It’s All About The Journey

Breaking the quick fix cycle

How on earth did it get to be April already? It is just me, or is this year flying by ladies?! It’s usually around this time of year I encounter people who’ve set some new years resolutions but for one reason or another haven’t actioned them. Who have also just realised we are one quarter through the year and feel that they better do something about achieving their goals before this year totally gets away from them.

But with just 9 months left of the year there is a greater time pressure to make some serious life changes right, and fast? When it comes to fitness, I thought I’d share some thoughts on one of the biggest topics when it comes to health and wellbeing.

Weight loss.

It’s the number one thing that as a professional in the fitness industry people approach me with the desire to change. How do I lose weight? And like starting right now! But having been in the fitness industry for 11 years, I’ve noticed a bit of a pattern. I call it,

the quick fix cycle.

(if you’re a quick fix kinda person and you’re thinking it’s a good idea to stop reading now, hold tight! Can I encourage you to read on just a little longer….)

You know the quick fix cycle I’m talking about. The cycle of feeling a little blergh about yourself and your health, so you launch into the best, newest, 30-day money back guarantee product/program/method with much gusto, hope and promises to yourself that this time will be different, only to find it all too hard to keep up after just a few weeks, so you throw in the towel which reinforces the feeling that you’re a failure, don’t have enough self-discipline, and why did I even try in the first place, only to recover and try it all again in a few months or so later when you feel a little blergh about yourself and your health so you launch into the best, newest…. Well, you get the idea.

This cycle and the quick fix mindset just breaks my heart. Why? Because I’ve seen people stuck in this cycle and short-change themselves time and time again by pursuing what they think they want NOW, at the cost of what they really want MOST.

People say they want weight loss NOW, but what they really want MOST is to feel healthy, free, happy, content, loved, and confident.

So often people chase what they think they want MOST, with a process that can only deliver for the NOW, by engaging in a soul-destroying cycle of calorie counting and flogging the body and feeling guilty for even thinking about chocolate. And I see people engage in that process again and again and again, year after year after year….

But what if I told you that it’s not meant to be like this! What if I shared with you a way to break that cycle once and for all? Because I know that the weight you want to lose, is SO not about the weight. Let me explain…

If we want to enjoy true and long-lasting transformation for the body, then we first need a transformation for the mind. There’s a saying that goes something like this, ‘where the mind goes, the body follows.’

Weight loss is much more than just needing to exercise more and eat better. If it was that easy we’d all be doing it! No it goes so much deeper than that.

• It relates to WHY we want it and what’s stopping us.
• It requires clearing out all our junky thinking.
• It means repairing the disconnect in our thinking which subconsciously sabotages all our best efforts.

To experience long-lasting change and fitness freedom we need to deal with the negative self-talk, poor self-worth, warped perceptions and unrealistic body images, once and for all.

Think about how much rubbish thinking you’ve been exposed to over your lifetime; that’s a lot of junk to shut down and break through! And sorry quick fix lovers – that’s going to take a little bit of time…

It’s quite simple really, if we want a healthy body, we need to have a healthy mind. But I believe that a healthy mind comes from knowing who and Whose we are. In order to have a healthy mind, we need to have a healthy heart and soul.

So what if your wellness journey wasn’t just about weight loss for the body, but you lost some of the heaviness in your mind and spirit as well?

When you’re developing your health and fitness resolutions my question is this, do you want to be healthy, happy, fit and free, OR do you want to lose weight? Because these are two completely different things…

Healthy isn’t a size, weight, number or destination.

Healthy is a lifestyle, a process and a journey, for body, mind and spirit.

Are you convinced yet? Are you ready to shake off the mindset of the quick fix, instant results, and I want it NOW!? Are you ready for a weight loss for spirit, soul and body? (I hope you’re answering yes yes yes!)

If you’re ready to break the cycle of the quick fix and start the journey of health freedom in 2017, here’s just a few ways to get you started:

1. Invite Jesus into your health and wellbeing journey; He wants in on that process. Prayer is a proactive step.
2. Get accountable! Share with your friend, husband, or mentor that you’re committing to a wellness journey and ask them to keep you accountable by checking in from time to time.
3. Expose yourself to health and fitness content with a journey based approach. The team at The Moderation Movement do this so well.
4. Engage with a wellness coach like myself. Head to thehealthyhappysoul.com to learn how we can help you embrace the journey.

So can I encourage you, just embrace the journey… After all, all good things take time. And you and your life dear one, are very very good things.

‘Dear friend I pray that you may enjoy good health and all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well’ 3 John 2 (MSG).