7 Limiting Beliefs About Losing Weight

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are debunking 7 limiting beliefs surrounding weight loss and fitness routines. 

As a mindset coach, I’m all about shifting those fixed, negative beliefs that are getting in our way and hindering us from making progress and being success.  In this episode we are going to take a look at some common beliefs holding people back from losing the weight they desire to and flipping the script or reframing the things we tell ourselves.  It’s a good one, so stay tuned.

I think we can all agree that losing weight is not strictly a physical endeavor.  Our mindset plays a very important role in whether our efforts are successful or fail leading us to quit and give up once again on our mission to slim down, shed a few extra pounds.

Weight loss can essentially be boiled down to a simple mathematical calculation -> calories in must be less than calories out.  Meaning you have to burn off more calories than you are consuming.  Easy, right?

Not when your mind gets involved because there are so many “stumbling blocks”, excuses and limiting beliefs about your body and ability that could get in your way of success and hold you back from reaching your goal weight.

Today, we are going to explore 7 very common limiting beliefs that play havoc with our attempts to shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off for good:


1.       “I can’t do it.”

This is the #1 limiting belief in many things we try to do, so it’s no wonder that it rears its ugly head here too.

Former unsuccessful attempts at losing weight will foster a strong belief within you that you can’t do it.  Perhaps you think you are only capable of losing just so much and not more, or you might believe that you can’t lose weight at all.  In any case, this kind of thinking will override your desire to eat healthy and exercise.  It will seem like an uphill battle that you have no way of winning.  Then, if little to no progress is noticed, this will confirm your belief of “I can’t do this.”

Action to take if this sounds like you:

-> Remind yourself that you are capable of doing anything IF you simply take the proper action steps.
-> Tell yourself that you are not alone and millions of people have already done what you want to do, so if they can do it, SO CAN YOU.

2.       “I’m not good enough.  I don’t deserve it.”

Suffering from low levels of self-esteem and self-confidence can leave you feeling like a failure, even after trying hard to move the needle forward in your weight loss efforts.

I’ve heard this from so many women and it just breaks my heart.  Why on earth wouldn’t you deserve to feel vibrant, energized, slender, sexy & feminine, happy & healthy in your own body?

-> Remind yourself DAILY that you deserve to live a very happy, vibrant life.  One that is filled with happiness and positive energy.  Repeat this to yourself day-in-day-out.  Because it’s true.

-> Tell yourself the actions you take today, regardless of how small or insignificant they may seem at the time, will benefit you tenfold in the future.

-> Show up for yourself every day of each week of each month of each year.  You are worth it.  Start believing in yourself and stop looking for outside validation.  Show yourself some true self-love by taking the necessary action steps toward your goals.

3.       “It’s no use; it’s hopeless.  This is just the way I am.”

It’s quite easy to feel like everything is working against you, regardless of how hard you put in the effort.  You feel like the entire universe has conspired against you and you are destined to stay the way you are.  It all seems quite hopeless. So, the pity party begins.

The truth is, you are stuck and will remain this way if you don’t take charge.  You may even feel stuck in other areas of your life as well even though you don’t have any logical evidence to support such a belief.  Constantly stuck, no forward propulsion in life, no improvement, no momentum, no moving the needle toward a favourable outcome – stuck, stuck, stuck is how you feel.

-> Remind yourself that YOU are the only one responsible for your life, your choices, your attitude, your decisions, your responses.  Side note ->  a great episode to listen to is #28 which is all about excuses and complaining.  It might help you with this limiting belief.

-> Decide to take back your power and take action.  Start today, start with small action steps, start ‘messy’, just start.  With every small action step you take, your self-esteem and confidence will grow.  That alone will ignite a spark and soon momentum will take over.

4.       “I was born this way. My family has always been on the heavy side.”

I think far too many people buy into this idea and then adopt it as their belief.  Just because other family members are overweight, does not mean you are destined to be as well.  The problem is that if you believe my family is overweight, so my genes dictate that I will also be that way – you have given up on yourself from the get-go.  You fall back on the “I can’t” mentality and you won’t feel capable or strong enough to even try.

-> Remind yourself that even overweight families have members that do not struggle with their weight.  Look around and find those examples.  Use them as fuel for your mission of losing weight.

-> Tell yourself frequently that HABITS are passed down through generations.  Bad nutrition habits and poor habits regarding exercise and working out contribute far more to people’s overweight problems than genes do.  Just know -> your genes are not working against you.  Your bad habits are.  So, change your habits to change your body size and weight!

5.       “No matter what I do…”

Have you ever thought:  I’ve tried everything, done everything in my power, but no matter what I do, I still can’t shed those unwanted pounds?  Allowing yourself this negative attitude is essentially giving up on yourself before even giving yourself a chance to succeed.

We need to flip the script, create a new anthem that you repeatedly say to yourself.  It could go something like this:

-> “I choose to be successful at everything I do from now on.”  Very simple, yet mighty powerful.  But you might not be convinced or really believe it wholeheartedly at first.  Just keep it up and over time you will definitely see proof with your own eyes.

-> Here’s a great tip, one that I talk about regularly in my podcasts – celebrate your wins, daily.  So, I want you to turn each day into a success.  At the end of the day, say to yourself, “Wow, look at what I did for my health today.  I ate healthier today than yesterday.  That’s a win for me!”  or “Wow, I made it to the gym and did a workout today.  I did it.  That’s success.” 

Essentially, we are altering the way we view success and also failure. Concentrate on the small steps you’ve taken and the small daily wins you’ve achieved rather than what you ‘think’ is working against you.

 
6.       “It’s too hard.”

Another limiting belief that comes up in many situations, it’s by no means exclusive to weight loss.  The truth is…changing your lifestyle habits in order to lose weight WILL NOT BE EASY.  Come to terms with that.  In fact, change of any kind is often difficult for most of us especially when this change is so strongly attached to habits that we have been practicing for a long time now.

The problem is that people get started on their weight loss program with good intentions and some motivation, but soon realize how hard it can be to make the necessary changes that will move the needle and facilitate noticeable success.  We begin to doubt our ability in ourselves. We ask ourselves whether we can keep going and stick with the plan.  Things start to crumble in your mind.  Excuses may start sneaking up in your thoughts.

-> Switch this limiting belief from “it’s just too difficult for me” to ->  “So what if it’s hard?  I can do hard things.  I’m going to keep going anyway.  I’m going to do my best and, even if I stumble along the way, I will still be making progress.”

This is the greatest example of switching from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. 
 
7.       “I feel vulnerable.”

If you are overweight, you have to understand that it is not JUST because of your eating habits.  Most likely, there are some emotional fears or traumas causing you to gain weight as a sort of defense mechanism. When you start to lose weight, feelings of vulnerability might surface.  You feel exposed in some way.  Your extra pounds were protecting you. 

-> Remind yourself that extra weight does absolutely nothing to protect you.  Quite the opposite…it makes your life much more difficult in all three areas – emotionally, physically and mentally.

-> Be open and willing to rediscover your strength, that you didn’t even know you had.  Be willing to let go of the weight that is weighing you down both mentally and physically.
 
So, that’s a wrap for today’s show. 

I hope that I have inspired you to grow.

And…in case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are the most amazing human, and your potential is limitless.  I believe in you 100%. Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.
Til next time,

Xoxo Lisa
 

Ditch the Excuses and Complaining in Your Life

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are exploring ways to stop the most important thing that is likely holding you back – the excuses and complaints your mind thinks up.

Hey, everyone, welcome back to the show.  How are you doing today?  We are well into what some people think of as the busiest time of the year.  For many it is stressful, but I prefer to look at December as a reflective month.  It’s the time when I look back on the past 11 months and reflect on all that I have accomplished and perhaps some goals I haven’t achieved YET.

So, let me give you a moment to reflect on 2022…  What have you done/accomplished/achieved over the course of the 11+ months with your life?

Has it been a beautifully transformative year for you?

Has it presented challenges you have overcome?

Have you made the most of this one precious life you are living?

If you feel like you have fallen short of the mark or short of your expectations for 2022, what happens then?  Do you make excuses, or do you start complaining about your situation? 

I have a hunch the answer is yes for most people.  You see, our brains LOVE to complain and come up with excuses as to why we can’t do things we want to.
Complaining is a huge problem for us.  And, the fact that our brains love to constantly complain doesn’t help the situation for us at all.  Have you ever observed or taken note of how often you complain about things that take place in your everyday life?  I bet you haven’t.
 
Today I am challenging you to take what I have to say to heart and consider flipping the script on your complaining.

Let me first explain how this complaining habit plays our in our heads.  Your brain is always looking for problems because it is a problem solver.  That means, your brain is constantly looking for something to complain about.  We follow our brain’s lead and look at all the things that are going wrong – this is neither useful in the giving circumstance nor a pleasant mindset to have.

So, the first thing we have to do is become really intentional about how you look at things which are going right in your life instead of dwelling or wasting time thinking about all the things that are going wrong.  Trust me, you will immediately feel so much better.  This could also propel you forward to take more action on the things that are going well.

If you tend to complain about everything, that’s when you feel terribly stuck.  That’s when you feel like there is no forward momentum, no moving the needle forward. 

-> You’re not taking the action you know you should or that you want to.
-> You’re not getting up early to get a head start on your day.
-> You’re not eating the right foods that fuel your body and give you the necessary energy.
-> You’re not exercising or finding time for physical activity.
-> You’re not building health relationships the way you intend to.
-> You’re not managing your finances like you know you should be.
-> You’re not showing up as your best possible self to the world around you.
-> YOU ARE STUCK because of your complaining.

Remember, your life is created by the decisions you make on a daily basis.  You truly CAN take control of your life if you simply accept this fact:    EVENT  +  RESPONSE  =  OUTCOME.  It’s as simple as that!

Complaining is normal and we all catch ourselves doing it.  I could find a myriad of things to complain about in my life, but I have made a conscious decision not to.  Instead, I focus on all the good things.  Let me give you some examples:

~ I used to complain about all the pain I was in and that my body just wouldn’t and couldn’t do all the things I wanted from it.  Now, ->  I am grateful that my body carries me through my swim and gym workouts. 

~ I used to complain about how much work I had.  Now, ->  I flip the script and say to myself, “Wow, it’s amazing that you are able to help so many people.  You are able to impact so many lives with your work.”

There’s nothing wrong with us if/when we complain.  It is all part of the human experience.  However, I challenge you to create a slightly better mindset and set of thoughts when you feel a complaint arising in your head.

If we want to improve our lives, we need to get stronger.  If we want to improve ourselves, then we have to start paying attention to our complaining habits – whether they are loud or quiet whispers in our heads.

Pay attention to the complaints.  Start becoming curious about them.  Notice when you voice a complaint and just stop it.  Be aware of this habit and shut it down before you say it next time.

You can train your brain to focus on things within your control each day.  Remain steadfast and focused and aware.  Take it hour-by-hour or day-by-day.  Slowly but surely retrain your brain to stop thinking of all the things that might happen or go wrong.

Switch your thinking to situations you have control over.  Focus on:  things you love doing, things that are going well for you right now, your goals, something you can take action on today, focus on the small wins you have experienced lately.

Food for thought here…

Why complain, when you have the ability to choose?  Living life effectively and on your terms involves personal responsibility.  YOU are responsible for YOU, your choices AND your responses to situations.

So, as of today, right now, immediately, stop the complaining!  Take charge of your thoughts and accept responsibility for your situation.  Only you can alter it. 
I really want you to understand that you may not be able to change the EVENTS in your life, however, you can change your response.  That it something you have control over.

And, remember, it’s not the event itself that controls you, it’s your response to the circumstance.  It’s your choice how you respond to the event.

It’s December and we are undoubtedly going to be around family over the holidays.  This could potentially present some situations where family or friends begin complaining about something.  There seems to be a lot of criticize, tear apart and complain about in the world around us currently.  But here’s the thing, YOU can choose to take part in this conversation OR you can remove yourself from the situation OR you can choose to put a positive spin on the conversation by offering a more pleasant, positive outlook.  Do not let yourself get involved and invested in negative talk.  It’s not useful or helpful for anybody to complain about situations, events, things out of their control.  Be the change that needs to happen and feel darn good about it!

Let’s move on to the sneaky excuses your brain offers you that potentially hold you back from taking action on your goals.

·         I’m too old to do this.
·         I’m too tired, maybe later. 
·         I’m not good enough.
·         I don’t know how.
·         And so on…

Our wonderful brains make up all kinds of excuses on repeat that we are in some ways immune to them.  They are often so subtle, yet they hold us back – this is why we feel so stuck.

The truth is… deep down inside most of us know that we CAN do the thing (whatever that looks like for you – fitness, work or relationship-related goals).  The truth is, we know IF we have 100% and put in 100% effort, in return, we would get 100% back.  And, deep down, most of us know the BIGGEST think keeping us from our goals are the absolute BS excuses our brain comes up with.

It’s time, high time in fact, to take charge and reclaim your power within.

No one is actually making you do anything that you don’t want to do.

You have to realize or become aware that’s a choice you are making OR a story you are choosing to believe.

Excuses such as: having no time, no motivation, no energy, no strategy of how to move forward, or my children keep me too busy, etc.

I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about because it happens to ALL of us.  But, we have to be bigger than our excuses.  Don’t allow them to rule you and your decision making.

I’ll give you a real example from my life and this just happened yesterday by the way…

I was ready to leave the house for my lane swimming session.  My husband and I usually go 5 – 6 times a week.  But yesterday I was going alone because my husband was busy.  So, I got ready as usual, put my backpack full of swim equipment into the car and started to back out of the driveway.  Suddenly, excuses started to fill my mind.  Thoughts such as:  stay home with your sick dog (Charlotte was sick, yes, but well enough for me to leave her for one hour), you’re feeling good so no need for swim training today, take a day off – is what my mind was saying.  After shaking off those two excuses, I kept driving.

At the next stop lights, my mind was telling me to turn around and head back home because of so many reasons and ultimately trying to talk me out of going to my swim session.  I continued.  YOU have to be bigger and better than your own excuses! We are faced with these mental challenges every day.

So, I arrived at the pool, got my favourite lane, started to swim and then my mind was telling me to quit after 30 minutes saying, “You’ve done enough for today.”  “Don’t overdo it.”  But, I kept pushing myself. Pushing those sneaky thoughts and excuses away.  Focusing on the activity itself.  Staying true to my goal.  Not letting myself be talked out of finishing my swim session. IF YOU don’t push yourself, no one else will.

In the end, it was the most amazing swim training I have ever had.  I set my personal best in the pool yesterday.  I had never been able to swim more than 1.5 km in an hour.  But yesterday I managed to swim 75 lengths for a total of 1,875 meters.  I was thrilled with my accomplishment. 

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.  Never allow excuses keep you from reaching this high standard.  Always be bigger than your excuses.”

What excuses are holding you back?  Flip the script and ask yourself, “What can I do to improve?”

Well, let’s just take a good, hard look at the situation…

* No one forces you to drink too much coffee, wine or consume too much sugar.  Start by cutting out that extra cup of java or wine this season.  Cut back on the sugar and perhaps replace it with something healthier.  Take small steps at first and love yourself for doing it.

* Your lack of exercise begins with YOU and nobody else.  Start by taking a simple walk around the neighbour each day and build on that beneficial habit.

* Skipping means and choosing snacks you know you shouldn’t be eating, is your decision.  Take responsibility for your actions and choices, today.  It really doesn’t take much effort to prepare ‘easy-to-take-along’ snacks which are nutritional.  Start by cutting up an apple and adding a few almonds as a snack or pack a hard-boiled egg with a few cherry tomatoes to munch on when your feel hungry.  Put in the effort instead of making excuses!

* Not drinking enough water is nobody else’s fault.  I hate to say it like this, but it’s true.  Start the day by filling a few glasses or water bottles and set them or take them with you for easy access.  Always try to take 10 big gulps from your glass instead of gently sipping.  I like to add cut up cucumber and a bit of lemon to my water for a refreshing taste.

* Poor time management often comes when people spend/waste too much time scrolling on your phone taking a look at everyone else’s life or consuming too much TV.

* Blaming others for the situation you find yourself in is NOT taking responsibility for your life.

The time has come to take a good hard look at yourself and stop blaming, complaining and making excuses about why you can’t get ahead, move forward, reach your goals, improve yourself, show up for yourself.  Be honest about what you need to take responsibility for!  Nobody can change that except YOU and you have to OWN it.

Then it’s time to get excited.  Once you choose to improve and accept the responsibility of your life as your own, you can make a conscious decision to change things and move forward toward the results you want.

Make it your rule or mission from now on:

No more blaming.
No more excuses.
No more complaining.

Your new mantra is:  “I take 100% responsibility for my life.  Where I find myself now is due to my choices, and mine alone.  But, where I will be in the future is also up to me and my choices as well.”

Ultimately, it’s up to you to fix you!

And, that’s a wrap for today, friends.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You’re amazing; you’re beautiful and capable.  I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Xoxo Lisa




 




Crush Your Comfort Zone with a Misogi Challenge

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, I would like to introduce you to the concept of the Misogi challenge Itzler style.

But first, let me ask you a question…

What’s one thing you did in 2022 that was memorable, life-changing perhaps and took you far out of your comfort zone?

Some of you may know Jesse Itzler and some may not.  I have been following him on IG now for a few years and this guy does some amazing things.  He is a prime example of living life to the fullest.  He lives and breathes wellness practices such as:  fruit til noon, sauna sessions followed by cold plunging, Wim Hof breathing, extreme athletic pursuits involving biking, running, and swimming.

Jesse also happens to be Sara Blakley’s husband.  But he doesn’t stand in the shadow of his ultra-successful wife.  He is a serial entrepreneur, highly sought-after speaker, former rapper, author of several books, coach and calendar creator.  You name it, Jesse has undoubtedly done it.

His resume of accomplishments is quite impressive and his vibrant personality is so infectious.  I think the two words – limitless & unstoppable – best describe Jesse’s attitude toward goals, both of a personal and professional nature.

So, I like to see what he is up to on IG from time to time.  A while back, I noticed he was talking about a thing called “the Misogi Challenge”.  I had never heard of this before so I started to look into it.  However, in fine Jesse-style, he adapted the original Japanese version to reflect a personal goal or challenge.

Basically, it goes like this…

If you commit to the Misogi challenge, you choose ONE big event or goal that you would like to achieve in the year.  And, by big, I really mean a big, audacious goal.  Jesse’s version is designed to help us uncover what we’re capable of as individuals and to tap into possibilities we don’t see in the moment.  Once we complete the challenge, it’s a reminder that we are stronger than we believe and that more is possible that we can imagine.

Jesse talks about the challenge as, “The notion around the misogi is you do something so hard one time a year that it has an impact the other 364 days of the year. Put one big thing on the calendar that scares you, that you never thought you could do, and go out and do it.”

In other words, once a year, do something memorable.  Create your own milestone events!

If you do some research on the concept of misogi, you’ll find out that it began as a yearly Japanese purification process for body and mind. However, Jess Itzler’s version is slightly different.  It’s not connected to a spiritual experience. 

Essentially, the Misogi challenge is meant for us to experience life-changing events that provide us with memories and meaning in our lives.  Something to look back on and remember. 

Another concept Jesse talks frequently talks about is the fact that ‘tomorrow’ is not promised.  So, instead of planning out lives 5, 10 or 20 years out from now, we should adopt the mentality that life is short and valuable.  It needs to be lived to the fullest now, not in 10 years down the road.

Personally, I haven’t nailed down my Misogi for 2023 yet, but I have some ideas for sure.  I hope you consider doing the Misogi challenge for yourself and I would like to give you some helpful tips on how to make your decision…

1.        Misogi should push your personal limits.  Your own Misogi goal should be designed for a 50/50 chance of success.  That means it shouldn’t be too easy!  There needs to be a sense of adventure and risk involved.  Keep in mind – you may not succeed.  The whole premise is to stretch yourself to tap into something you didn’t know you were even capable of.

2.       Misogi should scare you a bit.  Your misogi goal should create fear and discomfort for you, and it should rattle your nerves a bit.  A slight feeling of unease and anxiety needs to be present, otherwise you aren’t truly pushing your limits.

3.       Misogi is for YOU, not anyone else. The idea here is to learn something about yourself and your limits. That means it is your challenge, and the experience is very private regardless whether you do it alone or within a group setting.

The Takeaway –

Think back over your past 5 – 10 years.  What memories can you associate with specific years?  Were there moments when you pushed your limits?  Stretching yourself and allowing yourself to be uncomfortable is a great way to grow as a person.  Consider ONE thing you could do in the coming new year that would make it memorable.  Learn a new language, run a marathon, climb a mountain, write a book, start a business… Whatever it is that you choose, get ultra-focused on the goal and start planning the steps to completion. 

Take the risk and crush your comfort zone in 2023.

Thanks for listening and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

And, in case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are an amazing human being with so much potential.  I believe in you.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are made of.

Til next time,
 
Xoxo Lisa
 
 
 
 

Reframing Limiting Beliefs Around Health & Exercise

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/RYZGZHLQvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast, I am talking about some common limiting beliefs around making health and fitness changes and how we can powerfully reframe them.  I am also opening up on how fitness has given me new life.

This past weekend was my birthday and I was very lucky to celebrate it with friends on their catamaran near the island of Grenada.  It was epic and will go down as one of the more memorable ones, for sure.
 
But, I got thinking about my birthday and all that I am grateful for and a very strong message came through to me.  One that I would like to talk about today and hopefully inspire you to make some changes like the ones I did.

I would like to preface this personal story by saying that I have always led a very active lifestyle:  hiking, biking, dressage riding and competing, I love going to the gym, skiing in Austria, power walking, etc.  I thrived and kept myself in good physical condition through sports of all kinds.  However…

Things in my life started to go downhill about 6 or 7 years ago.  While our businesses – mine and my husband’s – were thriving and growing by leaps and bounds, my health was suffering.  I found myself in a downward spiral and couldn’t seem to get my act together.
 
Then one day when I was on a power walk with some ladies, I experienced the most excruciating pain on my left side, in my groin and down my leg.  Initially, I thought I had pulled something but after some rest, the situation got worse.  During the next few months, my left leg started giving out on me – suddenly and with no warning signs or sharp painful sensations.  I didn’t feel comfortable carry around breakables anymore for fear of crumbling to the ground and shattering things.

After a visit to my doctor and months waiting to have an MRI, he told me a needed a new hip.  I was speechless, not expecting this diagnosis at the age of 50.  He added that an operation wouldn’t even be considered until I turned 60.  So, I asked him what I was supposed to do in the meantime.  I received the standard answer from doctors in Canada – do whatever feels good and take pain meds to get through the painful times.  What?  That’s all you’ve got for me.  I very quickly realized that I had to do my research and find ways of helping myself to endure the next 10 years.

I made some significant changes to my nutrition, trying to eat more plant-based meals and to stay away from inflammation-inducing foods.  I threw away all my shoes and replaced them with footwear that offered suitable support.  I tried to stay active – by that I mean walking my dog and hiking on weekends but walking on paved roads aggravated my situation a lot.  My husband was the one to give me a really good tip – take smaller strides.  This proved to be very helpful and allowed me to enjoy my dog walks a bit more.

The years progressed and I made mild attempts at starting a workout routine but every time I did, my body rebelled in the most ferocious way. My mind was willing to work out, but my body wasn’t. Pain was a condition I learned to live with.  I started to gain weight because of my lack of exercise, and I started to indulge a bit too much in comfort food to cheer me up and dampen my depressive feelings.  I could barely move, I couldn’t exercise or remain active, I could only work in my office, at my desk and enjoy food.  The downward spiral just became worse.

Then, during Covid, my body deteriorated even more.  Now, I had pain generating from my lower back and it was so bad I couldn’t find any position that was comfortable.  Even sleeping eluded me and this made me very irritable. 

The painful sensations from my back started to affect my ‘good’ side.  Within months, I couldn’t get dressed by myself, lost my balance because my right side was numb and I was slipping more and more into a very depressive state.  I hated my body.  The only way I could make it through the day was with painkillers and the only way I could sleep was with sleeping pills.  This situation unsettled me a lot as I am not one to rely on medication to simply get through the day.

I was very concerned and asked my doctor for diagnostics.  Xrays showed that I needed both hips replaced and that there were some issues affecting my lower back, but nothing definite was established.  The only treatment I was suggested was:  more medication and physio therapy.  By now, my stomach was rebelling due to all the various meds I had to take. 

Needless to say, I was a mess – both mentally and physically – because I felt like I was living in someone else’s body.  Surely mine wouldn’t be so full of pain and immobility.  It was very hard to accept that I couldn’t participate in all the activities I had once enjoyed so much.

Finally, after insisting on an MRI, I found out the there were serious issues in my lower back that would likely require surgery if physio hadn’t helped so far.  I also met with an orthopedic surgeon who told me both hips should be replaced as soon as possible. 

I couldn’t believe it.  I was looking at 3 surgeries if I wanted to have any relief and get back to a normal, mildly active lifestyle again.  This really took the wind out of my sails.

In the meantime, my husband and I had gone through some pretty significant changes in our lives.  We decided to sell our home and move into a smaller house closer to the hospital for me and my pending surgeries.  We both left our jobs – my husband retired and I sold my business.

At this time, I found myself faced with two choices – stay sedentary on the couch in pain OR be active in pain.  I chose the later and I am so happy I did.
I had reached such a low point and the surgeon told me – do whatever you want, your hips can’t get any worse than they are now.  So, that’s exactly what I did.

Having moved to a new town full of fitness possibilities, I started swimming and attending aquafit classes.  I also took out a gym membership and began exercising. My bike and I got out to explore our new area and I even signed up for a 30 km bike race.  It was painful at first, but I did everything with caution and modifications.  Soon I started to feel less pain and I found my mobility to be a bit better.

I had seen my orthopedic surgeon in April, then again in July and the last visit was in October.  At the initial visit I could barely walk into his office.  By October’s visit, I could almost run the hallways of the hospital and at that visit I convinced him to let me wait indefinitely on scheduling the surgeries for my hips.  He was astonished at how well  I could move and the fact that I didn’t need any medication to get me through the day any longer.

What did I do to help myself?  I advocated for myself and no longer listened to what health professionals were telling me to do, namely avoid pain and get through with pain meds.

I started to exercise religiously, concentrated on shredded a few pounds and adapted my nutrition to be even healthier than it was before.

Exercising gave me back my life.

I feel born again with a completely new body.

I see this as the greatest birthday gift ever, and this is the message that came through to me as a podcast episode.
Give yourself the gift of exercise.

I want to make it very clear and add a disclaimer that I am by no means giving medical advice here.  If you find yourself in a similar situation, be sure to consult your medical professional.

So, today I feel better than ever; I go swimming every day; I attend spin classes; I lift weights at the gym 5 – 6 times each week; I follow a simple nutrition plan that I put together myself, which has helped me lose 10 + kilos to date; I have eliminated alcohol, sugar, white flour, fried and processed foods from my diet.
But the real needle-mover for me was undoubtedly – exercising.

Movement is medicine.

So, you’ve heard my story of going from pain and immobility to thriving and enjoying life more-or-less pain free.  Exercise done consistently made all the difference; it restored my health and helped me love my body again.

I really want to drive the point home here that exercising should be part of everybody’s day.  It should be a non-negotiable.  But far too often, I hear women express their limiting beliefs around getting fit and working out.

I’d like to address these limiting beliefs and help your reframe them.

The first and probably most common belief regarding making fitness and health-related changes is …

“I don’t have the time to meal-prep and stick to an exercise routine.”

Here’s a powerful reframe: You have to see fitness and health as core components of routine self-maintenance, like putting gas in your car.  Then the game changes.  Your car cannot run without gas, can it?  So, think of health and fitness as something that increases your brainpower, energy levels and creativity.  Then they become a priority!  Own the change you want to make and lock it in as a non-negotiable to your day’s schedule.

The R.O.I. (return on investment) from exercising is immense.  Look at my example – it gave my life back and enabled me to have an active lifestyle again.  That’s priceless, if you ask me.

Maintaining and improving your health and fitness level must become a priority.  Use it or lose it.

How to find time?  Track how much time is spent on the various activities throughout your day.  Then evaluate which tasks can be re-ordered, batched, eliminated, or delegated.  Schedule in your fitness and health-related tasks as me-time tiger-time and fiercely adhere to your plan.  See it like a meeting with yourself.

You have to view health and fitness as high-ranking priorities that help you in all other areas of your life.  By reframing how you look at these things, it will become a consistent item on your schedule no matter how busy your days get.

The second limiting belief is that because your previous efforts at a healthy, fit lifestyle did not work there is no use even trying again.

Your powerful reframe:  All my past experiences and attempts were merely opportunities to collect data and these will make me more powerful at devising my new health and fitness strategy going forward.  You could say to yourself, “I use past experiences to guide me, but they don’t define me.”

Having tried approaches and workouts that didn’t work in the past does not reflect on your worthiness or your ability to try a new approach.  It is likely the case that methods used in the past were not adapted to your needs and that a brand new approach (after the limiting beliefs are addressed) may work much better. 

Keep in mind…a one-size-fits-all approach to fitness and health generally doesn’t work for most people. 

The third and final limiting belief that I am going to address today is that people don’t know where to start.

Your reframe here is:  When you actually begin, later or not at all, will not offer any solutions to the problem of not knowing where to start.  The internet and bookstores have tons of fitness plans, workouts, diets and approaches to choose from.  Your new line of thought could be, “There are abundant options out there to choose from; however, I can find a way that resonates with me and my dietary needs.”

Before starting a diet, you should consult your medical professional and seek guidance from a nutritionist.  I don’t want to recommend any specific diet plan or workout.

I know what works for me, but…

Everyone’s physical condition is different, everyone’s goals are different.  Your best bet is to do your research well and rely on qualified professionals to advise you best.

Any long-term and lasting changes you want to implement and maintain around health and fitness will only work or truly stick after your limiting beliefs are addressed and when you have the right strategies in place to support diet and exercise routines.

I truly hope to have inspired you to get your health back by exercising regularly. 

It can start by just putting on your running shoes and going for a walk each day.  Just do it!

Thanks for tuning in and getting inspired.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are amazing, capable and so full of potential.  I believe in you.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are made of.  

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo