How are your habits?
On this fitness journey, you can count on times in which you feel your progress has stalled. You may have felt like there were periods that were getting worse! It’s at these times in the journey, where you need to be persistent, and press on. These phases are called plateaus” or “slumps” in performance, you it’s important to create positive habits so you can move out of this phase faster.
I can tell you from experience that even though you may feel that achieving your goals is impossible, I discovered a common thread. When I work with my clients and other people in the community who I consider successful; business owners, medical professionals, teachers, parents, state workers, or other athletes, many attribute their success to having solid, positive habits. Boil it down, it comes to successful people have habits that unsuccessful people do not.
“We are what we repeatedly do.” Aristotle
By design, humans are creatures of habit. It’s a well-known fact that over 90% of a person’s behavior is habitual. Think about it. Nearly everything you do is formed from your habits. Every one of these habits started out as something that felt uncomfortable the first few times you did it, but then a pattern was created. We also tend to find the path of least resistance. We’re naturally dominated to use one hand over the other, so when you brushed your teeth today, did you use the other hand than you usually use? You are at the mercy of this habit that you have developed over a lifetime of repetition. Not all habits are bad, but many aren’t good, either.
Regardless of who you are, most people think consistently eating well or exercising is hard. I remind my clients that they are simply experiencing the power of habit. You see, it is no harder to buy the right food and eat it than it is to buy the wrong food and eat it. Taking it to the source, if you are in the habit of buying processed food, it becomes more difficult to buy healthier food sources and it’s more difficult to shift gears. So is eating well as simple as developing the habit of buying good food all the time and eating it? Yup.
Positive habits can be created. The solution to creating a new habit is consistent repetition. The precise window to create a new habit varies by the individual, but most of the literature cites anywhere from 3 to 13 weeks are needed. So, if you can stay consistent for just 21 to 91 days, you can create a new habit for life! The best part is when the habit is reinforced with positive outcomes, like improved energy, better sleep, weight loss, diminished pain, etc.
Your current habits are displaying your current lifestyle. Now it’s time to get to work. Take an inventory of bad habits that are preventing you from attaining your goals. For instance, if you want to look strong and lean like an athlete, eating the proper nutrition consistently will start to create those habits. “Wanting” a certain body type –or any other desire for that matter, is only one piece that’s required to get you on the right path. Creating new habits is mandatory if you want to achieve greatness. Desires give insight into what you want, but your habits dictate what you get!
To help get in the right frame of mind, try reciting these sentences a few times each day as one of your new habits to create!
Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny
Pick a habit. Be consistent. When you no longer need to think about it, then it’s a habit. Don’t become complacent, because that brings on another plateau. Keep aiming high. Don’t give up on your desires…give up on habits that aren’t working in your favor.
Note from Mah-Ann:
You need new ideas because your progress is stagnant, you’re at a plateau in loosing those stubborn fat and you need help with your program so you can LOSE FAT FAST, so come see me regarding our Personal Training and Group Sessions today email me or call for your free consultation. Let’s start living life “HEALTHY-FIT-LEAN.”
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