Approaching a new year can be exciting - a clean slate and new goals to set! No doubt many of us in the Vision family will be setting health and fitness goals that may in fact be a little frightening and place us out of our comfort zone. Having the support of an encouraging Vision Personal Trainer by our side when we are setting our goals will ensure that we are stretching ourselves just that little bit further.
I am all for setting big goals, however, the concept of delaying happiness until a goal is met is an easy trap to fall into! We've all said at least one of these in our lives before: -
- I'll be happy WHEN I weigh X,
- I'll be happy WHEN I fit into X,
- I'll be happy WHEN I'm able to run X km, or
- I'll be happy WHEN I can participate in X event.
Those who are waiting for a number on the scales to magically appear at some stage in the future are delaying their happiness - I've definitely been there! The scales define nothing other than gravity and our relationship with the earth. We put too much emphasis on a number that actually has so little to do with health. As you've found out if you are a Vision Client, body fat and muscle mass are so much more important in terms of overall body composition - and if you're not a Vision Client, consider this article your free pass to learn more.
Life is literally happening right now in front of you and it won't wait for the perfect figure, or perfect time for you to enjoy it. As the mum of three young boys I have faced the challenge of getting back into shape many times over and it is seriously tough! I vividly remember avoiding play dates at the beach, because even though I was training I wasn't comfortable being seen in a bikini. Waiting for the perfect bikini body meant I was missing out on so much. One of my "I'll be happy WHEN" moments!
Finding happiness in the everyday is an absolute key to success. Learning to care a little less about being perfect, and be grateful for how far we have come! Here are some tips that can absolutely help in getting your mindset in the right place:
1) Practice gratitude for what your body can do; Did you train today? YES! Appreciate how you felt after and how it set you up for a good day. Be proud of that alone!
2) Talk to yourself kindly; Be mindful of negative self-talk. We are often our own worst critic but we deserve the same positive self-talk that we'd give a best friend.
3) Yesterday you couldn't, today you can! Celebrate small wins, an exercise you couldn't previously do or a new habit you've formed. Progress is to be admired.
4) Celebrate putting yourself first! Prioritising yourself is not selfish (yes, hear me out mums!) Making the time amongst the chaos of family life will ensure you are better equipped to deal with the physical and emotional demands of everyone else you care for.
5) Quit comparing. It's absolutely true that comparison is the thief of joy, and we need to let that go. You are unique and so is where you are at right now.
6) Master today! Don't focus on the weeks and months ahead. Master your food and training today. Do that each day and the rest takes care of itself!
By all means lets set big goals for the year ahead, but let's be a little kinder with ourselves, and enjoy the journey. I'll certainly be saying yes to every opportunity to be on the beach with my boys! Be proud of the small wins and precious moments in each and every day.
