Living life fully helps you realize that there is more to life than your weight, the number on the scale, your fitness level or your pant size.

Sometimes we focus on the outside stuff so much that we forget that we have to love ourselves enough to do what is best for us. Focusing inward on our beliefs, thought patterns and habits can be a catalyst for change. Learning self-acceptance is one of the first steps in self-care. Knowing and accepting that you are wonderful just because you are you can be the first step in clearing road blocks to a healthier and fit you.

Are you someone who is an all or nothing fitness enthusiast? Do you call out the food police if you eat something that you think you shouldn’t have? Or do you not even start…why bother you have never been able to keep up the exercise or weight loss before.

You need to start living your dream life today. Not when the scale reaches a certain number or until you are excerising on a regular basis.

So begin from within. Journal about your expectations, assumptions and beliefs. See which ones are influencing your goal of being healthier and fit. Discard the ones that no longer represent you and invision the dreams and hopes that you have for yourself. Now act!

I have written several posts about goal setting and developing action plans. I keep addressing the topic, because I know that “walking the talk” is tough…especially when we make everything else a priority over ourselves.

That is why I love the book “Simple Steps – 10 Weeks to Getting Control of Your Life” (New American Library 2003) by Lisa Lelas, Linda McClintock, and Beverly Zingarella. This book walks you through 40 steps developed by the trio of ladies that get implemented (compounded) over 10 weeks.

When I review this book it reminds me to keep my action plans simple so I don’t get overwhelmed. I have also worked with focusing my goals on the four areas that they suggest: health, weight, home and spirit. Broken down into achievable steps, you can’t help but be successful.

So what step can you take this week addressing health, weight, home or spirit? Don’t get overwhelmed…just do it!

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” ~Chinese Proverb

I keep coming back to the food and clutter connection…

One of the connections that I think is important is the emotional link to what, how and when you eat. Are you eating because you are hungry? Or are you eating because you are tired, sad, bored, stressed or happy? Try focusing on eating only when you feel hungry. A food journal can help you identify if you are eating because of emotional triggers or because of hunger. Keep a food journal for at least three days. Then review it for emotional triggers. You may be surprised at what you learn.

I had to end on the last day of National Nutrition Month® with a nutrition note.

 Here are a few suggestions for fueling your body:

• Make healthy eating easy. Have you been doing that weekly menu discussed in a previous post? If not, why not start now.
• Eat nutrient dense foods. Can you add another serving of whole grains to your menu? Can you eliminate one high-sugar food?
• Eat a variety of foods. Have you tried any quinoa recipes yet? I did. The Asparagus Quinoa Soup recipe was excellent!
• Eat consciously and stop eating when you first feel full. Are you eating with the TV on? Try eating without the TV or reading or other distractions for a week. What is different?

Which suggestion from above will you focus on this week?

I referred to the word discipline in my last post. I mentioned it because I was curious why that word just popped into my head while I was working out the other day. I believe that exercise should be fun and energizing and not work. If you feel that it is work then change things up.

Exercise is fuel for your mind, body and spirit. It can be a tool to reconnect to your body in a fun and nurturing way. You can make the conscious choice every day to move your body and the choices are limitless. With the weather hopefully breaking soon, break out of your usual routine and take your cardio workout outdoors. Change up your routine to keep it fun and to keep you motivated.

 I have my sunglasses ready and waiting for the next nice day.

The word discipline “came to me” when I was on the elliptical trainer the other day. I am not sure why it popped into my head. Maybe it is because of a fall and an injury to my arm almost two weeks ago. This last week I had to spend more time talking myself into working out than I have for a while.

So I had to look up the definition. While I found several meanings here are two that struck me:

dis·ci·pline  1: training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character. 2 a: control gained by enforcing obedience or order b: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior. c: self-control.

Reaching our goals, whether they are fitness-related, career-focused, aimed at finding balance or financial success, happens when we implement daily practices that support our vision for the future.

Are your daily practices supporting your vision for yourself?

I mentioned in a previous post that I work out regularly with a trainer. That works for me for my strength training because it makes me accountable to someone and it sure is harder for me to cancel if I pre-schedule appointments.

Here are some things that you might want to consider in order to fit fitness into your life on a regular basis:

• Use the buddy system.
• Escape to the great outdoors.
• Pick an activity you enjoy.
• Combine family time with activity time.

If you need more ideas on how to take the first step to include fitness in your life or if you want more ideas so you can keep your motivation visit  http://www.smallstep.gov/get_active.html

No matter what your age, physical ability or limitations or current activity level, it’s never to late to start. Some type of activity is right for everyone. So take that first step!

Did you make a resolution this year to increase your fitness level or the amount of exercise you do in your life? It is now March and if you are still exercising, congratulations! But if you are like many you may have fallen back into your comfort zone and stopped exercising.

I have had my own challenges over the years in keeping my commitment to exercise. But I have found one thing that works for me. The one thing that I am consistent with is my appointment to do my strength training with my trainer, Cherie Houston, of Houston Fitness Consultants in Highland, MI.

Doing this one thing for myself on a consistent basis helps me handle stress and moves me toward my intention of being fit and fabulous. On days when I arrive for my session and say I am exhausted; when I don’t think that I can lift a weight – magically I have more energy after my session.

Exercise is one of  the best things for our mind and body. Check out the Houston Fitness Consultants website: www.houstonfc.com to learn about their chili pepper theory of exercise. It is the one thing that keeps me going because I know that I will accomplish the best workout that I can when I exercise with my trainer even when I think I can’t….I can’t wait for my next session.

What step can you take today to be fit and fabulous? 

Even as a Registered Dietitian I have had my own share of weight woes and have read many books on the topic for personal and professional reference. One such book is Body for Life® for Women: a woman’s plan for physical and mental transformation (Rodale 2005) by Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P. In the book Dr. Peeke suggests woman should accept that achieving and sustaining a mental and physical transformation takes work. She states “…mental and physical sweat, intensity, mindfulness, focus – all the things , by the way, that you apply to your job, your kids, and your relationships. Why shouldn’t you expend the same energy on yourself? Humbly accept that your self-care will take work, and you’ll make the journey so much easier.”

From  a different perspective Authors Marla Cilley and Leanne Ely of Body Clutter: love your body, love yourself  (Fireside 2005) write “Losing weight is not a game we play. It is not a challenge we take on to beat someone by losing more weight than she can. This is a lifelong attitude adjustment. It is okay that we are just now making the decision to change. We can jump in right where we are and not look back, but only look forward. This is not the hard work you have forced yourself to believe it is; wellness is a choice to live a balanced life. It’s not work unless we make it that way.”

From my perspective, weight loss is work in the sense that you have to make a choice everytime you eat. Some of us are lucky and this comes easily to us. For others lifestyle change is a longer, more difficult road because we are so stuck that we have to clear our cluttered thoughts or spaces to make room for change. BUT healthy eating…nourishing our bodies is the right choice to make. It does take an attitude adjustment and a daily commitment to be the best you that you can be. I encourage you to become your own priority. Just take one baby step toward a healthier you.

 As an R.D., I get asked why my life coaching practice isn’t focused on nutrition. It is to a point, but eating healthier, losing weight and being physically active all require conscious thought and commitment. I have found that being able to make and sustain change or making positive choices requires you to become unstuck… to get clear about your goals and to clear clutter (old beliefs, excess baggage, physical environment, negative thoughts, inactivity, etc.) from your mind, body and space to gain balance so you can achieve your goals, health, fitness and harmony in your life.

So make the healthier choice at your next meal as your step toward a healthier you. Think about your beliefs about weight loss or change. Are they still true for you?  If you would like to try a free complimentary coaching session contact me:

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 A little more on the topic of National Nutrition Month® and nutrition facts.

It is said that variety is the spice of life. It is easy to get stuck in our comfort zone with foods by eating the same things day-after-day. Have you been working on getting fit and fabulous, but are still making the same food choices? Have you tried any new foods lately?

I would encourage you to continuously try foods new to you. As a Registered Dietitian, I still am finding foods that are new to me. Recently I tried quinoa (keen-wa) after reading about it on a colleague’s website (and loved it!). Life Coach and Registered Dietitian Janet Simpson is collecting recipes for a future book featuring quinoa and posting them on her website. To find out more about this grain visit: www.nourishyourlife.com/cooking-with-the-grain-of-angels.

Oh yes, it is always easier to try a new food when a recipe is recommended by someone. So I asked Janet and she recommends two favorite recipes which are found on the website: Asparagus Quinoa Soup and Fresh Quinoa Fruit Salad.

Give them a try. I am planning to include one on my menu for next week. Thank you Janet!