Whether you are interested losing ten pounds that you put on in the last 3 months, or the 50 extra pounds you've had with you since college, the first step is making the decision to change. This step is often the most difficult and may take the longest time. Your mind will constantly bounce back and forth, weighing the pros and cons of making that change. It isn't until you have clearly determined that the pros outweigh the cons that you will be ready to commit to change. This isn't to say that there won't be moments of ambivalence, but if you consciously go through this process, you can be ready to counteract your momentary lapses by reviewing the factors that led you to this decision. This will help you to renew your confidence in your decision.
To help you to weigh out the pros and cons, answer the following questions. It may help to talk about this out loud with a friend or write it in a journal. First, define your vision by asking yourself: Why do I want this? How will it change my life? Why do I want that change? How will it impact others in my life? How will it feel? What will I enjoy most when I have made this change? Next, think through the alternatives: What would happen if I don't make this change? How would that feel? Is there another solution that would get me what I want? Would that be a better choice for me? If so, how would that feel? Explore the negatives by asking, what will I have to give up? Am I ready to do that? Do I want this enough?
Mulling over these questions should give you a pretty clear idea of whether or not you truly want to make the change and whether or not you are ready. Having the determination make a change is a good start, but to improve your chance of success, you need to prepare your mind to change. The first step is to define the habits that you will need to change in order to get to your goal. Janice is a divorced single mom who wants to lose thirty pounds so that she feels confident enough to start dating again. She knows that in order to do that, she needs to eat smaller portions, be more physically active, and cut down on sugary snacks and sodas. This is a great place to start. Changing these three habits will start her on her way toward her goals.
- Be aware- without beating yourself up. Accepting, realizing that this habit developed in the first place to serve a need.
- Discover why- what is the need, what is the habit serving? How else can you meet that need?
- Consciously choose to change- Its more than just making a resolution (we know how those end up). It's deciding for you, why this change is important, what it will mean for you to accomplish, what it will mean if you don't. What are you willing to give up? Are you really ready?
- Think it through before you act- ask yourself, last time I tried this, why didn't it work? What was wrong with my approach, what got in the way? Identify your obstacles.
- Strategize- when the urge for the habit strikes, as you know it will, what can you do differently this time? Will that work? If not, what will? What else could get in the way of your good intentions? How can you combat that?
- Visualize- Believe in yourself, picture yourself as you want to be. Imagine what it will feel like- what will be different. What comforts will you be living without? What new ones will replace them? Is it worth it to you?
- Live it- Start living today like you are already the person you want to be. Eat like they would eat, think like they would think.
- Expect setbacks- that is part of the process, this is what makes it work! This is where we learn from our mistakes!
- Repeat- depending on what you learn from your setback, go back to the appropriate stage of the process. Usually, we go back to strategy to try another technique. Sometimes, it takes reaffirming what we want and why. Don't judge, be patient, and appreciate your efforts, every step you are taking in the right direction is more than you were doing before.
Jonna Reynolds is the founder and CEO of Evolve Wellness Coaching. She works with individual clients, groups and corporations to help clients to achieve their weight loss goals by looking at all the factors that contribute to their success. Specializing in holistic weight management, behavior change and binge eating disorder, her approach combines exercise physiology, behavioral psychology, nutrition, life coaching to help clients make permanent life changes.
For more information on services or to request a speaker on this topic: (480)248-2428
http://www.evolve4life.com
To sign up for the free EVOLVE4LIFE Newsletter:
http://www.evolve4life.com/newsletter.html
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