SmartSassySisters PepTalk!

Do you want to lose weight?

Do you want to get healthier?

Do you want to finally feel good about your body and confident about how you look?

THEN DO IT!

Because you can.  It is entirely up to you, but if you truly want to accomplish those things, I can tell you with 100% certainty that you can do it.

I can already hear the excuses running through your head right now:  “Yes, Carrie, but you don’t understand, I have done this before and it didn’t work” or “I have tried every diet, but I just do not have the will power to stick with it” or “You do not understand, I am so busy, I have no time to exercise or cook healthy”   or “I am big boned, all of the women in my family are large, I just got cursed with lousy genes.”

STOP IT.

Seriously- I mean it.  STOP IT! STOP TRYING TO COME UP WITH EXCUSES TO JUSTIFY WHY YOU ARE NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE ON YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS JOURNEY OR IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW.  

2010-my 30th birthday, 1 month into my journey

November 2012- 120 lbs lighter, healthier and happier

Here is the deal: I COMPLETELY understand.  2 years ago at this time I was 29 years old, over 120 lbs overweight, I hated how I looked and felt, and I honestly had no idea where to start.  Once again I was facing the New Year, feeling extremely guilty and like failure that I had not accomplished the goals that I had wanted to achieve in my life and yet  I was TERRIFIED of trying once again to lose weight or get healthy, only to fail and feel even worse about myself.  All of those excuses running through your head right now? I KNOW THEM AND SAID THEM AND BELIEVED THEM ALL!   So dear friends, I do understand and in no way do I want to minimize how hard or scary or overwhelming it can feel- but the truth is instead of feeling guilty or scared, I want you to take a minute and feel excited and hopeful- because all of those things that you want to accomplish- they are all WITHIN YOUR GRASP and 2013 may just the best year of your life!

When Lexy and I started this blog, we decided from the very beginning that we were not going to be false positive or “sugar coat” our lives or our health and wellness journeys- trust me, neither one of us is perfect!  We wanted this blog to be authentic and practical- a place to not only provide inspiration and motivation but to also share tips and tools and techniques that both she and I had learned through trial and error through our journeys.  On that note, I am not going to leave you with just a “you can do it feel good about yourself” pep talk- because  if you are anything like me, while you may feel inspired for a minute (do you know how many inspirational quotes I pin on pinterest?), without practical action steps that motivation or inspiration will fizzle away.   So here are the steps that I would recommend taking if you truly are serious about wanting to enact some changes in your life for the New Year:

1.       Forget about the past and let go of the guilt.  You feel badly because you are not where you thought you would be right now? Doesn’t matter!  So you have tried 25 diet plans before and failed? Completely irrelevant. You are starting on a brand new journey and all of the negative thoughts and guilt from the past are worthless. The past is done and this time is different!

2.       Decide what YOU want for yourself.   While this may seem like the easiest step, it is actually the most crucial.  In order to be successful, you have to look within yourself and figure out what YOU want to achieve.  Not what you think you should say you want to do, or what your significant other or society implies you should do, but what YOU want to accomplish that will make YOU happy and satisfied.  Because honestly, if you are doing this for someone else or because you think you are supposed to, you will fail.  It is perfectly fine to say, I know that I should want to lose 20 lbs, but I am happy with what I look like and I do not want to change.  In 2013, commit to only changing or working on those things that you truly WANT for yourself. (for ideas on how to set obtainable New Year’s resolutions, check out my post here)

3.       Take the First Step:  Take ACTION! Take the first small step or action needed towards that goal.  You have committed to start running? Go buy a pair of running shoes and schedule your first run.  You want to eat healthier? Find one new recipe that you want to try this week or go to the library and check out a cookbook with types of food that you think you would enjoy.  
 
4.       Ask for and seek the help and resources you need to be successful:  When I started this journey, I had no knowledge of nutrition or how to start a running plan or even where to begin- but trust me there are millions of resources out there! If you need someone to hold you accountable, share your goals with them ask a friend or family member to support you (as a side note, do not be afraid to be specific about the way that you want them to help you.)  Do you have a specific question on how to start running or eating healthy? Post a question on this page, ask an expert or specialist, search amazon for a book on the subject, or simply google it!

5.       Inspire yourself: this is the fun part! Come up with a list of rewards that you will use to celebrate milestones or successes along the way or create a motivation/inspiration board with your favorite quotes or pictures that you will use to keep yourself going when you are having a rough day or a setback.
 

Next week Lexy and I will post our New Year’s Resolutions for 2013 and will be announcing a contest for those who are willing to share their new year’s resolutions with all of the SmartSassySisters!