Crawl Before You Walk

"If you make small goals and accomplish them,
 It gives you the confidence to go on to higher goals,"
-John Johnson

Every journey begins with a step and getting healthier is no exception. It’s a total lifestyle change and that can easily become overwhelming. Not only do you need to become more active and change your eating habits; you also have to alter your attitudes and emotions. In a perfect world you could wake up tomorrow eat nothing but fruits and vegetables, run 12 miles and rock that bikini. But realistically,those changes will take time. Don’t risk setting yourself up for failure by trying to change everything at once.

A better approach is tackling a few small goals each day or one week at a time. For example, make a goal to drink more water each day and focus on that. Then when you start to do this regularly, you can move on to your next goal. Here are a few tips to help you get started :

Be short term and specific. 

Instead of just saying, “I am going to start exercising”, you could say “I am going to walk for thirty minutes every day after dinner.” 

Write it down.

Keep a journal to track your progress. If you're tech savvy,try downloading an app on your phone like “Myfitnesspal” to help you out. 

State the Positive

Turn your goals into positive statements. Rather than saying “I won’t” eat candy ever again you can say "I will" eat a piece of fruit when I am craving something sweet.

Treat yourself!

Find ways to treat yourself when you succeed. You deserve it!


Most importantly, you ARE strong enough to change and every goal you reach will help you to realize this. Sometimes the fear of failing can be scarier than sticking to an unhealthy lifestyle you are used to. But setting and accomplishing goals will equip you with the confidence you need. So allow yourself to be a beginner, and be filled with compassion and patience. Remember, every step, no matter how small, is taking you one step closer to a healthier, happier you. So get excited, get motivated, and get ready to applaud yourself! 

Your Body is Your Friend

It is so easy these days to focus on our flaws. For one reason or another you aren't where you would like to be. It's normal to compare ourselves to others, but if we want real change to occur, we have to make friends with our body.  It's time to focus on our positives and make healthy choices not because we hate our bodies but because we love them. Here are a few tips to change your thinking and befriend your body today:

Don't pick yourself apart in front of the mirror. Focus on your strengths.

Maybe you have gorgeous eyes or a beautiful smile or strong legs. Everybody has something going for them, accentuate your positives.

Change your thought pattern, and replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts.

Our actions are inspired by our thoughts, so if your thinking is positive your actions will follow. First notice when negative thoughts occur and become aware of them. Notice how you feel, what type of situation you are in, and what triggers the thoughts. Then, turn the negative thought upside down through rephrasing. Instead of saying "I feel so fat" rephrase your thought to something like "I am proud of my body" or  "I am getting stronger every day."

Discover the root of your body bashing.

Stress and anxiety can turn up in many ways. Ask yourself what is making you insecure. When things are not going well outwardly it is easy to turn that dissatisfaction on ourselves. Find a healthier way to cope that works for you. Exercising daily is a great way to relieve stress and build confidence. Meditation and breathing exercises are also great stress relievers. 

Make changes the healthy way and not through quick fixes that disrespect your body.

You may lose weight if you starve yourself or cut everything out of your diet but quick fixes never last. You only have one body and you need to take care of it. Instead of crash dieting, think of little changes you can make each day to get you closer to a healthier lifestyle. 

Don't let setbacks bring you down.

We are all human and we all make mistakes. Have compassion for yourself and don't beat yourself up if you overindulge. Setbacks are bound to happen and habits aren't easy to change. Just pick yourself up and get right back on track. 

Remember, you are enough just as you are in this moment and every moment. Your body is an amazing thing and deserves to be respected. We all want to be better so let's choose to make changes out of love and not out of hate. Your journey to weight loss will be much less lonely with a friend by your side. Be good to your body and your body will be good to you.