Isn’t it ironic, when the new year is fast approaching that people believe they will become a new person? In particular, social media highlighting endless posts: #newyear #newme. Really! So perhaps you wasn’t happy with yourself in the year 2016, or more so, what did you do to change it? What makes you think that a new year will spark a new you when you haven’t even done anything in the previous year to change anything. Did you think that a fairy godmother will pay you a visit and wave her magic wand and boom that new you will appear? Let me enlightened you all, in any given situation that you run from it has a habit of catching up with you and fast. Unless the situation is negative and doesn’t do you justice then and only then you run.
It’s no surprise now entering the first month of 2017, news year’s revolution are in play. Often meaning the gyms are beginning to get busy again. Everybody has good intentions of doing it the right way by eating healthy and exercising regularly. Some continue knowing it takes time and persistence, whilst others fail, opting for the dreaded fad diets that are recommended often by people who don’t hold any fitness or nutrition qualifications: don’t worry though as they have amazing pictures of their clients before and after pictures all in a space of a short time plastered all over social media, now qualifies them in becoming an expert and you believing that if they can do it in short time so can you. It’s shocking to report that there are fitness professionals who do hold fitness/nutrition related qualifications, distribute these shyte products: your simply a disgrace to the fitness industry. Warning: you’re just a target for these fad diet distributors pockets to get rich, while your health is at risk! (I will do my next blog based on the latest fad diets, with more information, but now the subject is New Years).
Real Talk
Whilst others are going on their fitness journeys, some believing that 2017 is going to be their year, there is a majority that has lost a loved one in the year 2016. It also comes as no surprise that they look forward to welcoming the new year in to try and forget the pain of losing a loved one, but the reality doesn’t bring them back.
March 2016 my beloved aunt Christina died and I made the choice not to see her whilst she was ill as I wanted to remember her as the strong-minded women she was and in my heart will always be, not the powerless person she became. I visited my family after a while, well a good few years in Cyprus and when there I paid my respects to my beloved aunt grave. The reality kick came in, she really was gone. I knew I had made the right choice in not seeing her when she was ill. My point is you never get over losing a loved one, what you should be questioning is, would that love one of wanted to see you crying constantly over them? I know for sure my aunt would have wanted me to get on and make the most of my life. Through my cousins, my aunt’s children we all still keep her spirit alive by sharing the wonderful crazy memories she left behind, besides that’s all we can do, is to honor her memory and keep the light shining. By all means. I am not telling anyone how to grieve, as we all deal with grieving in different ways. I am merely reflecting what a loved one would want for their loved ones, not to see them in pain, that’s all.
Let’s face it, when we all came into this world, no one ever told us that life will always be a smooth ride. No one told us that we will experience pain, some more than others, but you can take control of those waves and make sure they are not constantly coming or growing bigger! Yes, life is indeed short and we have options, sometimes too blinded to see, but when you sit down for a second and take that deep breath only then, you see and understand to give yourself a break, only then you see things clearly.
We have all seen the endless articles of why new year resolution fail before they start. But what people don’t realise is, failing can actually be a success if you direct it properly. Meaning it’s what you do in the situation to change the re-occurring actions that matter. If your going round and round in circles ended up where you started then you seriously have to question yourself why this keeps happening in order to take action?
Just like they say the body begins in the kitchen- a phrase used giving the message of how important nutrition is when training. Everybody knows someone, heard the stories of someone they know, this could even be you? who spend hours in the gym only to look the same or the other factor look good in clothes, but when naked not so toned, is classic example of either they skip meals or are just burning up extra calories consumed.
What you should be doing for 2017 when embarking on that healthy you:
- Firstly make sure your mindset is set at positive mode. If you start that new healthy kick and are not sure you can continue, don’t do it for the sake of a new year and you feel obligated to. Do it because you want to improve your health.
- Organizing your time when you work-out around priorities such as work and family, that way you have not got an excuse not to exercise. After all, if you have time to watch TV you have time to exercise simple.
- You don’t need a gym membership to keep active, you can bring the gym to your home, with simple equipment like a skipping rope, weight bar with weights and a mat to do floor work.
- Check your fridge, does it display fresh fruits and vegetables and fish/white meat? or is filled with processed crap? Are your cupboards filled with crisps, sweets, and chocolate? exchange them for brown rice, porridge, and grains to dried fruit (that’s raw and not filled with sugar).
- Aim at least 3-4 times a week to exercise and commit to it.
- Surround yourself with positive people, there’s nothing worse than been pulled down.
- Don’t weigh yourself every day, do it every month. The disappointment when you pop on the scale and weighing the same or more can have an effect on your progress, setting you into self-distract mode from being frustrated with no results. Remember muscle weighs more than fat.
- Keep a food diary, record what your eating and times/portions. This will help you in recognizing your eating habits and to correct if needed.
- Sleep is very important in repairing the body and strengthening its surrounding organs to work better. Always aim to get 8 hours sleep a night, this will make your thinking process better and make you more alert during the day.
- Set small goals to start with, as aiming too high can be a little scary for some people. Baby steps are better than nothing.
- Choose an exercise regime that you will like, not loaf. If you don’t like working out in the gym, to your home, why not invest in a bike, take up jogging outdoors or swimming. Only you know what you enjoy to choose from.
- Leave the past behind, it’s all about looking forward not back.
- Know your worth and embrace it.
- Meditate 10min a day will keep you focus and motivated to continue.
- Embrace your body even if you are not happy with it, after all, it’s your armor for now, but know and believe only you can change its appearance and no one else.
- Keep away from the fad diets solution such as #Herbalife and #JuicePlus. Yes you will lose weight quickly, but before you blink your eyelids you will place the weight and more back fast, that’s guaranteed regardless of these shyte companies encouraging you to workout-check the history out. They all started advertising their products without encouraging exercise, now its alright and safe because they encourage you to exercise. I am not fooled by these marketing strategies nor should you.
- Celebrity diets don’t work either- celebrities don’t hold fitness and nutrition qualifications, they are just marketing themselves for your money making you think you can look like they are. Not all but most celebs embark on plastic surgery: think, if they were happy with themselfs to start off with why try and correct?
- Be a role model to your children, promote healthy living whilst children are young, will give them a better understanding of the benefits of leading this lifestyle and take into their adulthood.
- Recognize your weaknesses and turn them into positives, no one but you will know.
- Lastly give yourself a break, you too deserve to be happy, fit and healthy.
Remember, your health will be your greatest investment by far more so than purchasing your dream home to that dream job, so invest in it and it will invest in you.