If you’re planning to change or transform your body, improve your health and your life, your mind needs to start changing first
Some will get results others will come to an end and look no different to when they started why?
Because their mind is not in the right place
Do Most Of The Little Things You Need, Most Of The Time
I’ve seen some really amazing transformations, I’ve also seen many half-hearted attempts.
What separates the ones who achieve their fantastic transformation from the ones who look just like they have been for a walk in the park?
It isn’t age, education, status, or gender.
It’s doing a few little things you need right, staring with the little things helps you dig your foundation.
You don’t have to do all the little things, because you can miss a few sometimes.
But you need to do most of them, most of the time and be consistent
So consider this as where you start to transform your body, from the someone who’s done it and helped others do it too.
Mindset Is Where It All Begins
I’m starting with mindset because it’s an overlooked yet crucial part of the whole process. Diet and exercise are key, but it’s the way you think that gets you off the sofa when things get tough. And it will get tough.
If you are going to succeed and transform at all, you need to find out “why.”
Everyone I know who is now lean for life has found their “why”. And you should too.
So ask yourself: Why do you want to lose weight or build muscle?
Be honest. Is it to look better in and out of your clothes, improve your confidence or turn multiple heads as you glide past? Your motivation doesn’t have to be high to anyone else . It just has to be honest and fit with your own values.
You can try to skip this step or try deluding yourself, but then you’re basically not starting off on the right foot. That never lasts. But when you’ve got your “why” locked down, the steps become clear.
Do you know your why?
Set yourself goals – If you don’t have goals then you cannot possibly know “Why” you need something to aim for. If you have nothing to aim for then how can you keep a check on progress? How will you know if you succeeded? The more specific the goal the better, always make them small, something you can achieve soon, this aids your motivation, “I want to lose weight in 12 months” is this a great goal? NO! it stinks! “I want to lose 10lbs by 1st October, starting with 2lb loss by this Monday” is a better goal.
Set yourself intervals – Its easy to think well into the future but for the majority this is too far ahead to see real results and keep motivated. Many of you will just simply give up. In reality changing your body is just like an interval training session. There will be periods when you are really focussed and you are pushing hard with your goal for the week as your number 1 priority. Then there will be periods when you are still working towards your goal but not pushing so hard.
After setting an interval period, work hard in that period then pull back and evaluate what has been achieved.
So you want to transform your body – Lose weight, tone, gain muscle?
Make your behaviours match your goals. the good news is there isn’t much you have to cut out of your life to get the amazing shape you want. The news flash is there’s a lot you’ll have to cut back on.
There will be periods when you will feel like there is something missing or fear of loss, it is part of the whole journey, this is behaviour change. Reference back to your “Why” and this will get you past any sticking point.
Always focus on the process and progress not perfection. Don’t try to do everything because you won’t, you are going to have low periods where you skip workouts, miss meals and eat the occasional jam donut when you think nobody is watching. NONE OF THOSE THNGS ARE IMPORTANT! So what is important? MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE IMPROVED A LITTLE ON LAST WEEK.
Strength is being aware of your nutrition
You have to know what you are eating, when you are eating and how you are eating. You don’t have to count calories, you just have to be mindful of what you are eating and when. Keep a log so you can track your food choices and be much more mindful of what you are eating.
Focus your nutrition on natural foods, 80% of the time, this means that you will have less need for the unprocessed foods that give little or no nutrition at all. Aim for 5 portions of different brightly coloured natural foods each day and a protein source with each meal. You also have to ensure you are also keeping hydrated by drinking clear unsweetened non-alcoholic fluids throughout the day.
Cook your food, you will associate with the food you are eating, the type of food, the portion size and the time. This will keep you in control and teach you the art of cooking something at many of you will have left to someone else.
Make Exercise Sustainable!
My advice is to keep a training log in whatever form suits you:
Diary, Pictures, Measurement etc.
The key to making progress is, making sure you make progress. Not just from workout to workout, but from programme to programme, month-to-month, and year to year. This can be difficult without keeping some kind of record
The key to making progress is making sure you make progress. Without progress you don’t see change and you will stop, period.
This means you should try to make some noticeable progress every workout. This can mean different things, which include
- Lifting/pushing more weight (yes women should use weights)
- Perform more reps
- Shortening your rest periods to increase intensity or doing more work in less time
Chose a sustainable training frequency.
There are plenty of different workout schedules that can work for your goals and time scales. You have plenty of options. Ensure you explore them.
Reduce your stress
Sleep is important as is your down time, finding time for you. If you allow stress and anxiety to build this will only damage your progress, you must recover.
Focus and celebrate your achievement goals, create new habits and become the person you want to be,
