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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Reflections.

What did you set as "resolutions" for 2015?

Did you meet those goals?

Exceed those goals?

In the blink of an eye another year has passed...2016 is on its way.

Do you have different goals this time?

Are they the same goals you set for 2013, 2014 and 2015?  
I hope not.

But if they are the same and they seem unattainable, 
it's time to find a way to make them your reality once and for all...

I had the goal of "losing weight" for 10+ years when New Years would roll around...
I was on fire, my mind was set and there was no turning back but soon that flame fizzled out, no more non-stop commercials on TV about getting fit, my friends stopped doing the workout videos with me and I would't dare do it by myself.  The newness and excitement of a new way of life was like an old gift...the shine slowly wore off and here I was, breaking promises to myself for another year.  I didn't care necessarily about being healthy or getting fit, I simply wanted t to stop being "fat" and wake up "skinny" a few weeks later???  That's possible right?

I learned the hard way that if it seems too good to be true, it is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
The quick fit does just that...gives you results that are not long term.  They will fade quickly and if you don't fix what's going on on the inside, the outside will only be temporary.  

We've ALL seen it or done it ourselves.  It's the new fad diet of the New Year and it seems SO fantastic and EASY!!!  We see the commercials, we hear the testimonials, a friend of a friend of a friend lost 20lbs in 2 weeks so it's gotta work for me!!!  Right?

So we begin...the first day of 2016 is off with a bang!!!  Wahoooo.  
We starve ourselves, get moody, angry, short tempered because we are "depriving" ourselves of everything we want but if we can just stick it out for a week or two more, then we can get skinny and go back to the way it used to be- macaroni and cheese & pizza will be waiting for us as soon as we finish!!  Ahhhh...I can taste it already :)
Ughhhh, NOOOOOOO.
WRONG
WRONG
WRONG!!!!!!

Mistake #1?  Making it about an image.  Getting "skinny" rather than being healthy.  Healthy and fit comes in different shapes and sizes and while it's great to have a "goal" of what we want from our bodies, it's not fair to compare to any person but ourselves when it comes to goals for our body, physically.  NOT FAIR so don't do it to yourself.  I pictured every year on day one of the New Year that I'd look like Cindy Crawford in a month if I'd stick to it...reality?  Cindy isn't me.  I'm a TOTALLY different built and I'm okay with that because I'm the healthiest version of MARISSA that I can be.  I feel good, I feel strong and I look like I take care of myself physically and mentally...it always SHOWS!  

Mistake #2? Unrealistic expectations! Don't set a goal that you KNOW is unattainable because if so, you'll make it easier to fail and give up on yourself! Don't make that an option so instead, set a lot of smaller goals that are attainable over time...keep climbing the mountain, one obstacle at a time and before you know it, you'll be moving mountains and becoming the person you'll always imagined you'd become except THIS TIME YOU DID IT RATHER THAN IMAGINED IT!!!  Amazing right? 

For me, I'm setting new goals constantly.  It keeps me in check.  Keeps my body guessing and keeps me striving to stay healthy.  If I go through a period of time where I don't have a goal in mind, I'll find it easier to back off from the workouts a bit and start eating a little less structured.  Notice I said STRUCTURED not DEPRIVED!!!  
HUGGGGE difference between the two. 
I practice balance with my workouts and my foods every day, keeping myself structured and try to plan as often as possible but of course I have bad days and that's okay...I'm human and it works for me.  
Deprivation is what caused me to yo-yo/gain-lose weight as often as the seasons changed...ugh!  NO way to live.  

When I say the words, "I can't eat that" or "I have to exercise", I make it work.  I make it a chore instead of a privilege.  It IS A PRIVILEGE to take care of your body and mind!  
NEVER A CHORE!!!!  

Change your mind and the rest will follow.  Let the guilt go.  Let the frustrations from failed attempts in the past go.  Let go of that fear of failure because so many times you fell short.  Let go of those that drag you down and find the ones that lift you up.  Let go of the ones that don't think you can do it-just add them to the desire to "watch and see what you do!"
I meet women all of the time that say, "well I lost the weight once before and gained it all back and then some after ____ ."....Okay, what this tells me is that you're ready to fail again rather than succeed once and for all, right?  WRONG!  Instead, let go of "that time you lost 100lbs." Or "that time you fit into a size 4 for a friends wedding" and instead focus on "I can't wait to get healthy.  I can't wait to feel good and I can't wait to LIVE the life I've always dreamed of but have been too afraid to fight for!"....ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!  EVERYTHING! Never forget that!!!  

Get it?  Good!  Glad we had this pep talk before the start of 2016!  
What are you waiting for???  Lets DO THIS!  





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