If you don’t know my story my name is Lyndsey and I am a personal trainer. But, I am also much more than that. For years I faced the hard struggle of losing weight. In fact it took me four years of trial and error to figure out the right formula not only for effective weight loss, but also for true health.
After 4 years and 65 pounds I realized it’s not JUST about diet and exercise……I know shocker! True health is something more than having an ideal body fat percentage, being able to lift heavy weights or run several miles without dying.
But, that is what our culture has focused on for so long we forgot the other components of health. While we are chewing on our broccoli and lifting those dumbbells some of us are still failing miserably at what it means to be truly healthy.
WHAT IS TRUE HEALTH?
You may be asking:
“okay, Lyndsey, what is TRUE HEALTH?”
“What is the big secret?”
“What products do I have to buy?”
“What course do I need to take?”
The truth is, there is no magic product, no magic pill, no magic course. It’s all YOU. It comes down to how you see yourself, how you choose to think and act, and how mindful you are as you go through life!
If you see yourself as not having enough or being enough, then there is no amount of food, or working out that can change that. No matter how fat or lean you are, you will always see an empty vessel.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s simple. Those four years of weight loss were filled with some really low times. Mentally I was a trainwreck, no matter the amount of weight I lost, or the things I could do physically, it never seemed to satiate me or my heart. Changing my mindset and self-image was a slow, painstaking process.
Why was it so painstaking? First, you have to be aware of your mindset challenges. There are a lot of people that will sadly walk through this life and CHOOSE TO STAY UNAWARE.
That’s right everyone has a choice. You either choose to see it or you don’t.
I had my AHA MOMENT (IF YOU WILL), a year ago. Unfortunately, it took a friend taking her own life to WAKE ME UP! It was a hard awakening, but it allowed me to CHOOSE AND SEE MY LIFE FOR WHAT IT WAS, and not for what I thought about myself.
I realized that I didn’t want to walk through life choosing to be unhappy and live my life based on fear and anger. That’s a hard pill to swallow, when you realize that your circumstances are based on your choices and no one else’s…… that’s what is known as OWNING YOUR OWN SHIT.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT IS TIME TO CHANGE
Let’s get back to understanding that it is time for a change. So you have had your AHA MOMENT, you are distinctly aware of yourself. How do you know it’s a problem? Her is a short list of a few things that were off in my life that may resonate with you:
- The Speedy Gonzalez Phenomenon – you do everything, spinning the needle, from dusk till dawn. You are so strung out from running here and there that you don’t know which way is up or down and NOTHING PRODUCTIVE EVER HAPPENS. But, you feel the constant need to be immersed in some project.
- You embrace Toxic Relationships – Friendships, husbands/wives, boyfriend/girlfriend, parents/children, work related – are toxic, exhausting or don’t last. You may find that you are a doormat and get taken advantage of in these relationships.
- You tend to be a Debby Downer- The first thing you see is the negative in EVERYTHING.
- You spend a lot of time in Wishful Thinking – If I had this, I would be…… (finish the sentence)
Yep……these are just some of the things I noticed as I became aware of my mindset challenges. All of them were my choice: My schedule; The relationships I had; The way I thought.
It is a hard pill to swallow. Some of you might be thinking, “ NOPE NOT ME, I DON’T DO THIS OR ANYTHING CLOSE TO IT.” Just step away from this article right now. It’s okay, no hard feelings. If you are not ready, you are not ready. But, I hope you will be one day.
However, if you are like, “WHOA……that is me,” and you feel a whoosh in your gut, don’t worry. Admitting it is half the battle.
NEXT STEPS
So now that you are aware of your mindset challenges…what’s next???
Once I gained awareness of my mindset challenges, I had to do a few necessary things that hurt like hell.
First, I had to slow down. At the time I was a personal trainer with my own set of clients, many of whom I drove to their homes. I also worked for a gym as a trainer as well as helped manage another gym. On top of that I had a networking group and I was running an MLM business… oh, did I forget to mention I am also married… so throw a husband into that and I was also trying to live that “healthy lifestyle” we were talking about.
REMEMBER, NOBODY PUT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES ON ME. I CHOSE TO BE THIS OVERWHELMED.
By keeping this busy I had no time to really evaluate myself or work on the things that needed to be changed.
After I had my “AH HAH” moment, I did what I had to do. I cut the things out of my life that weren’t serving me. First, I moved my business needle in order to avoid burnout. I moved my business home…LITERALLY.
It was painful because I lost a friend and the entire gym community. I was sad at first, but then I realized the amount of relief I felt. Finally, I could breathe again and I could get crystal clear about what I wanted and who I wanted to be. In other words, I gave myself the time and space to think!
I also cut-out the things that used to bring me happiness but now only brought me chaos and stress – including some of my relationships.
I had to say, “good-bye” to a lot of relationships that weren’t necessarily bad, but were distractions and imbalanced.
Finally, I decided to change my outlook on life and use the power of positive thinking. I decided to see the glass half full rather than half empty. Here’s an example of everyday thinking that I think a lot of people can relate to: TRAFFIC – most of us have sat in a traffic jam at one time or another. We can choose to let it ruin our day or we can find the positive in it. I like to put on some of my favorite music.
Maybe that Red Light is a sign that you not only need to slow down your driving, but also slow down in general. 😉
STOP WISHING FOR IT; START WORKING ON IT
Once I started really working on these things I found that my mindset was MUCH HEALTHIER! This is the key to TRUE HEALTH!
Like I said if you have a lot of crap in the attic, exercise and nutrition can help, but it’s not going to get it cleaned out. You’ve got to work on your mindset too!
As I said, “It’s not easy.” But, I am a living example that it’s worth it. Once you begin working through those things, your mindset will no longer be holding you back, it will be easier to stay focused on the goal at hand – your TRUE HEALTH.
Here’s to your TRUE HEALTH!
Lyndsey
Some of you may have worked through your junk and know exactly what I am talking about. This article may not be for you, but maybe you have a friend that could really use this, please share 🙂 They will thank you for it!
Lyndsey Bobola understands the struggles of losing weight and getting healthy. She has lost over 65 pounds through her fitness journey. Breaking through the fad diets and exercise routines and giving up excuses, Lyndsey created goals and developed nutrition plans that worked! She gained a healthy lifestyle and now feels better than ever before. As her life improved, Lyndsey developed a passion to help others discover the path to a healthier life.
Now, Lyndsey is here to help clients cut through the noise of Instagram fitness models and fad diets to find real, lasting change. She is here to help people who are ready to improve their life through fitness, health, and life goals.
Scrolling through Instagram accounts of so-called fitness models, Pinterest meal prep ideas, and online workout programs with no scientific backing, Lyndsey realized a majority of fitness ideas online are wrong. They are designed for quick but not lasting results, to make you feel inadequate, or to get your money and leave you hanging. Lyndsey wants to change that through education and hands-on training. Taking no excuses, she provides honest and effective guidance for people who are ready for change.
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