This morning I awoke to a frantic text from a client who has gained 15 pounds in the last few months. This client has been unable to keep a consistent schedule in, and outside of  the gym with me, and her eating habits have been on a roller coaster due to some family and work challenges that have kept her traveling quite a bit. She and I worked really hard to get this weight off, and she kept herself at a weight and lifestyle she was happy with for a year and a half. “Why is this happening?” “I worked so hard for so long, and now I feel terrible again.”  She is very upset and feels defeated. Does this sound familiar?

The Battle of the Lbs can be an aggressive battle if we let it…but it doesn’t have to be.  What has happened is, my client got comfortable and instead of getting more clear about her intentions for her health and fitness…she got less clear. In the beginning, she was motivated by a break-up…but eventually, external motivation WILL ware off. Also, things happen…we get called to take care of others, and it is not always going to be easy to stay committed to our healthy ways. But it ultimately comes down to this…HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL IN YOUR SKIN, AND WHAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO MAKE SURE YOU ACHIEVE IT AND MAINTAIN IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY? (And beware of excuses my dear friend) We must get clear about what we want, and continue to deepen that vision and tweak it with regards to new goals and desires. Ultimately, what matters most, is that we do the very best we can in every moment (because that’s all we CAN do), and obviously “our best” will look differently, depending on the day, but nonethelss…DO OUR BEST. Unfortunately, most people wait until they are in unbearable pain to change their behaviors and actions. Why? Why wait until you are in so much pain you feel defeated?

What I have learned over the years is, first of all…We are NEVER defeated. Also, just as importantly, what I want more than anything…more than abs, more than my “skinny weight,” more than ANYTHING, is to be happy and to feel comfortable, beautiful, and sexy in my own body…from the inside out, independent of anything external.  This does not mean I don’t also want to look good, it just means that I approach looking good from a different place. If we approach it from a healthy place, we get to keep the results. If we approach it from an unhealthy place, we will eventually fall back into our old ways. It is so important to really get clear about how you want to FEEL. How does it feel to try on clothes at a store, how do you feel when you are walking through the grocery store, how do your favorite jeans feel when you button them? Then get clear on your visualizations. What do you SEE when you look in the mirror? What do you see when you go to a party? How do you see the world from the eyes of a body you love? What do you hear yourself saying to yourself? Are you visualizing hearing loving words from yourself? All these things help us stay on track…so we can keep the battle of the LB’s at Bay. We are human beings…our weight will fluctuate throughout the year, as Mother Nature intended it to, however, there is an ideal minimum and maximum for each of us that we do not have to exceed if we have the proper tools to reach for.

This morning, I did a short coaching session with this client. I instructed her to do the following:

1) Write down exactly how she is feeling, so she can refer back to the pain she is experiencing right now, and therefore can use that instead of having to recreate it later. This is a helpful tool, because when you feel like you are getting off track, or you are forgetting the pain you can potentially cause yourself, you can read over this particular journal entry and it can bring you right back to the pain. This will help you make better choices in the future, so you never have to create this particular feeling again.

2) Write 3 pages of a free flow of thought this morning, followed by a list of her intentions for today and 5 things she is grateful for. This is an exercise I have assigned her to do every day. In the morning, as soon as you wake up, before doing anything else…take a mental dump! Write down anything and everything that comes to your mind, even if it is “I don’t know what to write” or “I’m so tired, this sucks.” It doesn’t matter…just keep writing and do not stop. This must be with a pen and paper, not typing. Write for 3 straight pages (front and back count as 2). Then, following the 3 pages, set your intentions and write them down. What do you intend to feel, see, create, do, ect, for today? How do you intend today to unfold? After all of that, write down 5 things you feel really grateful for…even if that is “I am grateful for this pen in my hand.”

3) I told her to write a journal at the end of the day, about how the day went, what feelings came up around each meal, when she gets the most hungry, and what foods make her feel the best and most satisfied. This is a great tool, because it tracks what actually happened throughout your day, and you can see if you are staying in alignment with your intentions you set for that day or not.  The way we do one thing is the way we do all things, so it is important to identify patterns, and then to look at what’s going on underneath the surface.

My client and I will do a coaching session on Monday, to review her writings, and, as long as she remains willing to do what it takes to feel better, and commits to the process…she will be on her way to living in a body she loves!

Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

For Health and Wellness Life Coaching, you can contact me at [email protected] for a FREE consultation.

Thank you 🙂

Erin