Here’s to Your Health
By Michele Tenney
Michele Tenney
I marvel at the media at this time every year and how they try to marinade our thoughts with the New Year fitness craze. Segment after segment on this diet, that exercise routine, the latest and greatest equipment and gadgets. I get exhausted watching it all.
The solid truth is that four out of 10 people will have quit their fitness resolutions by the end of January and nine out of 10 will quit by March. Unfortunately, it’s a very real and predictable fact. So what’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. I’m here to encourage you and tell you the good news – long-lasting lifestyle changes are indeed obtainable.
Long-lasting lifestyle changes need only begin as a thought and then a belief in your mind and heart. I always tell my clients, especially the children I train for squash, that you have to first see yourself as a winner, then believe you are a winner, then implement what you know you can do. See it, believe it and do it.
Picture in your mind yourself as a healthy, active, fit and happy individual. You’ve heard me say many times before you are not what you feel; you are what you believe. Eventually your feelings will catch up to your beliefs, so stay positive.
Your mind is the battlefield. Understand your opposition and become a strategist. Don’t set a goal of a 5 a.m. workout if you’re a night owl and hate mornings. If you’ve never run a half mile, don’t take on a five-mile-a-day goal.
Lifestyle changes (the ones that last, that is) always start with baby steps, acceptance and adaptability. Self-abnegation is a sneaky sabotage, so be on alert. When you deny yourself, you are unhappy. At some point you will grow weary, decide to throw in the towel and eat an entire sheet cake, all in the name of “I deserve it.” The vicious cycle begins again, because after you eat that sheet cake you will more than likely feel guilty and go for some chips and ice cream for comfort. You see how sly and sneaky self-abnegation can be?
Now let’s talk about food. I am a believer in cleansing. However, the only way cleansing should be done is with food – good foods. Spinach, carrots and garlic actually help detoxify your liver. Apples and flaxseeds are wonderful sources of fiber. The latest and greatest shakes are processed and are not sustainable for the longevity of good health. That should be your one and only goal; a long, healthy, enriched life well-lived with lots of love.
Here’s the one word you are not hearing much of: balance. Your life is meant to be enjoyed. Have fun. Eat pizza and ice cream. I do. I just don’t eat it every day. And neither should you. I was able to enjoy every party I attended this Christmas/holiday season, and I was able to get to a goal weight before Christmas and maintain it through the New Year simply because I ate clean in between parties.
You can do this. I believe in you. Here’s to your health. Happy New Year, friends.