I watched my eldest son yesterday spend the best part of 30 minutes practicing his kicking with a rugby ball. It was a great day at the park. Sun was shining and the ball was flying around like a rocket.
I kept asking him if he wanted to play on the swings but he said ‘no’. Too busy.
He would spend ages lining up the ball and really zoning in on the ball. Just like his two footed old man had told him to do.
Sometimes he got frustrated, threw a paddy and lost his cool. Other times he nailed it.
Getting healthy and fit takes practice. More so than you think.
Did you know that bit of grey matter between your ears is the mother ship guiding your decisions, rationale, subconscious, will-power? You name – it steers it.
Each time you succumb to temptation and a lack of will power you condition your brain to repeat this pattern. It is something that brain specialist Daniel Amen alludes to in his book Change Your Brain, Change your Body.
On the flip side, each time you say ‘no’ or ‘I have had plenty thank you’ you reinforce this pattern. Sooner or later the brain knows exactly what to do.
This habitual practice can extend in so many ways and something you should be aware of as you take a step towards a healthier and fitter you.
It is one of the reasons why I don’t recommend moderation. Each time you give yourself an excuse to shy away from that promise you made to yourself and succumb you practice failure.
Do something whole hog for 12 weeks and assess where you are then. I guarantee you will be in a much better place.
In our centre we align individual’s weak links with a set of new habits to head away and practice with. Day in day out you practice health.
Sure, practice one thing at a time but do it 100%. If you set the rule that you are eliminating grains and refined cereal from now on, that’s it. Each time you are swayed and a difficult decision comes along you need to practice will-power.
It takes practice.
If you set the rule that you will exercise 3 times and week again, you don’t shy away from training if it is raining or you forgot your clothes. You dig in and find a way.
Each time you stick to the rules you make it infinitely easier to draw upon this little bit of inner strength in the future.
It carries over too. That bit of work you said you would complete suddenly gets done. Or that business you thought about starting suddenly starts rolling. Or that letter you were going to write to your long lost Aunt is written. All of the deadwood circulating in the mind gets done as your self-control and level of will-power heightens.
Of course there are some strategies that you can deploy to heighten your will-power and ability to practice effortlessly and without much strain.
These include getting in the habit of exercising. Even a simple walk will heighten the activity in certain areas of the brain leading to more rational decisions being made.
Staying hydrated will ensure that water, the brain’s most precious nutrient, is found in abundance leading to optimum functioning.
Taking an Omega 3 supplement in the form of pharmacy grade fish oil will ensure that the brain also receives its crucial form of good fats. If you were to wring out the brain, its dry weight would consist of 60% fat. So for all of you fat-phobes out there, listen up! Stop it! You are starving your brain!
Cut the bad fats and up your good fats in the form of fish oil, avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds.
The brain robbers, sugar and caffeine all do a great job at placing a burden on the brain by acting as a stimulant.
Adenosine is a chemical in the brain. It tricks the brain into feeling drowsy and stimulates sleep so that we can recharge our brains.
Caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine by occupying the adenosine receptor sites and preventing the brain from seeing it. So even if you are tired and are in need of sleep to rejuvenate your brain chemistry, caffeine tricks the brain into thinking it is wide awake.
Respect your brain and the mother ship will steer you into good health.
