Just do it July!

4th July 2016

What great things would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

Monday morning, thankfully I'm finally starting to feel human again after a nasty dose of something, I've still got a bit of laryngitis but my voice will right itself over the next few days I'm sure.  Now to get on with being healthy, my cross trainer is ready and waiting to be used, I did 5 minutes yesterday just to have a play, need to build up slowly too as I haven't done any exercise for a very long time and I don't want to do me any damage!

I was asked over the weekend if we were having a theme for July, there were a few good suggestions and after reading them and realising we all need to focus on different things depending on where we are on our journey, I've decided that this month will be "Just do it July" so for me that means get active woman!  For you it might mean, "just track honestly", "just lose that negativity", "just learn to love yourself", "just eat that fruit and veg".  You can decide what you need to JUST DO!  Because ultimately you can get all the support in the world but if you don't put the effort in, it's never going to work, no one can be there 24 hours a day for you.

No it isn't easy, we know that, if it was the world would be slim, but it can be done, so what do you need to do.  I need to stick to my plan of building up to 30 minutes a day on my cross trainer.  I also need to go clear up my kitchen now I'm well again and get back to making delicious food.  Although I have eaten healthy this weekend, lived on stew yesterday and because I'd run out of bread I couldn't dunk loads of bread in the juice luckily. 

I've also done my supermarket shop online to help me resist temptation, it's being delivered this afternoon, that should help too.  Keeping the treats to a minimum to help both mom and myself and bought lots of tasty fruit instead.

I even made jelly yesterday, I haven't done that in forever, it was really nice and just gave me something to eat when I got the nibbles.

Just do it July!  What do you need to do, so your first task is to just think about it, be honest with yourself, where are you going wrong if you are or what are you doing right that's helping.  Don't try and 'just do everything' all at once, that won't work, focus on one thing at a time, build up slowing, overdoing things erodes willpower and sets us up to fail.  Remember the hare and the tortoise, take small steps to change your diet and build up your fitness regime.  One step at a time! 

Just believe in yourself, yeah why not, if you believe you can lose a pound this week, you're more likely to behave in a manner that will help you achieve that loss.  Imagine yourself stepping on those scales on weigh day smiling as I say "YAY, you've lost a pound", it works.  I still felt rough when I woke up but I've decided I feel better and already I do feel better than I did when I woke up, the power of the mind is an incredible thing!

Just work of developing routine.  If you're a very busy person (like my brother Terry - he's always a very busy person) then establish a routine to ensure you make the time for your meeting, put it in your diary and make everything else fit round it, make the time to move more, to cook healthy meals, or stock up on healthy meals and snacks in advance rather than rushing and grabbing a Greggs or a takeaway on your way home.

Just be kind to yourself, if you're trying to cut down on chocolate or wine, it's likely you'll still want some, and maybe you'll have more than you'd planned, if it takes you longer to cut down than you expected, go easy on yourself, if someone was trying to give up the fags you'd be more sympathetic to them, to you chocolate or whatever your vice is, is just as difficult.

Just get support, stop being superman/woman, we all need support and help, you can't beat a bit of cheerleading, it can be the difference between failure and success. 

Just decide on those goals, what do you want to achieve?  Work out what you want to achieve and how you're going to achieve it!  If you don't you may as well be searching for treasure without a map! 

Just avoid the temptation, if it ain't there - you can't eat it.  This is really my favourite bit of advice for everyone, do buy what you don't want to eat and don't give me that "it's for the kids/partner/visitors" line, no one needs a copious amount of crap in their diet!  Do them a favour and help them resist temptation without them realising, they'll thank you in the future when they have good health and are considered 'healthy bmi'.

Just reward the hard work and treat yourself.  Stop expecting the moon on a stick and give yourself a pat on the back every time you make a wise choice, if you resisted crisps or chocolate and made your own lunch for work, give yourself a pat on the back.  Feel proud of yourself, it's all helping to strengthen your willpower.  Then you can treat yourself with something that isn't edible or drinkable.  Think about it, don't reward yourself with food - you're not a dog!  Little rewards along the way are a great idea though, a book, magazine, nail varnish, anything that'll put a smile on your face.

Are you up for "Just do it July!", I am you know, I'm going to get all my members reflecting back over the year this week and then we're going to look forward to the second half of the year, can't wait. 

Have a great day BeYOUtiful, focus on the healthy and happy, take care of you.