Want To Get Healthy: Here Is What is Holding You Back

Want To Get Healthy: Here Is What Is Holding You Back

If you want to get healthy, here is what is holding you back. I want to get something off my chest. I’m sharing this blog as a personal trainer, nutrition specialist and fitness enthusiast. It seems like every year people resolve to lose weight and “shape up”. I’m all for getting in shape and feeling good about yourself. The resolution is made every year. And every year you assure yourself, “this is the year”. But when will the cycle end? What is it going to take to get you there?

Who Is In Control?

We must understand that as helpful as the health and fitness industry is in our journeys, we need to take responsibility for our own health. Don’t let someone tell you what to eat, drink or even when to exercise. The fitness industry makes a lot of money telling you what to eat and when and where to exercise. But that’s not what this is about. Our mindset is what will get us where we need to be. You must figure out why you want to “get in shape”, like really, why?

Why Get Healthy?

When I intake clients I review a series of questions with them to get down to the real reason they want to lose weight, often times it came down to doing it for someone else. “I want to be here for my kids”, “I want my mom to get off my back”, these are the things I hear. Those are good reasons but not enough to truly get you to do the darn thing! The answer must always be “I’m doing this for me”. If that is not really why you are on this journey then it will be harder to get the job done. Destination addiction, the idea that you need to look a certain way or lose those 5-10 lbs. or get your diet in check is going to finally help you find happiness or be able to love yourself. It’s just not going to happen.

Freedom In Exercise

I’m here to talk about it. Why do I eat the way I eat and continue to exercise? I love to work out, I truly love the way it makes me feel. The movement allows me the freedom, I free my mind and my body thanks me. Exercising lightens up my daily load. Thoughts of unrealistic weight expectations (especially in the fitness industry), guilt, judgement, material things, friends and even all of the technology can crowd your mind and your heart. To me, exercise takes the edge off those things and frees me up from the clutter in my mind. The more we free up, we allow ourselves to be in the moment for interactions and we are free to love ourselves and love others better.

Health Over Size

I’m not here to advocate obesity or overeating of any type but I am here to free you. To tell you it’s ok to enjoy your life. Food is a great source of contention for those seeking health and wellness. You’ve heard people say things like, “kale smoothies are my favorite”, really? Are they really your favorite? I mean, I’ve had one, it was ok but not my favorite. We can make food our friend or our enemy. It’s sad to see so many punishing themselves for what they eat. I mean, I get it, again not advocating obesity or overeating, but come on!! Food is made to fuel our bodies. Fuel is good, it keeps us alive, to live our lives to the fullest. We need to find a way to eat food, enjoy it and be healthy all at once, easy peasy right?

Let’s look at it this way, would you starve your car of fuel and expect it to run efficiently? Would you put the wrong fuel in your car to try to get to run?  Your body requires fuel each day. You must choose the correct fuel for your body. Everyone is different, your body is different and it runs differently than others, just like some vehicles require diesel, some premium while most require regular. Figure out what fuels you. Food is not to be used as comfort, reward or motivation. I’ve seen a meme going around that says, “don’t reward yourself with food, you are not a dog”, boy is that ever true. I know there is so much contradicting info out there.

Every Plan Is Not For You

You see this plan or that plan working for your friend and you want to try it. Here’s the thing, there is no one way, like I said, everyone is different. You say your friend drinks 2 shakes a day and eats one meal and stays in shape, is that really a life? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life drinking 2 shakes and only eating one meal a day? If it works for them and they are truly happy doing that, then so be it. There is more to life that being someone else’s version of “skinny”, you have to want physical and psychological health for yourself.

Want To Get Healthy?

We are looking for that happy medium where we feel good and we are comfortable with who we are. When was the last time you took a pic and did not try to hide behind a child or some one else in the pic? What is it going to take to bring you out into the limelight you deserve? I say all this to encourage you to live a grounded life. Find a movement or movements you love and do it, find the foods that fuel your body and eat them. If those things lead you to freedom and loving yourself then you know you have hit the jackpot. I’m out here trying to figure out a whole new plan while traveling and trying to stay on track. I am here to help if you need it, you know where to reach me😊