So many times we hear about, or even have experienced ourselves, making new resolutions to change our lives. We go into the new “plan” guns blazing ready to conquer the world, only to have it all lose it’s sparkle a few weeks later. Why is this? There are probably a million answers why: scheduling issues, illness, financial stress, lack of desire, the list goes on.
So how can we make a change that will stick? My answer: make it gradual. The majority of the weight loss schemes these days are flashy and bright, they promise extreme weight loss and a glamourous body in 14 days. But to get there you have to eat nothing but cucumbers and a shake for 2 weeks, and then continue to eat cucumbers and shakes to maintain your new dream bod. Think about that, is that even realistic? Of course not! Life is about balance. You are going to go to a wedding and have a glass of wine and a piece of cake. You’re going to go to a birthday party and have a piece of pizza and a beer. There will be days when working out doesn’t work with your schedule, or you just want to curl up on the couch and watch TV with your family. THAT’S OK!! Life is about balance. Anything that says that you have to give up life’s simple pleasures or cut out entire food groups from your diet or rearrange your entire schedule to workout for 2-3 hours a day, for the average person, is just not do able. Sure, there are those who can sustain a lifestyle that way, but chances are they aren’t terribly happy with it.
Be gentle with yourself, be forgiving of yourself and your “slip ups”. I can’t tell you how many times I get texts and emails from clients “confessing” to a “cheat” or the fact that they missed a workout and feel so terrible about it. Brush yourself off, learn from your experiences and keep on keeping on. Now, let me make it clear that I am not saying that you should ALWAYS be skipping workouts or having cocktails and chips and salsa…think of the 80/20 or 90/10 rule, 80-90% of the time try to keep your diet right on track and really push yourself in your workouts, so that the other 10-20% of the time you can indulge and enjoy life a little bit.
The idea behind the SPELL Fitness program is to make it sustainable, for there to be enough variety in your diet and in your workouts, and to have someone in your corner motivating and encouraging you so that this becomes a lifestyle, and not a quick fix diet. Life is about balance. God gave us a body to take care of, a circle of friends and family to lean on and love, and a whole world of amazing things to experience.
Sweat Pray Eat Lift and Love.
It’s really that simple 🙂