Focus on GROWTH and the rest will fall into place.
Whether you have excess fat to lose, you want to improve your health, or you just want to feel more confident in and out of your clothes, choosing to GROW will get you there.
1. STOP DIETING. Stop looking for tips that force you eat less and less.
Believe it or not, “dieting” is not mandatory for losing fat and improving your health. You don’t have to follow a crazy cleanse or detox or drink special shakes. You don’t even have to avoid certain foods or food groups!
Forget about dieting and finding ways to trick yourself into eating less. Stick to the proven basics of nutrition that ultimately turn into empowering, lifestyle habits. Food is not to be feared, but rather, consumed mindfully. You don’t have to apologize for eating satisfying meals or actually enjoying your food. Nutrition SHOULD NOT deprive you and does not have to be complicated.
Choose instead to eat more of the things that make you feel good and give you energy.
2. Don’t think about “LOSING” – focus on GROWING and GAINING.
Instead of looking for ways to constantly eat less and weigh less, let’s focus on building up and growing, becoming better versions of ourselves!
What do I mean? Give this a try:
INCREASE your physical (and mental!) strength
INCREASE your effort
Add MORE weight to the barbell or pick up heavier dumbbells
GAIN a better body-image
GAIN self-confidence
BUILD UP your endurance
BUILD UP your energy levels
ENHANCE your overall life
IMPROVE your lifestyle
Those would make for much better magazine headlines, wouldn’t they? Except, they probably wouldn’t sell as well, which is unfortunate!
Give those things a try and I promise fat-loss will become a wonderful side effect.
3. Stop over-complicating everything.
Health and fitness needn’t be complicated. You don’t need a crazy, meal plan telling what you can and can’t eat, when to eat, how much to eat. You don’t need to spend endless hours in the gym either.
Stick to the proven bare essentials. Keep it simple, get results, and you might just enjoy the process a little bit (notice I said “might.” I make no promises! Ha).
Consume information from resources that empower you, not those that make you feel inferior or flawed.
We do our best to share information that empowers you and encourages you to be the best YOU possible.
4. Instead of constantly focusing on how you look, put the focus on what your body can do. Then do MORE.
When’s the last time you really stopped to appreciate the amazing things your body can do? Serioulsy? Sounds lame and cliché, but really think about it for a minute! This is why I love strength training in all its various forms (dumbbells, barbells, bodyweight, etc) – it allows you to discover and unleash the incredible things your body is capable of doing. Don’t be afraid of what you think you can’t do. Don’t be afraid to fail. Rather, see these things as an opportunity to challenge yourself, to grow, and to get better!
Be proud of what your body can do now – and then do more!
5. Shatter self-imposed limitations.
Think you’ll never be able to do a set of “real” push-ups or unassisted pull-ups? Maybe you think running a 5k, 10k is out of the question. To hell with that! It is not impossible, just might not be possible right now. But, if you really want those things, there is no reason you can’t work towards being able to do them! Our bodies are amazing if we let them be!
Now, what if you truly can’t do something because of an injury or other legitimate limitation? Choose to focus on what you CAN do, and get better at those things instead.
Get rid of those thoughts, the negative self-talk, and barriers. Follow a proven plan, focus on what you CAN do, and shatter those limitations. I would bet you’re stronger than you think!
6. Get out of your comfort zone.
You have heard it before, but I will say it again! True change happens outside of your comfort zone. Maybe you’re more comfortable just doing long, steady cardio sessions on the treadmill, or you don’t like using too much weight on an exercise. Maybe you’ve never really tried to see what you can actually do and the physical strength that’s yet to be released.
Get out of your comfort zone, even if it’s just a little bit. Try a new exercise. Increase the weight. Just do something that challenges you in a new way. We would be happy to help with this if you want!
7. Be the best version of yourself.
We saved the best for last. If you have taken nothing else away from this article, this is what matters most – being the best YOU possible. It’s not about trying to look like someone else or live like anyone else. It’s not about trying to fit someone’s standards of what women should look like. Women don’t have the same desires, goals, bodies, personalities, or characteristics, so the only option is to be the best you possible.
Unleash the things that make you uniquely you. Be MORE, not less.