Let’s face it – being fit and healthy is not easy. Exercise is tough. Finding the time to do it is tough. Eating right is tough. Finding the time to shop right and eat right is tough.
Knowing where to begin is just as tough. So, start simply; living a healthier lifestyle is all in your head. Once you get your mind right and have the mental toughness to set your priorities, and stick to them, you are invincible.
First, start with baby steps and tackle one small obstacle at a time. Very few people are successful with big changes all at once. Those that resolve to quit smoking, start exercising and eat right as of January first rarely make it past January third. It’s too much for our brains, and our bodies. Choose one small, specific step that you are confident you can master and make that a priority for two weeks. Be sure it is something you are confident you can do, otherwise, you are setting yourself up for failure. Be specific. “I’ll walk for 20 minutes each day” is much more effective than “I’ll exercise more”. If you are not successful, you probably made too big of a change and may need to modify. After two weeks of success, make another small change that you can tackle with confidence. Know that as you master the small steps, your confidence level rises and the challenges become less overwhelming as you go – but it takes time. Make the changes in your life the same way you would eat an elephant – one bite at a time.
Speaking of time; you will never FIND enough time in a day to do everything you want to do. Prioritize your tasks and activities and MAKE time for them every day. We wake up each morning with 1,440 minutes to use as we choose. We cannot store those minutes; we do not get credits or rollovers. We can choose to use them wisely and productively, or we can let them go to waste. Set your priorities and choose to use those 1,440 minutes wisely each day. Start each day fresh with 1,440 minutes on your side. Spend your precious minutes doing the things that will make you a better person, mom, sibling, employee, or friend.
We cannot control what life does to us – but we can certainly control how we react to it. We make choices all day, every day. The choices you make to eat well or not, to exercise or not, it truly is up to you. Yes, it’s tough but tough people can handle tough choices. Start small and remind yourself of your priorities regularly. Every marathon begins with a single step…just be sure it’s a step toward the finish line.