Anyone can follow a 7 day detox or 4 week workout challenge. But changing your mindset and lifestyle is where the real progress is made. Here are 3 mindset shifts that really made my healthy lifestyle stick:
1. There are no good or bad foods, some simply have more nutrients than others and eating some foods will make me feel better than eating others.
If you follow me on instagram or have read this blog for a while, you have probably heard me say this before. An interesting thought exercise is to try and figure out where these notions came from in the first place. Where did you learn that bananas or cookies or chips were bad? What is from hearing your parents use this language, from media, from a friend or Dr. Oz?
Denoting foods as good or bad is a slippery slope to calling yourself good or bad for what you are eating. And Ted Bundy could have eaten all the kale salads in the whole and never have been good. A much better way to phrase this is that some foods have more nutrients than others. So it’s reasonable to conclude that we should eat the foods with more nutrients more often and eat the foods with less nutrients less often.
This also takes away the “cheat day” notion or that have to “get back on track”. You’re just living your life and doing the best you can each day in each situation.
2. Change, both favorable and unfavorable, takes longer than you think.
This statement can be both comforting and frustrating at the same time because it means two things:
- Favorable change, getting closer to your goals, is likely going to take longer than you want or you think it should.
- Unfavorable change, getting further from your goals, is likely not going to happen as quickly as you think.
Those are two reasons why creating a lifestyle is so important. Anyone can stick to a starvation diet for a week. But that’s not sustainable, healthy or even going to help you reach your goals.
We’re also more likely to stick to a lifestyle if we enjoy it. That’s why I don’t say that everyone needs to eat or exercise the same way. Your perfect healthy balance might look different from mine or your sister’s or your friend’s. Embrace what works for you and fits in what you need, but also makes you happy.
3. Investing in your health, fitness, knowledge or wellbeing is always worth it.
Investing in yourself enforces the idea that you are worth it. Whether it’s self-care or personal development, doing these type of things sends a positive message to you from you 🙂 Your health and wellbeing is so closely related to your quality of life, so the investment is always going to pay off.
I recently spent more money on an educational course that I would have in the past. Before I purchased it, I really debated whether I should. After I purchased it, my self-esteem went up. Purchasing that course was an investment and belief in myself. It might sound a little silly, but it’s true!
Investing in a personal trainer or health coach, paying for a meditation app or therapy, going on a walk or eating broccoli all are investments in yourself. Start viewing all these self-care/health habits as an investment in your future quality of life. And also know that rest days are also an investment in your joint health and muscle recovery.
Do you agree with these? Have you had any health/fitness mindsets that drastically needed to change? Let me know in the comments!