The Next Step
You want a body that is slim, looks fit and toned and one you can be proud to show off in a swim suit or amazing outfit. So take the next step toward your goal as this article follows on from my starter instalment: "Start at the Beginning."
Just to recap, the first step in this journey to a better looking physical appearance is getting your mind into the right state, which is positive and motivated and then writing down all your goals, needs and things you need to change.
This sets up a powerful foundation for what you will be doing over the next few weeks, months or longer depending on how much of a change you need to make happen.
What Next?
So what is the next step in this epic voyage of discovery that will lead you to a new, happier and great looking YOU?
What is the magical formula, the special method that will transform the basic ingredients into the finished product?
Pure and simply, it's the "doing" stage.
This is, for many people the terrifying precipice over which they must leap in order to reach their salvation. It is the stumbling block that prevents so many people from even getting started on the road to change. But why is this?
So Why Does it Feel So Difficult?
A great many of us fear the unknown.
This is instinctive, dating back to when we lived in caves and poking your head out of the cave could get it bitten off by a predator. Let's look at that analogy in a bit more detail so we can understand it better.
Outside the cave represents the unknown, because the cave dweller's vision is limited by what they can see, which is what is straight in front out the cave's entrance. They can't see what's lurking to one side because it's hidden from view.
The problem is that if they don't leave the cave, they will die of starvation from not being able to hunt any food. They can either stay put and die slowly or face their fear and either die quickly or go free to find food for themselves.
The only way to find out what is lurking in the unknown area is to venture out from the safety of the cave to take a look. Fear builds as the anticipation of a large predator laying in wait where it can't be seen fills the cave dweller with terror for their life.
Facing the fear by boldly walking out of the cave to look directly at the whole vista is the only way that cave dweller can know for sure!
Face Your Fear
Take that analogy and relate it to your present circumstances. There are probably one or more fears that are preventing you from taking this important next step that will lead to the goal you desire. Let's look at some of these fears:
- Perhaps you fear taking action (leaving your cave) to start a diet and exercise program because you worry you might fail (the predator will get you).
- Perhaps you fear that it will be tough and you will crave the things you will be restricting from your diet so much you might crack under pressure and cheat.
- Perhaps you fear starting something that you know will most likely go on for some time (several months) and you are afraid to commit yourself.
- Perhaps you simply fear starting something because you don't know how it will pan out for you.
All these excuses, which is what they really are, are just a safety mechanism we all have to avoid doing something we fear.
And we fear it because there is an element of the unknown lurking somewhere along the path.
By facing the fear directly, we can overcome it. After all, fear only exists while the thing we fear remains unknown. As soon as we face it, we know what it is; we can understand it and it no longer remains frightening!
Now for the Doing Stage
It is so important that you demystify whatever it is that frightens you about losing weight and looking good. Until you do that, you are stalling and will not move forward.
Understanding is the polar opposite of fear. So get your learning hat on and start reading up on how your body works, how it processes different kinds of food and what happens when you eat certain foods and then what happens when you stop eating them.
When you really understand what your eating habits are doing to your body and I mean really, really understand so there is no doubt in your mind, then you will feel strong and able to make the changes. Then you can get started for real.
Does a Diet Have to Be a Diet?
Now here's the really empowering part of this. You really don't need to start a propriety diet program to eat the right way so you lose weight. You just need to eat sensibly.
Sure, if you don't know for sure what you're eating most of the time, you can't be expected to know if what you're doing is right. That's why commercial diet programs are so popular. They cater for people who don't know food well enough to make good decisions!
That's why getting a good understanding about food is absolutely the only way to beat weight gain!
I fully admit that if I hadn't gone to the trouble of learning about nutrition, I would never have known what was the right or wrong things to buy at the supermarket. Most people simply don't know enough and then they buy stuff they think id right when it's not.
What Do I Recommend
Here is my recommendation to anyone who really and truly wants to look good, feel good and do it for themselves:
Learn all you can about what is in the food you buy!
Then you will be able to choose the right things to eat that are still tasty, amazing to eat and healthy with it. You will naturally lose weight without doing anything else because you simply stopped eating so much of the stuff that was making you fat and started eating more of the stuff that will nourish you better and help you regain your natural body weight in an enjoyable way.
I'll continue this mini-series with more information on how to look good in the next article.