It seems the vast majority of my clients are “all or nothing” people. Is that just my clients? I don’t think so. I think it’s our culture to want instant gratification and our brains don’t like waiting for long-term rewards. We want to see that if we put in the work, results happen immediately. People end up doing “nothing” after doing it “all” for a short time. Hence, the crowded gyms in January.
Start small! Even educated people have a hard time accepting how powerful walking is, especially brisk walking. So many movement in our life matters. Taking the stairs, parking far, cleaning the house with gusto, walking instead of emailing a co-worker, etc.
So many of us are too busy. That’s for a different conversation but that is the root cause of so many health problems. We are so busy with long work hours, kids, marriage, managing the household, and some even have elderly parents to take care of too. Couple this with bouts of insomnia (probably due to stress and imbalance), then who in their right mind would exercise. I’m too damn tired!!! And there’s no time.
The interesting thing is once we start slow, we start to sleep better, we start to have more energy, we start to feel better from the inside. We may not see weight lose immediately but that’s not the point. We feel better!!! Make that your focus. Then….we feel stronger, then we have the energy to do more. Then, my clients don’t even know who they have become.
How did I go from couch potato to someone who feels freedom when I get on my bike, someone who feels sexy when I Zumba dance, or someone who can’t imagine missing out on good surfing waves. We start to crave this wonderful feeling of joy, self-esteem, and energy. It becomes who we are and not a robot who has to count calories and exercise in order to lose weight. Get rid of that scale! Don’t focus on the weight. Focus on the accomplishments and the feeling. Plus couple this with nutrition (80% of the equation) and you will have a hot body, but mostly a mind that feels great.
You, too, will become addicted to exercise especially if you choose an activity that brings you joy. It becomes your identity and you will never want to go back to couch potato. I never skip one day; only when I’m sick. By taking care of me, I have the energy to raise a child, do things that bring me joy, and sleep well. What brings you joy?
If you need help understanding nutrition and all the mixed messages out there, give us a call. We will address your stress level, eating habits, exercise, cravings, emotional eating, and overall health and happiness. Start with a free health consultation at www.HappyFoodHealth.com or (619) 876-2655. See if this is the right match for you. I do things very differently to make health a natural lifestyle and this is not for everyone. Check out Yelp for other people’s opinion of Happy Food.
~ Samantha Hua, Nutrition & Holistic Health Coach, San Diego, CA
