Someone reminded me that there was 100 days to Christmas last week. So, will you be able to squeeze into the Little Black Dress or will you be beating yourself into come New Year.
Here are some problems when it comes to starting a programme and my solutions to them.
Problem “I don’t have enough time.”
Solution – You do. You just don’t know how to manage your time. You have the same time as every one else. The same 24 hours that Bill Gates, Barack Obama and Warren Buffet have. You just don’t set exercise or eating healthy as near the top of your priority.
Stop, take check at your ‘time vampires’ (watching TV, nattering hours on the phone, reading trash mags) and be ruthless. Get rid of them. Make exercise and preparing healthy meals important and see the benefits.
Problem – “I have to look after other people”
Solution – try looking after your self FIRST. I call this ‘hurried mum syndrome.’ Looking after a house, three kids and in most cases a husband is a lot tougher when you are carrying around excess fat. Get rid of the fat and suddenly managing ANYTHING becomes a lot easier.
15% of your day (which works out around 2 hours) should be spent doing what YOU want to do. Reading, walking, gym, study, whatever takes your fancy. Just make it your time. Guaranteed there will be an an inner calm restored to your life.
Problem – “I have to get the (insert – proposal, project, essay) in by 5pm”
Solution – see point 1 and what were you doing before you left the house this morning? Exercise, including a brisk walk, increases productivity. Fact. That is why it is compulsory in one successful Japanese company to walk 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon.
Problem – “Eating Healthy all the time is boring”
Solution – you just need to reframe what you consider as boring. This is a challenge as ‘cravings’ normally overwhelm your rational thinking. Instead of viewing a salad or vegetables ‘boring’ think ‘boundless energy, vitality, health, strength and well-being’. And who says you have to eat healthy ‘all the time’? We call for a 90 per cent compliance on our nutrition programme. This leaves 10 per cent for those foods that you consider a ‘treat’. It doesn’t have to be about denial and sacrifice.
“But I will have to give up chocolate and ice-cream”
Solution – Really? And live like a monk or an obsessive? Work these foods into your plan. The only thing you will have to give up is the notion that you can sit on your backside and think the pounds will melt off and that you can eat everything in the cupboard and dream yourself skinny. That is just delusional.
Problem – “I can’t afford the gym”
Solution – Exercise at home, in the park or head outside. Get a good workout DVD and have some fun with it. Alternatively lower all your stress hormones by heading outside for a brisk walk. A cheap set of Dumbbells will last you a lifetime.
Problem – “I don’t have a way of getting to the gym and besides I have to take Little Jonny to Scouts”
Solution – See above and stop making overly-creative excuses.
Problem – “I am injured”
Solution – That’s ok. Injuries are what I call an inconvenience’ not an ‘injustice’ . Exercise professionals will be able to work around your injury enabling you to still work towards your goals despite your set-back.
Problem – “I don’t feel like it today”
Solution – when IS a good time? Just start! Just do something that will make a difference. The Japanese have a philosophy called Kaizen. It seems to be the buzzword at the moment. But it means gradual and incremental improvements. Each day make a positive step towards your health and fitness.
Start immediately by doing something. It could be just heading out for a walk, deciding that you will have ‘breakfast in the morning and this is what I will have’, lifting some weights for 15-20 minutes.
My point is this if you are writing to do lists all the time – stop. Stop thinking about it and just do it. Paralysis by analysis.
Problem – “It’s boring.”
Solution – Yep, so is waiting in the Doctor’s office because you are too sick to do anything. We are designed to move and eat healthy nutritious foods. As they say – prevention is better than a cure. Besides, exercise can be fun. Dance classes, group activity and meeting with friends for a good brisk walk can be fun. So can making a healthy feast for your family and seeing your four-year chomp down a plate of veggies. Victory in the battle!
Next week more excuse busting! In the meantime, place your creative energy into making solutions not conjuring up elaborate excuses
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