and comfortable, no matter how detrimental they may be to our health. Not because we don’t think we deserve to feel great, but because familiarity is easier for our mind.
And let’s face it, unhealthy habits have a sticky feel to them! Have you ever noticed how easy it is to pick up a bad habit, vs the ease of picking up a good one? If only our healthy habits had as much staying power as our nasty ones!!
Our body is always looking for the “path to least resistance.”
But this doesn’t mean it will be hard forever… The good news is, though at first healthy changes can be quite a mental workout, the longer we stick with them, the easier they become.
We just need to remain focused when we set ourselves goals – let’s talk specifically about our health – we have a driver that initiates us making the big leap… I know dairy products aggravate my hay-fever, asthma and digestions (not to mention hormones), and unless I am reminded of these important reasons, I will find myself saying “yes” to a coffee with milk before I have thought about the consequences of my actions!
Ever had one of these moments…?
- A big bowl of pasta followed by a night full of gut pain
- Red wine followed by a 2am wake up, or as TCM would call “Liver time”
- A mid afternoon chocolate brownie binge followed by (sugar)rush hour road rage
- A cigarette followed by a blazing head ache and raspy cough
“Whoopsie, I forgot how that makes me feel…”
I’ve used several different methods of accountability reminders for both myself & clients over the years, from post-it notes, and phone alarms, to creating infographics on my iphone and setting them as a screen saver. These practical exercises have successfully increased the likelihood of me sticking to my guns, and getting great results!
*For infographics like the one in this post, I use is Word Swag or Instaquote.
If you struggle to get to the other side & beat unsupportive habits, and find trouble reaching your goals, then I invite you to take a moment to write down what making the changes mean to you…. Then – turn it in to art or a letter you can read daily (or hourly if you need to).
See if it makes a difference to how far you get with your goals.The most important thing is to keep trying, be kind to yourself and do what feels best for you.
What changes have you been intending to make to feel healthier and happier? Craft your way to success!! I would love to see what you come up with by commenting below or tagging @candicefit_health on instagram.
Candice
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