Love the Skin You’re In: 5 Tips to Get Fit and Stay Fit in 2014

culled from:www.articleworld.com


If there is one thing we as humans can all agree upon, regardless of cultural, racial, religious or social economic background, is that we would all love to be in the best shape possible! We all desire to be TONED, VIBRANT, and full of ENERGY.

So why does this reality elude the majority of us? Why do we spend more time in traffic than we do exercising? What if we invested the same amount of time cooking and nurturing our bodies as we do scrolling through Instagram and Facebook? What a healthier, happier and fitter world this would be!

The obvious question now is, what’s holding us back? I believe it boils down to one word, “Consciousness.” When you’re conscious you’re truly able to listen to, and feel, what’s going on around you. When you are LISTENING, you actually HEAR what your body is saying to you, like, “I’m full” or “alcohol and I don’t get along!” or “would you mind introducing me to that hot girl named Sleep? Thanks!” Then as you start to comprehend what you hear and begin to act on it, you experience a shift in what really matters to you and your priorities re-adjust. When this happens, all you need now is a dose of commitment, discipline, and vision, and you’re on your way to a new lifestyle.

So, this is the perfect time to recalibrate your fitness and nutrition goals into something more long-term, instead of the usual “flings” that we tend to have with living a healthy Lifestyle. Here are some tips to get things started!

1. LOVE YOUR BODY: You can’t possibly do anything good for something you don’t love! You might not be happy with the condition that your body is currently in and that’s ok, however, never say to yourself that you hate the way you look! Instead, say ‘I love where my body is headed!’ Envision what the new you will look and feel like!  Get enthusiastic about achieving it!  STOP COMPARING yourself to idealized body types that don’t represent who you are as an individual. This is self-defeating. Eagles don’t compare their wings motion to a hummingbird’s. They have different bodies, yet they are both birds and they both fly. Focus on being the best version of YOU.  And LOVE IT.

2. REPRORGRAM YOUR HABITS: Our habits dictate our lifestyle. So if your body and quality of life do not look the way you want it to your current habits are to blame. The best way to change this is by taking an inventory of the habits you want to lose (over-eating, worrying, smoking etc.) and those you want to gain (regular exercise, a healthier diet, meditation). Write them down, and say them out loud to yourself every morning. “I DO” etc…”I NO LONGER” etc. This helps to program your subconscious mind in the same way TV commercials do. And we all know that they work! Soon you will find that you enjoy your knew way of being much more than the old you, mostly, because it feels AMAZING!

3. FIND ACTIVITIES THAT YOU ENJOY: This will bring consistency and longevity into your fitness lifestyle. Simply put, if you like doing something you will do it more often. Were you an athlete when you were young? A dancer? Do you love the outdoors? Whatever the answer is, find a way to incorporate it into your life. Take a dance class with your spouse, join a local sports league, get a bike and actually ride it. Try Pilates, yoga, spinning, hiking, swimming, a half marathon, have weekly foot races with your kids. Be CREATIVE. Use your IMAGINATION. Focus on things that get you enthused and excited and make time in your life for them. You DO have time.

4. PLAN/RETHINK YOUR NUTRITION:

Rule 1: DO NOT eat anything that has a TV commercial. We all live on earth, and it provides us with an astounding array of fruits and vegetables that are not only gorgeous but also delicious, as well as various sources of lean organic proteins.  When we eat straight from the earth we feel and look awesome. So why do we eat processed foods? They make our bodies unbalanced and unhealthy, and make us feel sluggish and lethargic. LOVE yourself.  Stick to fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

Rule 2: PLAN out your nutrition. Most of our eating is not thought out or through. And as with anything in life, if we fail to plan we plan to fail. One way to jumpstart the planning process is to get organized. Buy some healthy cookbooks, (“Power Foods” by Whole Living magazine is one of my favorites). Equip your kitchen with the proper tools; it makes the cooking process more enjoyable. Meal prepping at the beginning of the week is another extremely effective way to keep your nutrition on course. On Sundays I turn on some records and prepare veggies, fruits, and lean proteins to be stored and eaten as meals and snacks throughout the week. Get back to cooking at home! Take joy in creating edible LOVE for yourself and your loved ones. Also, cut back on dining out. If you must for work reasons, look at the menu online ahead of time for healthy choices.

5. LOOK THE PART: This one is easy. You have to dress for success! You do it at the office, so why not when you exercise? What would you think of your favorite athlete if she or he wore an old t-shirt and shorts and the wrong shoes to the game? How would that affect their confidence and performance? The same applies to us. So get out there and buy some cool new gear that makes you feel excited about exercising and getting fit. And don’t be afraid to express yourself. You don’t have to wear all black! Throw in some color! Feel ALIVE, and GET MOVING!