This seems to be especially true when it comes to diet and exercise. Beliefs that prevent us from even getting started are common as well. It’s especially unfortunate in light of how easy it actually is to make simple changes that can have profound effects. If any of these statements ring true for you, read on to discover how to counteract their damage: 1. “I must have everything before I get started.” You know the routine; you think you have to get new tennis shoes, join a gym, buy new workout clothes, find the perfect diet, and more. Realize that you don’t need anything fancy to get started. You know what food is healthy and what isn’t. Go for a walk. Get started today with what you already know. You can improve your diet and exercise routine each week. Nothing happens without action, so start taking action today. 2. “I’m too out of shape to exercise.” Lots of heavier people believe this one. The truth is that exercise is relative. For some people, exercising means running 10 miles. For others, it might mean walking to the mailbox and back. The key is to stress your body slightly and then let it recover. The amount of work it takes to achieve that is secondary. 3. “I don’t have time to cook.” There are plenty of things that are healthy to cook that take almost zero attention. Throw some beans in a pot and let them boil for a couple of hours while you’re busy with something else. The total time actually spent doing anything is less than a minute. Do this ahead of time and then just reheat for mealtime. 4. “I’m so out of shape that I’ll never be able get back in shape.” It’s true that the more out of shape you are, the longer it’s going to take. But you can improve each week. It doesn’t take much to lose one pound each week, but that’s 50 pounds in a year. It’s important to just focus on this week. If you focus two years out, it’s tough to persevere. 5. “I don’t know how to get started.” If you’re in poor physical shape, nearly anything is good enough. Clean up your diet a little bit. Move around a little bit more than you have been. Once you make an improvement in your habits, your body will respond. Then you need to change a little more. It’s not necessary to have a complicated routine.
- Try this: Replace one ‘bad’ food that you eat regularly with something that you know is healthy. Also add going for a walk to your daily routine. Go as slowly as you need to. If you can only walk 5 minutes, that’s fine. Next week you’ll be able to walk 10. Each week improve your diet and increase your activity by just a little bit.
6. “It’s too complicated.” This belief comes from the nutrition and fitness industry. If they kept everything simple, what would they have to sell and talk about? Diet and exercise are both actually very simple unless you’re trying to make the Olympic team. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re knowledge is insufficient. Examine your own beliefs. What is stopping your from taking better care of yourself? Is your belief reasonable, or is it just an excuse to maintain your current behavior? If you can change your beliefs, you can change your behavior and enjoy better results. Start eating a little bit better and exercising a little bit more today, and sooner than you think, you’ll have the body you’ve been wanting.