The Pursuit of Happiness

When I was obese, I was not happy… I was miserable. I pretended I was fine with my body/how I looked/what my life was like. But, bottom line was…I did not think I deserved to be happy.

I have talked before about my pursuit of perfection, celebrating my small successes & feeling proud of myself. I honestly hated myself when I was fat because I was so angry I had let my weight get out of control. I felt awful, physically because I was sick all the time. But, I also felt awful, every day because of how I looked. I believed I was just born with the “fat gene”. I thought there was no way I could ever be different. And, I felt like all the crappy/bad things that happened to me where just because I was doomed (unlucky), that I would never be truly happy.

I have learned that I was the number one person/thing standing in my way of true happiness. I was very negative. I was always expecting the worst. I was planning for disaster at every turn. So, it’s no wonder that I struggled so much in my life…I was attracting bad energy/negativity for a long time.

But….I have changed the way I see the world. I have changed how I feel about things. I have changed my reactions to negativity. I have surrounded myself with positive people. I have made major changes in my life (weight, career,location,significant other).

I have amazing friends in my inner circle. I have a wonderful boyfriend who is my equal partner. I have an amazing job where I get to use my talents/knowledge to help people change their own lives. I have true happiness. I have true love. I have true friendships.

And…I have a really great sense of pride and self-confidence.

 

 

You Are A Limited Edition

Sometimes it’s really difficult to think of ourselves this way, but YOU ARE A LIMITED EDITION!!!!! No one else is like you…No one has the unique traits and characteristics you possess.

Everything you do, say, or think makes you special. Your journey through life is uniquely yours. The struggles you have had, the challenges you have faced…make you an individual. We can have similar experiences, but each of us learned different things from those teaching moments. We all recover from difficulties differently. We all handle ourselves differently in a said situation.

In regards to weight-loss, we each have our own take on exercise, food and change. Trainers and nutritionists are teachers. We provide information. We can give you ideas, help steer you in the healthy direction…But you will have to find your own ways to change, adapt, adjust.

So, embrace how special you are. Recognize that how you interact with the world is your own individual way. The way you attack a problem, get over a hurdle, triumph in the face of adversity….these are all ways you are a limited edition.

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Starting a new diet.
Starting a new workout routine.
Registering for college classes.
Moving.
Starting a new job.

All of these things require you to step out of your comfort zone. Try something new. This can be really scary, or really exciting! Changing the way you live your life, eat, exercise, what you do for a living, your education level….all of these changes mean learning a new way of thinking/acting/behaving. I started, and stopped a multitude of diets before I found success…What if I failed? OR…what if I was successful? Who would I become?

My comfort zone was cozy, safe. Everything about my life had to feel uncomfortable, awkward for me to start on a new path. An easy transition is not likely for most who start dieting/exercising. You have to fight urges/old habits every day. Everything seems foreign to you, which is a good thing-you would already be doing it if it felt “normal”, right?

You have to be open to change. You have to be open to new experiences. You have to be open to different thought processes. You have to be open to learning something new. You have to be open to examine your life, and the way you do things/deal with things.

So, step out of your comfort zone and start on a new path.

You Have to Want It

One of the toughest struggles, as a personal trainer and weight loss coach, is realizing I want success for my clients more than they do, sometimes. You have to want to change/lose weight/work hard…. more than I want it for you.

I am not a magic pill. I am not “The Secret”. I am not a one-stop solution to all of your problems. But…I am a wonderful listener. I have struggled in similar ways. I sympathize, and empathize, with weight gain. I understand how you let your weight, and life, get out of control. I will give you the tools to succeed. I will teach you about nutrition. I will show you workout routines. I will devise meal plans for you. But I can’t make you buy the right foods; I can’t make you workout. I can’t be more interested in your overall health and well-being, than you are.

I appreciate that people are inspired by my own weight loss. I feel an amazing pride knowing I motivate others. I am truly humbled by the kind words of praise and affection. I absolutely feel a responsibility to try to help as many people as possible. I just can’t fix all the reasons you overeat, choose not to exercise, or don’t feel good about yourself.

When you start working with a trainer, nutritionist, etc you must have the drive in you to do the work. You have to have a burning desire to change. You have to decide what sacrifices you are willing to make. You have to have a game plan for tough days. You have to have an inner dialogue about confidence and strength.

As a personal trainer, I am rewarded every day by getting the opportunity to help people. I relish teaching a new way of life to clients. I enjoy showing someone how easy it is to start a new life, at any time, on any day. My clients can, and will, flourish working as a teammate with me. We just have to be on the same page about this journey and the hard work required.