I had a lovely day out on the weekend, and my niece took a photo of two of my sisters and me by the lake. It's not often that I'm photogenic, even when a professional photographer is involved. But my niece, to her credit, took a great snap.
Well, from chin up, it was a good snap. I suddenly realised why I need to lose 30 per cent of my body weight.
If you've read some of my previous posts, you'll know that I've been trying to lose weight for some time (my average, when dieting, is about 1.5kg per month). If you've ever tried to lose weight, you'll know how hard it can be, especially once Menopause decides she wants a live-in relationship!
I've actually had some pretty healthful habits over the years, so when the dietician asked about my diet a while back, there was nothing she could take out or swap. All she could do was tell me my calorie ration, and send me out to exercise.
My new GP got me to stop eating after 8pm (though he says that 6pm would be better).
When I looked at this photo from last weekend, I thought, I have to lose weight and quickly, because I don't want to ruin the photos at my niece's wedding this Friday.
So what could I do? Well, I thought back to moments of previous weight loss success in my life, and remembered how I achieved those little wins (FYI, that's good coaching!). I started baking my seedy psyllium crackers again (yum).
I also read some oracle cards (Archangels Michael and Raphael), which came up with some great suggestions too (when you're stuck for ideas, it can't hurt).
I also asked my brother, who recently lost 15 kgs over about a month (I know, awesome, right?). I tried online, first looking for fastest weight loss tips, and then refining that search with the word "scholarly" to get research evidence. (Yep, still good coaching).
That led to a couple of good sources, and a handy summary article, that I'm linking to here.
There are some fads out there, but knowing how to sort out what works, from what is a money-making scam, is the difference between getting the results you want versus wasting a lot of your precious resources.
I understand how tough it can be, to embrace change, and to succeed at something you dearly want. But, I also know what it's like to keep going, to tenaciously continue searching for answers, to look for all kinds of resources to help with achieving goals.
I understand that habits are really easy to fall back into, that permanent change can be hard, and that emotions and self-esteem can get in the way of success.
It doesn't matter what you want. The idea about coaching is simple and can be generalised to anything in life, whether it be a change in weight or a change in lifestyle.
So, I'm applying exactly what I know to my life's challenges. What about you? Would you like to join me in getting healthier and happier?
You probably know at least 3-4 people, who have come to mind while you've read this post. Why not buy them a gift certificate? It doesn't matter where they are, because coaching can be delivered over the phone just as well as in person (possibly even better over the phone).
But, what about you? Just ask yourself, "Do I want every aspect of my life to be a 10/10?" Well, it's never too late (unless my diary is full). All you need to do, to book in for your first coaching session, is choose! And there's the absolutely fantastic 8-Week Breakthrough Results Program, if you are really committed to living your most authentic life.
Now, maybe you need some other tools - such as books, meditations, meditation school, a tarot and oracle card reading, or to consider what kinds of strategies you need in your life (Ahem. I am Certified Results Coach, and you can book a free strategy session over the phone, anywhere in the world).
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Thanks, lovely Ilona 😘 Some great things to ponder in your comment! 😍 Visualisation does work for many people, especially when paired with action steps that fit with what a person can swap or change just a little. 🙏 Habits are just actions that we repeat most often, so that the neural pathways become superhighways and the actions become automatic. Our parents would say, "Practice makes perfect", and that's why. 😳 Bad habits are just automatic actions. If we start to practise mindfulness more, we become aware of what we're doing and how we could change it. A little research in the right places, and we find ideas that could help. 🤗 Then, trying out the new moves and pairing them with…
That is a gorgeous photo of you Mary-Claire 😘 What stuck out most for me in this article is to look at how you see yourself in your future and form a habit of visualising it.....I know I don't think too far ahead but if I were to make a habit of visualising how I see myself in future ( a me I would be happy to own and live with ) then I think I could possibly get there. Why is it so hard to enforce good habits...bad ones seem to stick so easily. X