6 Beliefs standing between you and the body you desire

Strive for progress, not perfection.

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Everyone has certain beliefs and habits that dictate their behavior. Unfortunately, many of these beliefs can keep people from the very things they desire the most. This seems to be especially true when it comes to diet and exercise. The beliefs that people hold often prevent them from even getting started as well. It is especially unfortunate in light of how easy it can be to make simple changes that can have profound effects.

And, two more things before we press on. Look carefully at the title. It says, “that you desire.” Not what you have seen in some advertising, not what your mother or spouse think you should look like. What you desire.

The second thing is that these or very similar beliefs stand between people and most of the things they truly desire. So, even though we are focusing this post on getting back into better shape today, think outside of the proverbial box. What thing do you desire. Modify the beliefs below and move forward.

If any of these statements ring true for you, read on to discover how to counteract their damage:

1. “I must have everything that I need before I can get started.” You know the drill. You think that you have to get a new pair of those tennis shoes, join a gym, buy new workout clothes, find the perfect diet, and more. Be realistic this time out. Realize that you don’t need anything fancy to simply get started. You have a general idea about which foods are healthy and which aren’t. If you don’t think you know well enough, “Google” it.

Get up and go for a walk.

Get started today with what you already know and what you already have. You can improve your diet and exercise routine each week. Absolutely nothing happens without action, so start taking action today.

2. “I’m too out of shape to exercise.” Lots of heavy 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, and is different for everyone.

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 or two. Do some of 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 again.” Yes, it is true that the more out of shape you are, the longer it will take you to get back into shape. 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 try to focus on where you think you will be two years out, it makes it tougher to persevere.

5. “I don’t know how to get started.” If you are really in poor physical shape, or haven’t done any physical exercise in a long time, nearly anything is good enough. Clean up your diet just 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 accordingly. Then you can change a little more. And it is not necessary to make a complicated routine.

Here is a concrete suggestion: 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, this is not a race. If you can only walk 5 minutes, that’s fine. Next week you will be able to walk 10 minutes. Each week improve your diet and increase your activity by just a little bit at a time.

6. “It’s too complicated.” Sadly, this belief is perpetuated by the nutrition and fitness industry. If they kept everything simple, there wouldn’t be anything to sell you. Diet and exercise are both actually very simple unless you are trying to make the Olympic team or prep for a marathon. Do not be fooled into thinking that your 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.

Thoughts?

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtgt/24162061/sizes/z/in/photostream/