To Become Fit And Healthy, Your Identity Has To Change

COVID-19 has shown us how important it is to be fit and healthy. This current global pandemic highlights the risk of living with lifestyle diseases. Lifestyle diseases are diseases that can be reversed with a healthy lifestyle. In one of my recent blog posts, I talk about the fact that in the scientific community, global pandemics are seen as situations that will keep occurring because of globalisation and travel. History proves them right. This means that, unless you want to remain in your house and never step out again, you will always be at risk if you don’t take crucial steps to become fit and healthy.

Subsequently, many people have used this crisis and subsequent lockdown to get fit and healthy. However, it’s one thing to start during a crisis and it’s another to continue after the crisis. Here’s the number thing you need to do to ensure that your hard work this season doesn’t go to waste.

Change your identity

 

This is actually the most important aspect of change. You have to start seeing yourself as who you want to become and not who you were. Stop telling yourself and others the same old story because that story becomes who you are. You give that story power over your choices because who you believe you are drives your behaviour. 

Your negative beliefs lock you down and stall your progress in times of friction. Maybe you’ve been down this road before, lost weight, started exercising and then, “boom!” something happens, and you fall off the wagon. What do you do? Feel down? Get angry? Feel discouraged? Feel stuck? Get depressed?

What you need to do to move forward from a blip is, think and act like a health conscious person because that is now your identity. It’s who you have become. It’s what you take pride in. In times of friction, because the new you is health conscious and you’re looking to maintain that identity, your behaviour should align with that identity. You won’t settle for anything less. A blip will be a blip and nothing more.

 

How do health conscious people think and behave? 

They pick themselves up as quickly as possible because blips are blips. They reset the next day, they don’t make excuses, they don’t constantly let their emotions affect their choices – “I feel down in the dumps, I’m treating myself to 2 cupcakes”. Health conscious people figure out other ways to deal with the stresses of life because it’s who they are.

Health conscious people pay attention to their emotions. They plan, they prioritise, they go for choices that support growth, boost metabolism and immune system. They are never too busy to make better choices because the healthier option is default. And the unhealthy option is an occasional treat or a blip.

They don’t let a slip get them down. They accept that slips happen and get back on track quickly because healthy living is part of their life.  It’s not a dream or an aspiration, it’s who they are. 

 

They don’t make statements like

I don’t like exercising. 

I don’t like to sweat.

My knees hurt when I exercise.

I don’t like vegetables. 

I don’t like water.

It’s in my genes.

I have a slow metabolism.

I love food too much.

Healthy food is expensive.

I’m a sugar addict.

I’ve tried everything, can’t seem to lose weight and maintain it.

I’m so busy, I just don’t have the time.

I don’t like the gym.

It’s too hard. 

Every time I exercise, I feel pain so I can’t  exercise.

Exercise is not fun.

When you constantly make the above proclamations, it becomes your the story.

 

“The word you attach to your experience become your experience.” 

“If you can take the language out, you’ll take the biochemical trigger out.”

– Tony Robbins

 

If you want to become fit and healthy, start to believe you can be fit and healthy. When you start believing you are someone that can be fit and healthy you will start to behave like a fit and healthy person. Your behaviour will change your story. You will start to identify with who you believe you are.

 

K💚

 

PS

I offer 1-1 healthy lifestyle coaching sessions and I currently have an offer on my business site, http://kineticklifestyle.com/coaching/