Navigate each day with right mindset, tools and practices
Healthy body, healthy mind. That is so critical for long-term health benefits. Living from the outside-in perspective can be emotionally draining and energy sapping and it will lead to you never feeling good enough no matter how defined your six-pack may be.
It also puts us on autopilot, not being fully aware of the choices we’re making, what we’re eating, or how to get the most from our exercise.
Things happen in life that throw us off our fitness journey. Look at 2020. It’s these times that we really need to exercise, to be healthy, but often we stop because we’re too stressed, too busy…then we feel guilty. Being more mindful can help break out of this cycle and make better choices to stay on track.
Discovering what’s happening with your exercise, nutrition, and mindset will help you take those first steps to change. We hear common excuses when clients come in and express a desire to live a healthier lifestyle.
The pressures of life affect our health, from sitting at a desk all day, to constant technology, not eating breakfast, grabbing a quick lunch at a fast food restaurant. The impact of all of this on our bodies can cause serious health issues.
Having a balance of physical and mental health can bring so many positive benefits to our life. You’ll have bad days. Days when you don’t like yourself, you feel unhealthy. Life throws us challenges every day. Having the right mindset, tools, and practices will help us navigate our way through each day.
What I see so often is people don’t truly believe in themselves. We get stuck in the past and have beliefs based on past events that can lead us to believe we can’t actually lose the weight for example. We use phrases like “I can’t” and that phrase alone can hold us back. Be honest with yourself instead of living in the past and using that as an excuse.
How many times have you said “A few treats over the weekend won’t hurt, right? I’ve been good all week!” Life, of course, is about balance but are we being truly honest about that snack or glass of wine (or two). That could be keeping you from reaching your goal. You have to take back control and make the decisions you know are helping you maintain your healthy lifestyle.
Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. It’s great to set that big goal, but you may need to take small steps every day to reach it. Then, celebrate the wins! Same is true with your diet. How many times have you started a diet on a Monday, given up by Thursday, eat terrible over the weekend, then start again on Monday.
We look for a quick fix and the easiest route instead of wanting to put in the time and effort to achieve long-term success. If you try to do everything at once, you will become overwhelmed and likely set yourself up for failure. Step out of your comfort zone.
Change can be hard, but if you challenge your body and your mind, you will soon find the motivation and desire to stick to it.
The healthy life — it’s not just about losing the weight; it’s about losing the lifestyle and mindset that you got you there.
During this month of love, LOVE yourself enough to take control and start taking healthy steps to being a better version of you!
Matt Molnar is the owner of Atlas Fit, a fitness facility at 711 N. Monroe St. Visit his website at atlasfit.co.
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