7 Habits of Highly Successful Exercisers

I am a big fan of Stephen Covey's book, 7 Habits of Highly Successfull People. From it I got the idea to create a list of habits for Highly Successful Exercisers. I hope this provides motivation if you are currently exercising to kick it up a notch or if you are not exercising at all to break it down and get started.

1. Be Proactive
It is your responsibility not only to show up to class or your workout session, but be well fueled and hydrated, have proper shoes and comfortable attire, and be ready to work.

2. Begin with the End in Mind
Set your goals. What do you want to get out of the exercise session or class? Take inventory and remind yourself of the reasons you want to exercise on a regular basis. Place inspirational pictures and motivational sayings where you will see them often. Surround yourself with others who have similar goals in mind.

3. Put First Things First
Is exercise a priority? Be sure that when you are planning out your week you keep the things that are most important to you on the top of your list. Write exercise in your calendar and treat it like any other important meeting. It is a meeting with yourself. If something does come up and you can not attend class ask yourself how you can still be active throughout the week. Be sure to follow through with that action.

4. Think Win-Win
When it is just one of those days that you do not feel very well or your muscles are sore think of how you can still make the most out of the situation. Try going to class and just taking it easy or choosing a form of exercise that will be not as strenuous on your own such as swimming or just walking. Movement usually makes you feel better.

If you are not seeing the results you thought you would stay positive and look at all the little things you have been doing well or the small changes that are taking place.

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
Don’t assume you know exactly what to do in order to achieve your goals or even if your goals are what you should be working towards.  Be a sponge and take in all the resources that are around you. Don’t hesitate to ask questions of other exercisers around you, a friend, or a certified trainer. You will never know if you do not ask!
 
6. Synergize
Value the differences between you and other individuals in class, around the gym, or outside. Gain their insight into health and wellness. Most of the time they are going through the same things you are. Let them provide you with support and guidance.

7. "Sharpen the Saw"
Take time for yourself in all areas of wellness. Remember that wellness is all encompassing and one aspect affects all others. Stress management, nutrition, and exercise are interrelated and if you are just focusing on one area the other areas will keep you from maximizing your results.

 

 

 

 

Being Different-Self Reflection

I know when it comes to the holiday's, parties, get togethers, mom's groups, and my family the thing I struggle with most is being different. I do very well being at home and in control as many others have found. It is when I am out and about with others that sometimes my drive for making the best choices deminishes.

For me it is very different to be around others who are not on the same track with their health and wellness as I am.  It is very easy to go with the flow and not rock the boat. It takes a lot of thinking, planning, being diligent, and sticking to your guns in order to eat healthy especially in other's homes. I have always cared a great deal of what others think of me and my decisions. This is something I am working on. In the grand scheme of things at the end of the day all that matters is how well you did in aiming towards your ultimate goal of being the best you that you can be.

After Thanksgiving and some recent social gatherings here are some lessons I learned about myself.  I am sharing these in hopes that you can learn some strategies in overcoming your own obstacles. Plus once layed out and shared with others you hold yourself more accountable with making those changes. So here they are:

• I need to put forth the extra effort to plan ahead for all meals. In the past I have always been the one to show up at a party with a center piece for the table or a gift for the hostess. Why? Well after thinking about it I realized it is because I didn't want to be criticised for the dish that I brought. Instead I need to bring that dish that I know is healthy and that I can fall back on if nothing else fits the bill. I will lead by example. Even if this dish is not what others would normally eat.
• I will think ahead when it comes to casual meetings at my family's and friend's. I will ask ahead of what the plans are for meals. I will bring already made dishes to share or bring ingredients to make meals at their house. In the past I just relied on what they threw together or sometimes ended up eating out. It is ok to show up with a cooler of snacks to munch on just making sure I have enough to share. This is a lot of work, but it will be worth it
• I will be more direct when it comes to not wanting to eat certain foods. If they are planning on making a certain dish I can request a swap or suggest something else. I can be more open of the reasoning why and share the wealth of knowledge when it comes to choosing organic, balancing my carbohydrate and protein ratio, staying away from desserts, processed foods, and lots of grains, and aiming towards grass fed meat. The more I talk about it and share my excitement of this topic the more I will stick to making the best choices.
• I do not dine out often and like many in my head it is like a free pass in choosing a not so healthy dish because it is an option. I usually do very well in choosing a fish dish, soup, or a salad. It is those times that I have splurged that I have found it was only with certain people. Working with visualization before I go out to eat and making my choice of what I am going to order before listening to what others are ordering is key. If they order a not so healthy appetizer expecting me to share politely say no and maybe even go use the rest room when it shows up at the table.

My affirmations:
"I make decisions based on what is best for me. "
"I am ok with being different, because I know that different is best for me!"

Erin's Success Story

 

I am proud of all of my clients and their success is the greatest feeling ever. One of the biggest common threads that I have found with client's success is the change in the whole person. A great example of that is Erin. In the years time that I have worked with Erin she has lost 25 pounds, 10% of her body fat, and 17 inches from her hips, waist, chest, thigh and bicep. As you can see from the before and after pictures she looks amazing! These are just the physical changes. In order to get there she has made significant changes in all other aspects of her life. Her self confidence has soared and health and wellness is part of her lifestyle. Challenges that she faced in the begining of her journey are now solid habits. 

 


Erin said, "When I decided to start working out with a trainer, I told myself that I was going to give 100%. I really wanted to create a lifestyle change.  I wanted the things I did and learned to become my new norm. " That is exactly what she has done from her habits at home, work, and most importantly social situations.

Here is a little more about Erin and her success:

"I was always very active and fit in high school. I never really worried about food because I didn’t have to. When I got to college, things were a little different. Like most people, I embarked on some other extra-curricular activities that I enjoyed a little more than exercising! J They all resulted in empty alcohol calories, late night pizza’s and pretty much doing nothing the next day! After college, I would try to work out and get back into my high school shape but just could not get into a routine. Things would come up or I wouldn’t see change and I would quit. In August of 2011, I hurt my knee which put me back even more. In September, I was in a wedding and was very unhappy with my body. In October, I found Ashley! I was about 25 – 30 lbs overweight and I just didn’t know how I had lost myself to that point. I knew I had motivation but I also knew that I needed a little extra push to get to where I needed to be. That is exactly what I am getting by working out with Ashley. I also now have the tools and knowledge of what to do when I am on my own, both with exercise and eating."

"I would have to say that the biggest thing I had to change to become successful was my way of thinking. Your mind can be such a powerful thing. If you don’t think you can do something, you’re never going to be able to. "

"What surprised me the most of this journey is how successful I could be if I really put everything into it. I knew working out was not only a time investment but a financial one as well. I was going to make the most out of it no matter what. Ashley gave me so many handouts, recipes, tips, and workouts that I took in like a sponge. Every time we did weights and measurements I would see improvements, which also helped to keep me motivated with my lifestyle change. Another thing that really surprised me was how much I enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes. I became a farmer’s market junkie and am always looking for new ways to incorporate local fruits and vegetables into my meals." 
 

"I would tell anyone who is struggling to quit making excuses and get started.  Even the smallest changes make a difference. Most importantly, don’t depend on small changes, you have to make a big change in your thinking.  Since you’re altering your lifestyle there’s no need to put a time limit on the changes.  We all want the weight to come off fast, but it takes time.  And it’s not all about the weight (well, it’s mostly about the weight) but it’s also about being healthy."

 

"Being patient is hard. I try to remember that there are a lot of factors that influence my actions, but in the long run, I have to be in control.  In those moments that I waver, I now know how to rebound quickly and get back on track."

Erin has already been a motivation to others. It was always amazing when she started altering her choices in situations as well as her environment how others were intrigued and benefited as well. When others start making changes an even stronger support system develops and all the habits you have worked on are so much easier!

 

Gratitude

I have been talking a lot the last couple of weeks to my clients and class participants about being grateful for all that we have. It is very easy to get caught up in the wants, the complaints, the comparisons, and the why me’s.  I have been blessed to work with so many different individuals and I am always amazed by their stories. We are all so unique and have so many things to share and offer the world.

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you. I have a great group of clients, bootcampers, and yoga participants. If it wasn’t for you, your stories, your struggles, your successes, your fears, and your drive I would not be the person that I am. I learn so much from everyone and in turn can share and help others grow. It is because of you that I love what I do and can be a successful business owner.

The power of thankfulness is profound. I am a big believer in the book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. It is all about the Law Of Attraction. The more we think about the more we bring about.

I have used The SecretGratitude Book for the past few years. On one side you list all of the things you are grateful for that is in your life now and on the other side you list all the things that you want to come into your life in the sense that they are already here.  I am always amazed from going back through my entries of the things that I listed that I want to come into my life. About 90% have all come true and I couldn’t be more blessed.

I encourage you to work with your Emotional Gym and have Gratitude be that first emotion to feel often.

Again thank you for being you and allowing me to be a part of your life.

Compassion For Ourselves

Compassion for ourselves. Being nice to myself, saying positive things and putting things into perspective, listening to my body and what I truly need, and being ok with it all. This has been my focus the last few weeks.

This is one of the most challenging things for many of us, I included. We often zone out, push beyond our limits, not listen to what our body is trying to tell us, and then wonder why we are stressed, overworked, have an injury, or burnt out. We are very negative and say things to ourself that you we would never tell anyone else.

I learned the lesson with my first pregnancy and continued to put those lessons into practice pretty well, but now am reminded fully again with baby number two. Things are harder then they use to be, the thought of a salad is revoking, cheese and tostitos taste really good, and all I want to do is sleep. For those who know me this is not the typical Ashley (well maybe the cheese part:) and it is mentally challenging to take a few steps back.

Here are lessons that I am fully reminded of now that I hope you all put into practice:

• When you are having an off day ask yourself why. Then put that day into perspective (not enough sleep, pregnant, poor eating habits, deadlines, a fight with someone, missed a workout, lack of planning). Once you change the way you are viewing how you feel you can then make the most out of the situation and ultimately how the rest of your day will play out.
• If that workout is feeling extra hard, know that you are doing your best given the circumstances. Be excited that you are still working out and doing the best that you can on that given day. Look at the positive instead of focusing on those negative things. Know that workouts should feel hard, you should be out of breath, your muscles should be burning, and mentally you are stronger because of it.
• If you didn't have the best choice in food know that it is not going to ruin your day and that you will make up for it by doing your best with the meals and snacks to come. Having a cheat meal/snack is actually really healthy. We are humans and will never eat perfectly. What would eating perfect look like anyways?
• If a situation is totally throwing you off take a step back and reflect on what is going on. What things can you take control of and change? What things do you need to let go of?
• Talk so yourself as if you were a child. Tell yourself that it is ok to feel a certain way or that it is understandable, but the reiterate what needs to change. (I do this all the time with Drake who is starting to through tantrums or injure himself by doing something naughty)

Be nice to yourself and see how you bloom!

It is a skill to

Grocery Shopping

I attending a grocery shopping tour by Tracie Hittman last week. It was interesting to have someone actually take you through the store and show you things that they suggest you buy. I learned a lot and was so glad I was able to attend.  Tracie has many other classes and a great blog that encourage you to check out: http://www.itsyourplate.com/blog/.

One of the things that I said though afterward the tour is that now we have to put it into practice. It is one thing to be given a plan and the reason behind the plan, but putting it into practice is most of the time the hardest part. I know I am a creature of habit when it comes to grocery shopping. I do not like to spend a lot of time in there and many times with my son I do not have a lot of time. This is good if you continually buy the best foods. I have made many tweaks over the years to what I put in my cart and after the tour I will do some more tweaking.

Here are some of those changes:

• I will go back to drinking real cows milk : Organic Sassy Cow is what I buy my son and know that is a great choice for him. I on the other hand have been drinking Almond Milk for about 3 years. I started drinking this because I thought is was healthier for you. Come to find out that is not the case. According to Tracie Hittman's rules it was not around 100 years ago and therefor I should not be drinking it.
• Yogurt: I will now look at the label of my yogurt. Yogurt should not contain Pectin. Pectin is a thickening ingredient which is natural to find in jams, jellies, etc, but not in yogurt. One yogurt that was suggested was Fage. I have made this switch and like it.
• I will stick with white cheese: Milk is white so cheese should be as well. It is so simple, but I never really thought about it before. Also making sure to look at the labels for RBGH Free on them or buy cheese from other countries which all are RBGH Free.
• Know that it is a transition: Tracie reiterated that there are some great transitional foods that may not be A+ foods, but maybe B-. This is going to be important with transitions from things we currently eat now and for those times we just want something specific. My husband is very happy with this point:)

Keep making those small changes, because they do add up.

What Can We Really Achieve?

I have many of my clients who have seen great success. They have gotten down to their original goals with their weight and have asked, “What next?” I know I have been their before as well. Can we lose more weight? Can we get stronger? What other tweaks can we make in our nutrition? How do we want to challenge our self next? What are we really capable of?

 

One of my friends posted this on her facebook page the other day:

 

The sky is the limit and we have to determine for our self what our goals are. Many of my clients have mentioned when talking about their goals or changes they are making with others that person will say, “You don’t have to make any changes you are already skinny.” This is frustrating in the sense we then question our motives and our drive.

 

That was the case for me and I became content even when I knew I wanted to achieve more. I sat at 7 lbs heavier and two sizes bigger then I really wanted to be for many years not having more reason to push that extra bit. The individuals I spent time with thought I was skinny, I had been at this weight for 2-3 years, all my clothes fit, and I knew what to do to maintain it. I was content. Then I asked myself what was my goal? The goal that is determined not by anyone except myself and my beliefs of where I truely wanted to be. Once I broke that barrier I had a new drive. Changes were made and the goal was achieved.

 

In writing this blog posting today I wanted to get you thinking about how you determine your goals, how you set standards for yourself, and if the sky was the limit what would you want to achieve?

 

Now give yourself permission to become extraordinary!

Another Take on Food Logging

I was listening to Dr John Berardi’s interview with Ann Wixon for the Future of Health Now 2012 series on Fat Loss Secrets For Successful Body Transformation and his take on logging food intrigued me.  He said that by counting calories you are looking for math to tell you when you are full or what you should eat. You forget or loose track of using your sensors.

I am a big advocate of logging and find numerous benefits in utilizing this as a tool for improving your health and losing weight. I can personally relate to what Dr John Berardi is saying though. I have caught myself after logging my food and being low on calories for the day eating more even when I wasn’t necessarily hungry. I have also noticed after measuring out my food I have a tendency to eat it all no matter if I’m hungry or not because that was the serving/meal. Personally I know that slowing down my eating and being more aware will make a huge difference in my eating habits.

The message to take away from this statement is not to stop logging, but that first and foremost we need to listen to the body. Dr John Berardi said the first step to success is paying attention to “The Process “ of your eating (how, what, why, etc).

 Here are some strategies to start paying attention:

• Slow down eating giving yourself at least 15 minutes to eat a meal and 5 minutes for a snack.
• Make sure you are sitting at the table to eat. Create a relaxed atmosphere. Try to refrain from eating in your car or on the go.
• Before, throughout the whole meal, and once finished eating evaluate your hunger cues. Never allow yourself to get too hungry and eat till you are about 80% full.
• Working on leaving a little food on your plate at each meal to break the clean the plate club.
• Ask yourself the following questions:
• I’m I relaxed and enjoying my food?
• Are my choices mentally and physically satisfying?
• Do I feel energized after I eat or do I want to take a nap?

These questions are a great start in working with “The Process” of your eating. If you are looking for more suggestions check out The Rules of "Normal" Eating: A Commonsense Approach for Dieters, Overeaters, Undereaters, Emotional Eaters, and Everyone in Between! by Karen Koenig.

Enjoy exploring your Process of eating!

Excuses for a Closed Mind

During my yoga classes we focus on being open with our mind, body, and spirit in many of the poses. Camel in particular is a pose that helps individuals personally break down barriers and step outside their comfort zone. It took working with this pose as well as others diligently to help break down some of my own barriers in order to find that openness.

What areas of your life would you like to be more open to? This openness could be in relationships, personal growth, activities, possibilities, opportunities that arise, etc.

What prevents you from moving forward and being the best you? There are many excuses that we use for the closed mind. A few are listed below. As you read through the list do you think or say these often? We are our biggest barrier and so it is getting outside of your head in order to change.

I’ve always done it this way

It is too much trouble to change
I tried that before
I don’t like that idea
That will never work
That costs too much
That is a crazy Idea
That is too much work
That is impossible
My friends, family, coworkers would never believe it
That is so different from how I was raised
That is not me
I could never succeed

 Enjoy the journey of discovery.

“Ineffective people live day after day with unused potential. They experience synergy only in small, peripheral ways in their lives. But creative experiences can be produced regularly, consistently, almost daily in people's lives. It requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure.”           Stephen R Covey

“Life is Short. Act More. Think Less.”

“Life is Short. Act More. Think Less.”

I saw this saying while looking for new exercise ideas the other day and it struck me as something I need to work on. I am a thinker. I spend a great deal of time thinking, strategizing, planning, and worrying. I catch myself putting little things on my planner/to do list that take longer to jot down then actually complete. I refrain from doing something on the spur of the moment, because my brain starts to over think how everything will fit together. I start doubting my abilities or question the purpose of the activity and then back out. My brain is in overdrive even when I practice yoga to help me focus.

Now for those who know me I always say planning is key to success. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. It is when the thinking and planning hinders you from really living life that it becomes a problem. If you are the type to have your brain take over verses just jumping in with both feet keep this saying in your head. Use it as an affirmation daily.

This is going to be my focus for the next month. What things has your brain held you back from lately? Clear the way and live like your were dying as Tim McGraw sings!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

I participated in the Run for the Sol this past weekend. It was a 5k walk/run designed for individuals new to the event. It was great to see so many people literally taking their first steps towards better health.

The theme of the event was “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.” I think this is fitting in most situations. I have many clients who get caught up in the minor things. They allow those minor things to become boulders that stop them in their tracks.

I encourage you to think about the small things that you allow to frazzle you or to ruffle your feathers. How can you acknowledge these things, but then let them go?

In her book Creative Visualization Shakti Gawain has a Clearing Exercise you can utilize. There are four steps, but the first two and the last one are the most powerful. I encourage you to check out her book for the rest of the activity as well as other great ways to attract what you want in life.

Step #1

Take a piece of paper and at the top write, “The reason I can’t have what I want is…” You are then to write a list of anything that comes to your mind such as:
I am too lazy
I don’t have enough time
I feel guilty
I am afraid

Step #2
Write the specific thing you can’t have along with the reason.  For example, “The reason I can’t leave my dead end job is because I am afraid to do something new.” After this step sit with your list and get a sense of the limitations you place on yourself.

Step #4

Create affirmations to help over come these negative thoughts and statements.

Enjoy a more clear focus on your goals. Letting the small stuff go, because most of the time it all things to not sweat over!

What is Your Motivation

In a past posting called Creating Your Wellness Vision, I encouraged you to lay out the reasons making change are important to you. If you are struggling with sticking with your program this is a time to go back and to revisit those reasons. Many times things change in our lives and then so does our motivation (people come in and out of our life, our family’s activities change, our trips come and go, our interests shift with the seasons).

Go back and make that list again or actually do it for the first time. Know that just by taking the ten minutes to sit down with this activity could be the difference between success and failure. After creating that list make sure that your reasons are in front of you each and everyday with pictures, notecards, clothes that you want to were, plane tickets, your children, etc.

Just like showering motivation does not last so be sure to incorporate it in every single day.

If you are one to need a little push maybe a monetary one will do the trick.

http://www.stickk.com/  is a website that allows you to bet on your success. Check it out!

My motivation is how I feel. I get into a downward spiral very quickly if I allow myself to slide. I get very fatigued, cranky, unfocused, bloated, and not fun to be around. I do not like myself when I am in this state so I am motivated to not allow myself to go there.

Change your Enviroment

Dustin Maher , Author of Fit Moms For Life and created of Mama Tone at Supreme Fitness, posed a great open ended question that I thought would be a good posting. 

 "Environment trumps will-power."  This is the quote that prompted him to ask what areas in your life could you make small (or large) changes that will eliminate the temptation or greatly decrease the time the temptation presents itself (people, places, things)?

I agree that changing your environment can make sticking with your plan one hundred times easier. Some things are very easy to change, but others may not be. For instance your best friend who always insists going out for ice cream or your significant other who brings home unhealthy foods to stock the cupboards for treats are harder then chaning the route you walk to your desk at work. I hope you have all taken care of those things that are easier to change. If not that is where you might want to start. After that dive in a little deeper for those more challenging ones. 

My last post started my journey in opening up more about me and my struggles and successes. So in continuing with that one of the environmental things that I could still change is my schedule for dinner. Being a trainer my schedule is sometime chaotic especially in the evenings. Not only do I work a little later, but I also go to bed early in order to get up early.  Some nights I am putting my son to bed right after work, which lately has been a struggle. I am tired and not making the best decisions at night and then going to bed soon afterwards. I know the best way to change this is to eat my dinner earlier around 2:30 and have a light snack before bed. I eat breakfast at around 5 AM, a snack around 8, and lunch around 11 so the transition wouldn’t be hard. Right now I eat a small snack around 2:30, but need to eat more to tied me over.

Change to get the most bang

Usually I do not go into a lot of details about me with my blogs, but when I mentioned in one of my session that I go back to logging my food when I feel I’m getting off track, one of my clients didn’t believe that I get off track or get stuck in a rut. I am just like all of you in that I have my quirks, struggles, and temptations with wellness. By opening up about myself I hope you can learn even more from me.

I ask my clients what things if you focused on them would give you the most bang for your buck. Below are two situations that I know if I focused on, they would in the long run give me the most benefits.

#1

My attitude about my family (sisters, parents, relatives, and husband’s relatives)
I bring this up not to make anyone of them feel bad, because in essence just like anything else it is ultimately my choice in what I do. This is my problem. I need to make change for myself knowing that maybe long term the environment might change.
The big issue when it comes to my family is the thought of being different. I am also the baby of the family, I learned to follow the leader. So it is easier for me to just follow what everyone else does even though I spend the rest of the week in a tailspin with the emotional turmoil. Telling myself it is ok to be different with what I eat, how I exercise, what I bring to share with others, and what I get excited about is key to my success. In those situations I need to take the reigns and bring different foods for myself, say no politely to what is being offered, and schedule something that will get me right back on track after visiting (podcast, yoga class, journaling). Releasing the guilt that I feel for doing this. There is nothing to feel guilty about, because the choices are the best for me.

#2

Schedule not going as Planned
I am a planner, have always been one. I function well on TO DO Lists, laid out details, and agendas. Most of the time these agendas are self developed. In the beginning of the day I lay out my day as I see the best use of my time. I have learned over the years to allow wiggle room for things that come up. There are many times where my plans do not go as I wanted to and I allow myself to get frustrated. It is more than frustration almost panic like. About 2 of the 3 times I allow myself to get too caught up and instead of taking a deep breath and just rethinking the situation I turn to food to calm myself down.

The change is my expectations. I found a quote that I now say regularly that is helping with this.

“The more we try to control our world, the less control we have. The more we are willing to let go of control and simply stay present with what is, the more control we have..... When we feel out of control, it is usually when there is a conflict between what we think and what we feel... But our bodies, which are the storage units for our feelings, simply cannot lie. Whatever we feel in our bodies is our truth." - Judith Lasater

What changes will give you the most bang for your buck?

Could your friends be making you fat?

Our friends influence us in many ways through social modeling- our tendency to mimic the actions of those around us. With those surveyed in the global edelman Health Barometer survey (2011) forty-three% said their friends and family have the most impact on personal health lifestyle. Have you taken a look at the health level of those you spend the most time with? Are they active, at a healthy weight, choose healthy foods, refrain from unhealthy behaviors? What impact are your family and friends having on you?

Here are some other stats to get your thinking:

• Your chance of becoming plump if a friend does increased by 57%.
• If two people dine together, each will eat 35% more than if they dined alone.
• If more than seven friends dine together, they will consume more than 96% more than they would solo.
• Eating behaviors are dictated by a tableside “pacesetter” who unknowingly sets the standards as to how much and how fast people eat.
• People cite failure to sustain a behavior change due to lack of ongoing social support.

I’m not saying don’t eat out or stop hanging out with certain friends, but becoming aware of what influences your actions can help you change unhealthy behaviors. 

Clearing Exercises

Losing weight, eating healthier, exercising consistently, and reducing stress are all behavior changes. No matter what it is you want to change, you might doubt your ability to be successful. In Shakti Gawain’s book Creative Visualization she has a clearing exercise to use if a person is having trouble realizing a goal or has resistance to that goal.

 Here is a summary of the Activity:

On  piece of paper write on the top “ The reason I can’t have what I want is…………”  then begin to list of as many thoughts that come to mind. Don’t get too detailed, but just write.

Some examples she includes:

• I’m too lazy
• I don’t have enough money
• It is too hard
• I’m afraid to

Repeat the activity, but rewrite the reasons stating the thing you want to achieve. For example, “The reason I can’t lose weight is……..”

Then write a list of all the most negative thoughts and attitudes about yourself, other people, relationships, the world, and life. Sit quietly with the list and allow yourself to experience. If emotions and feelings come up, force yourself to stay with them.

Go back and rewrite these thoughts and statements to be positive. Use these as affirmations to repeat to yourself often throughout the day to reprogram the negativity and resistance.

Traits Essential For Change

In Karen Koenig’s book The Rules of Normal Eating, she lays out six personality traits that are essential for changing attitudes and behaviors. Take inventory of the traits and see how you measure up!

1.      Curiosity-the desire to find out what is wrong, what has worked in the past, what others are doing, and finding ultimately what will work for you

2.      Compassion for self- not beating yourself up if you make a mistake, loving yourself and wanting to be the best that you can

3.      Caring for self- taking the time to put you above other things, knowing that you deserve to feel your best

4.      Practice- you are learning a new behavior which takes multiple times of doing it before it sticks

5.      Patience- giving yourself time, not doubting your ability, being patient with life

6.      Persistence- sticking to your goals, not giving up, doing what it takes to stay motivated and not let others bring you down.

Karen says, “Change is like SCRABBLE. If you are stuck you have the choice to return the unusable letters back and get different ones. There is no guarantee that they will be any better, but what do you have to loose, you can’t make any words anyways.

Enjoy the game!