There is NO MAGIC PILL.
Over and over I hear and see people frustrated about not being able to achieve the health, body and energy they desire. There was a time when I would try to sugar-coat, fence-sit and make it sound all nice-n-easy, however, I now see that perhaps this is a significant source of all frustrations in this area.
It is imperative that we all wake up and get real with ourselves. There is NO MAGIC PILL.
The truth is, the choice to be healthy, fit, energetic and a healthy weight or, tired, weak, lethargic and carrying more than your body physiology can homeostatically handle, really is ours to make.
It may at times seem like what we face is out of our control. We may feel pressured, stressed, busy beyond belief and like the whole world has some conspiracy against us having time for ourselves. Furthermore, it may also feel like some energy-zapping demon has taken possession of our body, haunted us with cravings for all the foods we know will not help our quest to be healthier, more energetic and lighter, and we may feel frustrated that we simply cannot muster the motivation to get our butts into gear.
I have heard and seen every excuse under the sun, and yes, some out there have real and challenging hurdles to overcome. I am not saying it is easy, I am not saying that sometimes hormones, neuro-peptides and our body physiology may be working against us, but I am definitely saying that the ball is still well and truly in our court.
The area in which every person lets themselves down is most definitely the area of quick fixes. So many of us are guilty of being seduced by all the claims, in awe and wonder of the latest “miracle-drug”, procedure or program, and many more of us have given away all our pennies to the person who promised to solve all our woes.
The thing that would do us the world of good however is to realise that no matter where we are coming from, the only solutions that work in the long, and sustainable, run, encompass true lifestyle change. Small, yet consistent everyday modifications that will afford us incredible return in the near and forever future.
These solutions are likely to involve eating well (not dieting as some may have you believe), moving your body as it was designed to (incorporating strength, cardio and flexibility training), as well as perhaps most importantly, thinking right. As the age-old saying goes, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right!”
Give me any person who is struggling with their weight, energy or health and I can demonstrate how in one way or another, ultimately the issue will come back to one of these three key areas.
There are only four fundamentals that I cover with my clients, and guess what, the aforementioned areas are three of them. Each fundamental however is akin to a “never-ending onion”; layer upon layer to explore – and only addressed as relevant for each individual client.
As is the case for any type of learning, we really only take on, and in, those bits of information and knowledge that have relevance to us at any one time in our life.
That is, we learn in context. As I was explaining to my dad once, I learned everything when I started my practical placements at Uni, not when I was in the lecture theatre cramming my mind with theory. When I was thrown in the deep end at the hospitals, I really got to know all about those wishy-washy confusing concepts I had tried so hard to get my head around by reading and re-reading text-books in earlier years.
The same applies to health. When we are busy consuming endless reams of information and trying to make sense of it all before it is even relevant or an issue for us, we run the very real risk of becoming so overwhelmed, confused and frustrated we give up all together. We chuck in the towel throwing away any efforts and progress we were making, and revert back to our original position, or worse, to a more helpless and intimidated position than before!
Often what I see with clients is a very bad case of information overload. They are confused, frustrated, skeptical and a lot of times looking for the best, quickest, shortest and least painful answer. They have been led up so many garden paths they are tired, their confidence has suffered a severe knock and they are convinced there really is something seriously wrong with them.
And let me tell you, there is no shortage of people out there looking to capitalise on this vulnerable position. There are many out there looking to get rich quick who will feed you a whole lot of mumbo-jumbo nonsense that may seem to be of help for a while, yet leave you completely disorientated and disillusioned somewhere further down the track.
The truth is ladies and gents, if you really wish to look and feel great; to be healthy from the inside out, to enjoy a quality of life that endures well into your 90’s, and to really get what health is all about, then we all better get real and accept that it is a journey.
There is no short cut or magic pill to learning how to think right, eat well and move your body. Any shortcuts you are sold into believing will only come back and bite you in the long run!
The exact details of how the picture looks for you will vary from your neighbour and that does not make them, or you, right, wrong or better.
The journey to health, to energy and to a body that you love, is personal. It is yours, and yours alone.
What I’d love to reinforce here for you today is that you can have exactly what you desire, so don’t sell out on yourself.
The thing is though you must really accept that it is a journey. A journey that will involve deciding, acting and continuously adjusting based on feedback, until you find the mix that suits you.
Yes, you are a human and that means that hormones, neuropetides, biorhythms and endless other chemical, biological and environmental factors will play a role at some stage or another. Do what you can to get expert guidance in these areas, if the basic and generalised information about healthy eating and lifestyle is not working for you.
Make sure you find someone, or a team, who is appropriately qualified to help you, who you feel very comfortable with and who listens to you and explains everything so that you understand exactly what is going on. From this perspective, such a person or team will simply act as a catalyst to advise and educate you right, so that you can keep yourself on track forever after.
After 18 years of doing this myself I can tell you the process of adjusting and listening to feedback never ends. We are evolving beings. Our needs change as we change. The environment we find ourselves in today poses unique challenges and requires ingenuity in responding appropriately. Take this in your stride though, we like to be stimulated and challenged. It’s how all great growth happens – remember- a diamond is formed under pressure.
I am an incredibly passionate and empathetic person and that is why I can no longer play “Mrs Nice Guy”.
No matter your seeming challenges, there are answers, and these are not quick fix or band-aid remedies.
The bottom line is, there is NO MAGIC PILL, so stop looking, and start living.
To your best health.
BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
