Change Your Mind... AND... Your Body Will Follow

As you make your way though life, have you ever stopped to think about your WHY?  No, probably not, however when it comes to changing our habits, it helps to have a WHY to keep us focused.  It's about changing perspective, most likely from a negative thought pattern to a positive one.  Finding your WHY is a chance to light a flame that leads to igniting a fire of lasting and sustainable healthy lifestyle decisions.  The key, it has to be your WHY, not someone else's WHY for you-as thoughtful as people may be.  You'll have to fight for your WHY everyday because you will encounter many detours, roadblocks and setbacks to reaching your goals-also known as LIFE!  With these, you can't be hard on yourself, you only need to be aware, accept and keep up the fight!  And enjoy life too.

When it comes to starting an exercise routine, people will most likely experience a new set of pain and discomfort.  The thoughts of pain and discomfort can be all consuming and may lead a person to quit.  So how do you offset these feelings of pain, discomfort and quitting?

When you're new to exercise, it takes getting used to and the same attention is required when a veteran is trying to push the boundaries of their current fitness level. It's so important to think about what your end goal is.  What is your WHY for doing this?  Is it to fit into that dress? Or setting a healthy example for your children?  And so on. This reason has to stay at the forefront of your mind when things become painful, hard and tedious.  Once you're over the hurdle, you'll look back and feel proud of yourself for pushing past the barriers you encountered.

A combination of my schooling and personal experiences have me thinking more and more about how to help my clients create lasting behavior change.  This has gotten me to dig deeper and consume all sources of information, mostly networking with people in the field, reading various articles and interviews with elite athletes, and people who are overweight and obese.  I recently also listened to Jim Hill, Executive Director of Denver's Anschutz Health and Wellness Center and co-author of a new book, State of Slim speak at the 2013 FitSocial Conference, and all sources lead to the same conclusion - what's your WHY?!  

In an interview with world-record swimmer, Tammy Van Wisse, she notes that, "you've got to find something that triggers a powerful emotion in you.  It can mean getting so much more out of yourself."  She also says, "that the hardest part of motivation is that it's emotional, it can be with us one moment and gone the next.  You have to have something stronger"

The something stronger is your WHY and it can be supported by posting inspirational quotes, positive/motivational coaching from a professional who can provide structure, and a buddy system that keeps you accountable and creates some competition. It is possible to change your thinking and you'll believe it once you've conquered the hurdle of realizing you have so much more left in you when you thought there wasn't anything left.  It's about digging deep and tapping into that place inside, connecting the mind and body, and saying, I've got this!

A recent article from The Huffington Post, You Won't Lose Weight Unless You Makeover Your Mind First, provides advice from HuffPost readers who shared their weight loss journey for a special, "I Lost Weight" series. - November 11, 2013

You may have noticed my blog tagline: Strong Minds Believe, Fit Bodies Achieve - I believe this wholeheartedly because I have been able to dig deep and push past personal and fitness related barriers by creating a mind-body connection.  I'm so much stronger mentally and physically for it!

What's your WHY?