All around the globe, more people are consciously making healthier choices. They're careful about the food they eat and getting more exercise. This means that we're healthier as a species, and you'll encounter less resistance on your health journey than any other time in history.
However, when you do embark on your health journey, you'll still face some resistance. Change is difficult, even if you want it. How can you better tackle this challenge?
Combating resistance
Most people change their diet when they decide to live a healthier life. That means reducing sugar, eating more healthy fats, and eliminating processed foods. However, this creates internal and external resistance.
If you've lived your whole life using unhealthy foods to celebrate, mourn, reward, and soothe, you'll experience some resistance to change.
For instance, you've planned to exercise 30 minutes over lunch, but your colleagues urge you to accompany them to the new BBQ spot. If you refuse, you'll be the only one who's left out.
You'll face internal resistance when starting an exercise program, or when restarting a healthy diet regimen. You may have doubts or fears when you don't see the desired results right away.
Here are some helpful tips to help you stay on track when you face resistance:
Ask a friend for help. Having others around you with the same goal is much more helpful than going it alone.
It's still ultimately up to you. Avoid comparing yourself with others. Your choices are unique to you, your pace, and your health and fitness needs. Move at a pace comfortable to you.
This is your struggle. You'll go through stages of change and adopt new habits faster or slower than others who might be on a similar journey. Do what feels best to you.
Staying the course
Even after healthier choices become a part of your life, you'll still face resistance. Here's how to stay committed to your journey.
ATTENTION
Pay attention to the choices you can control. That is the first part of this two-step process of making healthy choices every day.
We often think we don't have any choice over the meal served at a conference we're attending, but that's not true. Don't be afraid to ask for special meal requests.
Also, when you're at a restaurant, the menu is simply a suggestion. You can skip the entree served with a sugary sauce and go for a grilled entrée without sauce. Practice exercising such choices more often.
INTENTION
Use the question: 'does this serve my greater health goal?' to guide your decisions. Most people juggle family, work, home maintenance, laundry, and meal planning every day.
Some of these things feel like obstacles, and we use them as excuses. But they are the reasons to take better care of ourselves.
As you approach each choice during your day with attention and intention, your healthy choices outnumber those that sabotage your progress.
We've compiled some ideas to help you be attentional and intentional about your choices.
- Ask in advance what foods are being served.
- Carry snacks in case what's on the buffet isn't something you want to eat.
- Use menus as a suggestion and ask for what you want.
- Set your morning alarm 20 minutes earlier so you can get some exercise.
- Get active before you eat a full meal. Moving will make you feel better about yourself, have more energy, and helps you make better choices about the food you'll choose. You only need a short 10-minute walk or stretch session.
- If you need extra motivation, ask a colleague to go with you on the walk or to the gym over lunch.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team
