LIFESTYLE
It sounds cheesy, but affirmations and positive quotes and sayings can really override your inner negative narrative. Affirmations are simply positive self-statements that, if repeated over time, convince you that they are true and, by extension, boost your self-esteem and problem-solving skills. You’re essentially tricking your mind to think differently by reinforcing what’s important to you on a regular basis. Yes you may feel a bit hokey when doing them at first, but I assure you, they’re powerful and they’ve been shown to work wonders! Examples of affirmations that may work for you: s
I have amazing potential.
s
Today, I focus on my health, not my weight.
s
Eating healthy food and exercising comes naturally to me.
GET ORGANIZED AND PLAN AHEAD
You need to make your health and wellness journey as automated 10
as possible so that you’re not relying on your ability to make good decisions to guide you. Why? Because decision fatigue is a real thing; it’s been proven by psychologists. Willpower is like a muscle and just like the muscles in your body, it can get fatigued when you use it over and over again. So your best bet is to have a meal plan for the week ahead so that you’re not making decisions on the fly. It can also help to do meal prep in advance, whether that’s simply having groceries ready or actually cooking all your meals on Sunday. Do what works for you, but the more organized you can get, the more in-control and positive you’ll feel.
FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
Find someone to be “on the journey” with you. This person can be your spouse, your best friend, a colleague, or a workout buddy. It doesn’t matter if you’re actually working out with the person or not, all that matters is that they know you have real goals to attain and they’re
committed to helping you achieve them. Life is challenging and it’s impossible to be your own cheerleader all the time. If you can find someone that is willing to have a weekly call or check-in with you, I think you’ll find that your health and wellness journey feels a lot less lonely and exhausting.
Sonia Jhas is an award-winning health and fitness expert. She is a certified personal trainer, nutrition specialist, speaker and media expert, and is also an ambassador for the Canadian Mental Health Association.
P @soniajhas
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