Sempai Julie Creighton – Second Degree Black Belt – Nutrition and Wellness Specialist (NWS) – Milton Academy of Martial Arts.
Weight loss requires change. For any change to become habit it must be done gradually and consistently. If you are overweight like I was, changes are needed. Does it sound overwhelming? I know. Sometimes I felt like I was drowning in what needed to be done, unable to take the first step that would set all in motion. The first step is the hardest; it’s not something you can change easily, like the paint on the wall or swapping a shirt for another. Let’s explore my 3 steps:
- Attitude –
- Think Positive. Have faith in yourself. I wish I could plaster these quotes on everyone’s bedroom walls. Do not get stuck beating yourself up about all the things you did wrong and why you deserve to be overweight. Let’s be honest. Those questions are difficult to get rid of, if not impossible at the beginning. I’m not asking you to, I’m asking you to change them. Notice those negative thoughts and switch them to positive ones.
- o From: “ I am so stupid for letting this happen, I know better”
- o Into: “ I am so fortunate that I am making steps to correct this now”
- WARNING: changing something internally takes time. Lots and lots of time. You can’t expect for those negative thoughts to go positive in a day. My journey took me four years. This positive mindset also makes you a healthier person!
- Habits –
- Replace old habits one at a time with healthy ones. It takes thirty days to create a habit. Habits take patience: Eating habits, exercise habits, calorie counting, meal planning and weighing yourself weekly. These habits will be laid out in specific steps in my next posts.
- Commitment –
- Dedication will require a restricted freedom on some levels, but this is required for success. Become your own BFF and dedicate yourself to making the necessary changes to meet your weight loss goals. Be a loyal friend to yourself. Only YOU will love YOU the most. Love yourself! Commit to the process!
Mental strength is developed just like physical power; it needs exercise and the chance to flex against resistance, whether it a dumbbell or junk food. Years of karate, yoga and tai chi training gave me this dedication and focus in moments of weakness. It let me say NO, when I wanted to skip a workout or eat take out. Any structured activity like dance, Pilates, or an organized sport like hockey, basketball, baseball or soccer will develop sharper mental skills; it’s in the very nature of these forms of exercise.
