How devoted are you to changing your routine? How important is it that you change your habits? These are questions I have asked myself time and time again. There is in my eyes no magic number. I believe it just takes time.
It took me a long time to put on the weight and it was going to take a long time to get it off. Most importantly it was going to take a long time to change my unhealthy habits. It was the routine that I had gotten myself into that put me in an unhealthy state of mind.
When you realize that it's not going to happen overnight (the weight loss) then you will be on your way. Being honest about the situation is a great start to making a change.
There are a few things we need to think about when changing our habits. These are some of the things that helped me.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Now is the time to do something different. Be with different people you know will guide you in the right direction. Talk to people that will motivate you and praise you for your efforts. Clean out your cabinets and start buying healthier versions of the foods you love. Buy an exercise video and workout for 10 minutes. Just change your daily routine. Maybe you need to get up earlier, go to bed earlier.
Focus On Something Positive
Scientific studies have shown that thinner people, healthier people are positive people. Don't focus on the negatives. Many times my mind would wander to the weight loss, the numbers on the scale. Once I remembered to focus on getting fitter and healthier that is when things got moving and changing. You'll stress yourself out thinking of the numbers all the time.
Change Your Environment
Change starts with your environment. When I'm in a stressful situation I have a tendency to slip back into old eating habits. You have to constantly maintain change by renewing your commitment, celebrating accomplishments and thinking positive even in these stressful times.
Dust off your stationary bike in the corner and put it in front of a sunny window so you exercise each day. Scatter health magazines and motivating quotes around your home so you are learning and conscious of where you are headed.
Be Proactive
Tell yourself things will get better. Defeat is temporary. Don't focus on all the wrong things you've done focus on all the new things you've incorporated into your daily routine. Focus on all the good things that will come from your changes. Stop telling yourself you're going to start walking and start walking. Set your alarm on your cell phone and when it goes off that's when you get yourself outside for that walk, no excuses. Plan your meals for the day and stick with what you planned. Carry the menu with you even if you're out on the road as a reminder.
Find Alternatives
Finding things to feel relaxed and happy that aren't food related is important. A great book with a cup of green tea works for me. My exercise routine gives me energy and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I've finished. Comfort can come from a soothing song on my Ipod or a great conversation with my children.
What you eat, how you exercise, how you go about your day, changing your mind, not rushing. It's all about being flexible and getting out of that comfort zone we get trapped in. Perseverance is key. Change, routine, habits are all things that we need to continually be conscious of if we want to get to where we are going. For me it's all about staying where I am, healthy and fit.
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