How may times have you started the year with, “This year I am going to get healthy, lose ‘x kilos’ and finally have abs”? It’s an all too familiar goal for anyone with a desire to be the healthiest and happiest version of themselves, but also one that usually falls to the side as we fail to understand why we just can’t seem to stay motivated, enforce will power and commit to our exercise routine.
“When striving to be the healthiest version of yourself, food and exercise are only the first steps”
And while we may have a rough idea on how we want to go about achieving such health and fitness goals in the new year, perhaps by avoiding certain foods or training a certain way, we often fail to address the role that lifestyle and doing the ‘inner’ work, has on our success.
Here are four key ways to stick to your health and fitness goals this year and not look back:
1. Get super clear on WHY your health and fitness goals mean so much to you.
What is driving you to be your healthiest and happiest self? Why do you want what you want?
2. Under each ‘why’, come to understand the actual feeling you are really chasing.
For example: Your goal might be to reach 65kg, with your big ‘why’ being that you want to fit into that dress you once loved, or be able to rock a bikini at the beach. But it isn’t until you uncover the deep-rooted feelings behind those ‘whys’ that you can start to uncover your greatest source of motivation.
Fitting into that dress or rocking a bikini at the beach might mean for you that you finally feel confident. Elegant. Feminine. Accepted. Alive. Whatever that feeling is that has your heart pounding and craving more – that right there is what you are really hoping to achieve. That is your real goal. Fitting into that dress and hitting the beach are simply added bonuses.
3. Feel the way you want to feel… Now.
Where in your life (outside of your health/fitness) do you already feel these feelings you are craving?
For example:
a) What part of your current world makes you feel confident – your job? Your expertise in your industry?
b) Where do you currently feel alive – out on the water? Rock climbing? Diving?
c) Where in your life do you already feel accepted – perhaps in your relationships? Within your family or group of friends?
The key here is to hone in on the areas of your life where you are already feeling the way you want to feel, and remind yourself that you don’t have far to go.
Where the mind goes, energy flows. So remind yourself that you already do feel this way in your life, and put the energy out there that you want more of it. Show gratitude for what you already have and invite more of that into your life. Yes, please!
4. Make sure your lifestyle supports you in achieving your goals.
As a health and lifestyle coach, I so often meet clients who have all sorts of daring goals, and want to have the health, happiness and freedom that they have always dreamed of. But they are so often completely unaware of the lifestyle changes they need to make in order to support those goals.
“Change is an inevitable part of life, and overcoming the fear of change, failure or even success can be just as challenging as your health goals themselves”
When striving to be the healthiest version of yourself, food and exercise are only the first steps. It’s important to dive into how your career, daily routine, relationships, hobbies, habits, self-imposed limitations, self-doubt and self-worth, social life, finances, and your general level of contentment in each part of your life, are directly impacting the decisions you make each day and your overall feeling of success or failure.
The goal here is to know exactly what you want, why you want it, and then make life work for you, not against you, in helping to bring those goals and dreams to life. Change is an inevitable part of life, and overcoming the fear of change, failure or even success can be just as challenging as your health goals themselves. This is where doing the inner work and taking a good hard look at your lifestyle can make all the difference.
With this more holistic approach to health and wellness, we are helping to create more alignment in each area of our life and hence giving our goals a fighting chance of survival.
This holistic approach to wellness is growing rapidly, with lifestyle guidance and support being introduced to wellness clinics, gyms and medical centres globally. Locally, the introduction of health and lifestyle coaching to yoga studios like Lighten Up, has actively encouraged all members to explore their drivers and motivation, and be healthy and happy both on and off the yoga mat.
Get involved
Lighten Up is currently offering a seven-day free trial to all new visitors, alongside a free 30-minute health and lifestyle coaching session. For more information visit lightenupnq.com.au.
