Playing the Mind
My breakfast discussion this morning concerned attitudes and how most things in life depends on how you view and see things. Definitely true. While bicycling later on this past afternoon at the gym I read an article on how exercise is about setting goals and believing you can do it. Also very true. I've experienced it myself and I know losing weight for me required first and foremost a change in attitudes and the way I perceived things. You may think that achieving is mainly about reaching the goal, but in reality, how you get to the goal is really a process that involves a lot of changes in attitudes and how you think.
As we all probably know, if you want to accomplish something, you have to set a goal. What is it you really want in the end? What is the end result? This is simple enough. To achieve anything we need a good and clear goal that is, of course, measurable. Take for example losing weight. I wanted to lose weight. At first I wanted to lose only 5 kgs, but once the momentum started, I thought why not more? Plus, there was also Alex who kept moving the target for me little by little. Thank you :)
What I hadn't realize at the time but eventually discovered later on was that before I actually started doing the actual running, the exercises and waking myself up in the wee hours of the morning to run, I had been going through a process of mental change. A change that is to be instrumental in my path to a healthier me.
Talking with a friend the other day, she reminded me of how during my chubby days I used to tell her, "I don't care if I'm fat, I enjoy eating. I like eating and it doesn't cause anyone any harm. People should see me for me." Another friend said she dared not tell me I was getting big, she just invited me to the gym instead. Now it's something we can all discuss about openly. I've changed and attitudes have changed.
What I said back then was "chubby me" talking. "Chubby me" had taken over and ruled my chubby body. I exercised, but I ate more than I burned. I was happy, I did whatever I wanted, I just had trouble finding clothes. Minor detail. People were too obsessive about weight and beauty I thought. Superficial wasn't for me.
I didn't owe a weigh scale and so never realized the extent of my weight gain. I was living in denial. When people commented on my weight, I'd ignore it and smile, but deep inside I did feel it. I felt every word. Why won't people just stop bothering me about my size? Some even offered me money if I lost weight. I thought it an insult. Money cannot buy me. I kept on eating.
In reality, I just didn't know what to do about it and I didn't think I could. I was scared. I was scared of what would happen if I lost the comfort of my chubby me. Who would I be if not the chubby me I've always known?
The change started when one day I decided "no more." I don't recall exactly the day but the trigger point was my birthday, hitting the thirties and realizing I wasn't getting any younger. I didn't have that much time left on earth. Wrinkles were appearing and here I was still chubby. It wasn't cute anymore.
The first mental change occured with my deciding that it was something I really really wanted. Not just a goal. I had to really think hard about it. I had to feel a passion for it. I had to want it for myself, not for anyone else. I had to not care about what others would think.
If you want it bad enough, you'd make it happen. That's exactly what "The Secret" is really all about. Basically, if you are thinking about something all the time, your actions will be geared towards achieving that goal and you will see opportunities that previously you had ignored.
Another key point for me was buying a weigh scale. I had to face up to the truth of my weight. It's not that easy. I always blamed it on my broken machine that I never bothered to replace. Buying a scale was a step closer to achieving the goal. It set my mind towards losing weight. The first time I stepped on it, I took a deep breath.
Finally to be successful, the secret is to really believe you can do it. Believe in yourself. Believe that the goal is achievable and that you will reach it. Envision yourself in that bikini or that sleeveless dress you always wanted.
Most will complain that it's such a pain to lose weight. They would ask me, "How can you go about being so strict on what you eat and not having unhealthy food?" My answer is this: I'd prefer to sacrifice six months of my life to not eating delicious fatty foods then spend the rest of my life forever "trying" to lose weight.
I don't know how many years of my life I've had losing weight as a resolution, but I know that for the second year of my life, I don't have to worry about losing weight and can instead work on other resolutions. To achieve something, it's really just playing the mind.
If it's scared, if it doesn't know what to do. Tell it can, and you can. Afterall, you're the one in control :)
As we all probably know, if you want to accomplish something, you have to set a goal. What is it you really want in the end? What is the end result? This is simple enough. To achieve anything we need a good and clear goal that is, of course, measurable. Take for example losing weight. I wanted to lose weight. At first I wanted to lose only 5 kgs, but once the momentum started, I thought why not more? Plus, there was also Alex who kept moving the target for me little by little. Thank you :)
What I hadn't realize at the time but eventually discovered later on was that before I actually started doing the actual running, the exercises and waking myself up in the wee hours of the morning to run, I had been going through a process of mental change. A change that is to be instrumental in my path to a healthier me.
Talking with a friend the other day, she reminded me of how during my chubby days I used to tell her, "I don't care if I'm fat, I enjoy eating. I like eating and it doesn't cause anyone any harm. People should see me for me." Another friend said she dared not tell me I was getting big, she just invited me to the gym instead. Now it's something we can all discuss about openly. I've changed and attitudes have changed.
What I said back then was "chubby me" talking. "Chubby me" had taken over and ruled my chubby body. I exercised, but I ate more than I burned. I was happy, I did whatever I wanted, I just had trouble finding clothes. Minor detail. People were too obsessive about weight and beauty I thought. Superficial wasn't for me.
I didn't owe a weigh scale and so never realized the extent of my weight gain. I was living in denial. When people commented on my weight, I'd ignore it and smile, but deep inside I did feel it. I felt every word. Why won't people just stop bothering me about my size? Some even offered me money if I lost weight. I thought it an insult. Money cannot buy me. I kept on eating.
In reality, I just didn't know what to do about it and I didn't think I could. I was scared. I was scared of what would happen if I lost the comfort of my chubby me. Who would I be if not the chubby me I've always known?
The change started when one day I decided "no more." I don't recall exactly the day but the trigger point was my birthday, hitting the thirties and realizing I wasn't getting any younger. I didn't have that much time left on earth. Wrinkles were appearing and here I was still chubby. It wasn't cute anymore.
The first mental change occured with my deciding that it was something I really really wanted. Not just a goal. I had to really think hard about it. I had to feel a passion for it. I had to want it for myself, not for anyone else. I had to not care about what others would think.
If you want it bad enough, you'd make it happen. That's exactly what "The Secret" is really all about. Basically, if you are thinking about something all the time, your actions will be geared towards achieving that goal and you will see opportunities that previously you had ignored.
Another key point for me was buying a weigh scale. I had to face up to the truth of my weight. It's not that easy. I always blamed it on my broken machine that I never bothered to replace. Buying a scale was a step closer to achieving the goal. It set my mind towards losing weight. The first time I stepped on it, I took a deep breath.
Finally to be successful, the secret is to really believe you can do it. Believe in yourself. Believe that the goal is achievable and that you will reach it. Envision yourself in that bikini or that sleeveless dress you always wanted.
Most will complain that it's such a pain to lose weight. They would ask me, "How can you go about being so strict on what you eat and not having unhealthy food?" My answer is this: I'd prefer to sacrifice six months of my life to not eating delicious fatty foods then spend the rest of my life forever "trying" to lose weight.
I don't know how many years of my life I've had losing weight as a resolution, but I know that for the second year of my life, I don't have to worry about losing weight and can instead work on other resolutions. To achieve something, it's really just playing the mind.
If it's scared, if it doesn't know what to do. Tell it can, and you can. Afterall, you're the one in control :)
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