My favorite Gold’s Gym t-shirt says, CHANGE YOUR MIND CHANGE YOUR BODY. If you have had body image issues and/or weight problems you have probably tried to diet over and over again. I never understood why I would be doing good on a program and then all of a sudden would start sliding back. I really believe the answer lies in our minds. Out of will power you can do just about anything for 4-6 weeks but if you have not changed the way you think you will go back to past behaviors.
In the past one of my most self defeating features was the way that I beat myself up verbally. All day long I would say negative things about how I looked, what I did, what I didn’t do. Here are a few:
I am so fat, I am so lazy that now I am fat, If I wasn’t so fat I would be happy, I am the biggest mom here, Look at my jellyroll (stomach), I hate myself the way I am, Why should I start exercising or eating right again, I will just quit like last time.
I could go on for days about all the mean self-defeating things I said about myself. I have since learned to retrain myself to thinking good thoughts about myself, even if they are things that have not happened yet. I am believing that what is inside me is going to come out if I continue to be positive.
Whether you read the Bible or The Secret they both same the same thing. Whatever you think about you will become. Your focus has to be on the you you want to be, not who you were even thirty seconds ago.
My trainer, David Suri, would get so angry with me when I would spout off one of my negative statements about myself. I never forget the first time, he looked at me in disbelief and said, “Why would you say that?”, I said, “Because it is what I think and it is true.” He told me NEVER EVER SAY THAT AGAIN, you are changing and you have to believe it. At first I was a little shocked because he would get so upset with me and then I began to understand the battle for me was not the exercise and the food, it was in my MIND. He helped me to learn to think differently about myself. You see the problem was that I did not believe I was going to change for the good. I was so afraid of failing again and going back.
I make my clients run or do step ups when they say mean things about themselves. The first time they do it they are shocked and say, “well it is true, look.” I always tell them that it may have been true 30 seconds ago but we are bring healthy habits in our life and must believe in ourselves. There are hundreds of books that talk about positive thinking. I used to think those people were crazy and went a little overboard but now I understand the need to believe in myself and believe in proclaiming good, healthy, positive things about myself and my future.
I have taught myself and am teaching my clients to say, “In the past I did…. now I …..
Example: In the past I felt I was lazy and fat, now, I am a work in progress and I am learning to move and eat healthy.
Please be kind to yourself. Please share one positive statement about yourself.
Visit my best bud, Robin\’s blog. She has an excellent post today on being comfortable with who you are meant to be.
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