Weight Loss Tip : Treat yourself like a Child

Whenever you feel your motivation slipping give yourself a boost
by treating yourself like a precious child.

1. Talk to yourself kindly

You encourage your children to do their best and to have another
go when they fail. You don’t say “Might as well give up then,
you’re useless at this. You’ll never succeed”. If they’re
learning something new, you encourage them to keep practising
until it becomes second nature. Give yourself the same wise
words when you’re trying to lose weight! You can do this! You
really can!

2. Nourish yourself

Would you let a child stand at the fridge wolfing down a whole
tub of cookie dough ice cream? Would you let them ask for a
chocolate biscuit and then eat the packet empty? Why not? You
know what’s good for them, that’s why not!

Parents who care for their children don’t feed them a lot of
junk food, coffee, wine and cigarettes. Aside from the
legalities of it all, they want their children to grow up
healthy, fit and strong. Why would you want any less for your
own health?

Give yourself the very best nourishment you can. Eat lean meat,
fish, healthy carbs and vegetables and allow yourself the odd
treat. Don’t spoil your appetite for healthy meals by eating
unhealthy snacks all day – give junk food the thumbs down.

3. Play

Children’s bodies cry out for physical activity so we take our
children out and give them lots of active play. But what are we
doing for ourselves while we are running around chauffeuring
them from one thing to the next? Are we just complaining we
haven’t got time to exercise? Carve some time out of your
schedule every day to do something active, even if it’s just a
10-minute walk at lunchtime. No child deserves to be cooped up
all day and neither do you. You can’t expect to perform at your
peak if you only ever move between your desk and the coffee
machine or the sofa and the fridge.

4. Stick with It long term

When you have a child, you’re in it for the long haul. You’re
not here one day and gone the next. You commit to taking
responsibility for the child’s welfare at least until they grow
up and probably for long after that. So why should it be any
different where your own health and welfare is concerned? You
deserve long term care, not a two-week crash diet “that’s all
I’m giving it” before going back to abusing your body. Make a
commitment to care for your health forever.

5. Be Consistent

You care for a precious child day in day out. You don’t give the
child lots of love and care on Monday only to neglect him or her
by Friday. That’s exactly how you treat yourself when you start
a new diet every other week. You need to be consistent in
treating yourself well to get great results.

6. Make it routine

Children thrive on routine. Despite their protests they love the
security of knowing the rules of the house and someone caring
whether they keep to them or not. They like order and certainty
about how things are done.

Adults are no different. Everyone is a creature of habit to some
extent.

When we have good habits we eat healthily and move our bodies
without thinking about it. And we reach our weight loss and
fitness goals as a result of following our habits – almost
automatically.

If you don’t have a good routine, like any child you need some
discipline to keep to the habits which are for your benefit in
the long term. But after a while you will find you settle into
your new routines without a fuss – after all they feel so
natural and they’re doing you good.

It takes just 21 days of consistent practise to form a new
habit. So start today and create a slim, healthy and fit new you
one habit at a time.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

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