How losing 7 kilos gave me a healthier attitude towards health and fitness

A few weeks ago I started a detox. I was sick and tired of working my ass off at the gym, watching everything I ate and it wasn’t making a whole lot of difference. I thought I mustn’t be training hard enough or I was eating too many snacks throughout the day. My problem was I had a very slow metabolism, I was holding onto too much fluid and in a way I had an unhealthy attitude to how much I was training, or over training more like it.

So I went on a 3 week detox that was watched by my nutritionist. Yes it was strict but the overall benefits most definitely outweighed how much willpower I had to have for it.
I lost just over 7 kilos, I feel healthier and happier within myself and it made me realise I don’t need to train twice a day because the balance of healthy eating and a healthy mind is what it’s all about. Don’t get me wrong I still train hard every week day morning with my trainer because the benefits of weight training are so great and it really works for me, plus I really enjoy it. I just realised I don’t need to do that 10 times a week.

Whether you are trying to find a healthy attitude towards health, food and fitness for the good reasons (to lose weight, get motivated, be healthier) or to realise there is more to life than working out really hard twice a day and being exhausted there are some simple things you can change to help you. There is a fundamental link between a healthy mind and a healthy body.

FOCUS ON SMALL ACHIEVEMENTS – You might have a big end goal of say losing 10kg but that goal seems so far away and you give up because it’s all too hard. Instead focus on small goals. Start with 2kg and once you get there aim for another 2kg. Take it step by step. 

REALISE THAT CHANGE DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT – It never does. You didn’t put on that 10kg overnight or in a few weeks so you’re not going to lose it that quickly. There is always that disheartening realisation that progress isn’t immediate. That doesn’t mean you give up. It means you keep going. Right when you give up is just about when the change occurs. 

DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS– Extremely hard I know but I have learnt that comparing myself to someone else drives me mental. Me at a certain weight is completely different to someone else at the same weight. I don’t have their same body type so I am not going to look like them. Notice the changes within yourself and how much better your body looks compared to what you were previously. Compare the new you to the old you.

HAVING A TREAT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD – No one is perfect, everyone lets the diet slide slightly to enjoy and indulge in something a little naughty. It’s not the end of the world. As long as you make sure it’s only a treat (say once a week) it’s not going to hurt. The everyday treats are where it hurts the waistline! 

ENJOY EXERCISE – Going to the gym isn’t for everyone. Weight training and high intensity workouts aren’t for everyone either. Enjoy doing something active so it doesn’t feel like exercise. Go for a bike ride with a friend, join a zumba class, join a bootcamp, go for bush walks. Anything that keeps you active and you enjoy is so beneficial to your overall wellbeing.

STOP SAYING I CAN’T – You can!! Every time you say you can’t you probably won’t. That’s not the attitude. Give it a go and you will definitely surprise yourself at what you actually can do.