So why aren't you in shape?

To be perfectly honest, so many people get the whole being in shape thing VERY wrong. From crash diets to downright dangerous nutritional regimes, there are so many conflicting articles from so-called experts, how the heck are you supposed to navigate the maze of information telling you to do this and that? Well, it may just be simpler than you think by applying a few simple rules that may just save you the days, months and even years of yoyo dieting heartache.

First of all, YOU are the only person responsible for what's happening to your body. By that I mean, if you are unwell, then do your best to find out what you need to do in order to get out of your dis-ease state. After all, if you don't know what's wrong or why you're feeling a certain way and you are not taking any steps to rectify your situation or find out what you need to do to feel better, then by all means, continue on your "I feel bad" journey.

However, for those of you who are actively seeking better health and putting your health and your fitness first then what I'm about to tell you might just help you more than you realise. I WISH I had someone that I could go to, that I trusted to ask about all things "health and fitness" rather than going around in circles getting on the latest fad diets and crazy training routines more times than I'd like to remember! Boy were those days hard, I listened to everyone who claimed to be an "expert" and before too long, I was spending crazy amounts of money on the latest miracle plan that would somehow miraculously transform my dress size!

I don't think I have ever been SO WRONG with what I was doing to my body. I was seriously in denial about my eating habits, the choices I was making and the reasons why I was doing it. Thinking back, I had convinced myself that there was always a good reason WHY (in my mind) there was simply no other choice and that what I was doing was a good option (at the time).  There were always other things to do, places to go, other people to please and someone else to help (rather than myself).

It wasn't until I really started to ask some VERY confronting questions with the help of a great mentor that I began to realise that "I" was the person standing in my way and "I" was the one who truly needed help before I could even begin to truly help others.  I remember that day like it was yesterday. The day that I started to wonder why I kept sabotaging myself, WHY I felt like I needed to eat chocolate until I was sick, WHY I consistently thought about my next meal and WHY I defended my entire nutritional and training regime so fiercely.

In a nutshell, it was because I didn't want anyone to get to know the real me, the person who struggled, the person who found it super hard to ask for help for fear of being judged, I didn't want to admit to myself that I might not be as "good as what I thought" or as "open to criticism" as I needed to be.  From there, I wanted to know EVERYTHING about myself, what made me mad, what motivated me, what made me sad and most of all what made me do the things I did and what disappointed me.  It wasn't until I realised the power of words, that I would be able to change the language I was using on myself.

Words are the most powerful weapon you have in your fight to be fit and healthy. Negative self talk will only get you negative results and YOU are the only person who can change that!

If there's one thing that you remember in your fight to be the best you that you can be, it's to be kind to yourself, get to know yourself inside out and be grateful to your body for all the blessings you have in your life. STOP, take time to breathe and remember that it matters what you do next, not what you've done!

Believe in yourself, Train Hard, Keep Fit and LOVE Life!

Lindy xxx