From the Heart for the Heart

I've been thinking a lot, lately, about the difference between people who have long term success with a workout program, healthy life style, and ongoing fitness and those who achieve a twelve week program of weight-loss, never to be seen at the gym again.

I think the fundamental difference between those who make a successful lifestyle change and those who don't is the outlook from the heart and mind. Making a change because you love yourself is a sustainable, lifestyle based, obtainable change. Making a change because you hate yourself is not. Not to say that people who finally wake up and smell the locker room do not experience success, and I'd wager that some of them even have long term success. But it seems that when all thoughts and experiences are out of a negative place, it's certainly harder to keep it up.

I was on the treadmill today, attempting a three mile run in thirty-minutes. I wasn't feeling great because the breakfast I had earlier was not sitting so well in my stomach. I was ready to give up because it was quite uncomfortable, but I started having a conversation with myself about why I was on this treadmill in the first place. I told my lungs and heart how much I loved them. I said "thank you" to my feet for enduring the impact of each step. I told my stomach to calm down, and said to my body, "I know you can do it." I'll be honest, I didn't get all three miles done without stopping, but I ran another .75 miles using my positive mental attitude before jumping off for a few minutes. I did finish my three miles, with some walking in between. Although I was disappointed that I didn't do it in 30 minutes, which was not a new goal for me, I was proud of myself for finishing and I focused on that pride. I did not give up, I did not fail, and I did not stop until the job was done.

For those of you out there who say things like this:

"I hate how I look"
"I hate eating vegetables"
"I will NEVER be able to run a mile/walk a mile/bike a mile"
"I am a failure"

You have to start reframing these statements in the positive. You have to start thinking about and focusing on the things you have accomplished and stop focusing on the things that aren't perfect yet.

"I am proud that I've decided to change how I look"
"I eat vegetables because my body needs fuel and I love my body"
"I am thankful for every step my body allows me to take"
"I will always do my best, even when it's hard"

If you can start feeling good about the changes you're making, start focusing your energies on the positive, you'll be amazed at the results you'll get. The gym will stop being a chore and it will be a much needed activity to keep your body happy.

Your body has held up for years carrying around your bad habits, learn to say "thank you" and "I am sorry" when you make choices at restaurants and the supermarket think about how good your body is to you, how you've treated it, and it hasn't given up on you - and then decide whether you'll be good in return and if you'll choose to love your body today.

Your mind and body work together and when the mind is flooding your body with negative thoughts, energy, and focus - how can you expect to be successful on any program?

Read this out loud:

Body, thank you for what you've given me. No matter how bad I've been to you, you've still allowed me to breathe and move. I am sorry for how I've treated you in the past, and promise that I will make as many decisions as I can to make up for it. I love you and I am sorry. I love myself and I want only the best for me.