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A
Matter Of Balance
By
Robert Ferguson
Master Weight-Loss Coach
Focus!
Take control! Just do it!
These statements sound good, but the action they imply is
easier said than done. To bring the role of balance into perspective
- take a few minutes and ponder on the following questions:
Do you find yourself doing more for others than you do for
yourself? Do you feel fulfilled with your life? Now imagine
this scenario: you return home from work after a long day
tired and exhausted mentally. Your goal is to exercise after
work, but you decide to go home and rest instead. You feel
beat up. After you arrive home you hear this voice in your
head saying, "You should exercise - what about your weight-loss
goal?" To shut the voice up you think to yourself, "What
the hell" and the next thing you realize - you're nurturing
yourself with some tasty treats (i.e., cookies, ice cream,
wine). Following your emotional feast the voice returns and
it is louder than ever. You become more frustrated and depressed
about how you behaved.
No
longer your own best friend, you begin to judge yourself and
say things like, "I have no willpower" and "What's
wrong with me"? Then, you look over at the sink and notice
the stack of dirty dishes. These dishes remind you of the
dirty clothes that are sitting on the washer and the dinner
your family expects. The thought of eating dinner becomes
even more bothersome because your family doesn't want to eat
what you are cooking. A family member may say something like,
"I don't want that diet food. I want regular food".
Soon, you notice your mind is overwhelmed with a streamline
of things to do and you conclude that you will not get everything
done. As this becomes the daily routine for most people, peace
of mind is elevated and placed on your personal wish list.
The
good news: feeling overwhelmed and out of balance is not
beyond resolving. The antidote is applied by building your
self-esteem, conquering procrastination, feeling like you
are making progress and coming into balance with your life.
Sounds good so far, but how do you accomplish this? The answer
isn't to simplify. It's not solely about downscaling either,
but first learning to accept what's not in your control. This
is no easy solution, but it works! Remember; the only person
you can control is you-the only person you can change is you.
When you find yourself frustrated, annoyed, angry and overwhelmed,
asked yourself, "What am I attempting to control?"
This question will help you come face to face with what you
are attempting to control. Once answered, ask yourself, "Is
this something I can change or is it out of my control?"
If you can change it, then take action. If you can't, you
will be faced with a decision; you can either resist and continue
your efforts to control what is out of your control or you
can begin moving into acceptance.
The bottom line
The principle of acceptance says that you do not have to like,
enjoy or want something (i.e., food, exercise), yet it is
what it is. If a person isn't successful at lasting fat loss,
you can be assured that he or she resisted some truth or reality
at one point or another. Whether it was their decision to
go on eating food that blocked their ability to continue progressing
or they remained stuck because they decided not to take responsibility
and become accountable for their choices, somewhere along
the line they refused to accept the truth.
The
bottom line is to continue focusing on what you want - not
on what you don't want. This includes accepting the reality
that regular exercise, healthy eating, daily planning of meals
and snacks, tracking, scheduling time for grocery shopping
and maintaining focus and a desire to evolve as a person is
how you create health and experience lasting fat loss. Regardless
of where you've been - what matters is where you're going.
Send
inquiries to: [email protected]
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