ShareWaking up to a private beach view is pretty damn awesome. It’s even better when you can fully enjoy being there, without worrying if those problem areas are showing, or who might be looking at you…
Honestly, I used to hate going to the beach. Like absolutely despise it.
Not only did the thought of going to the beach scare the crap out of me – so did the idea of wearing anything tight fitting or my “old” sexy shorts, which were no longer sexy as I couldn’t zip them up.
I had a pocketful of excuses for skipping beach outings – “I hate the sand getting all over me” and “Oh it’s so hot and boring just lying around”
But the truth? I was completely ashamed of my body and afraid to be seen in anything tight fitting, let alone a bikini. Carrying more than 182lbs during the summer of 2009 was a major low point in my life.
The War Against Fat
Every day is a battle on a transformation journey. It’s win or lose. You make daily decisions that will either take you closer to your goal (winning choice), or further away from it.
Sounds simple. But it’s NOT easy. You need to accept it. You are trying new things, stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself to adopt new habits. It’s hard. Some days you ask yourself, “Is this really worth it?”
Well listen, of course it is.
I’m not perfect. I make mistakes too. Bread is my major weakness so if I go out to dinner, starving, guess who can’t resist the bread saying, “Eat me! Eat me!”
These are just the small battles you fight everyday. And to be honest, part of you will always be fighting these battles.
But in those moments of temptation, you have to focus on winning the war.
Losing a battle here and there is no big deal. I mess up too. My sugar craving gets the best of me and I can’t resist ice cream. It’s not failure. You won’t die. But you must acknowledge this off day, get yourself together and get back on track immediately.
How to Win The War
You know, the world is against you. Everywhere you look, there are fast food specials, take away joints with fat-laden junk and persuasive friends trying to get you to skip your workout for happy hour drinks.
Sound supportive? Ha.
Of course not. This is not the ideal world.
So how can you win?
You need strategies.
Let’s face it – there’s a million different strategies you could use. But today, I want to share with you one of my top strategies, that has worked wonders for my clients and myself.
#1 Transformation Strategy
When I hit major speed bumps on my transformation journey, I always had a number of strategies to beat the hurdles. There was one particular strategy, a very simple thing that was absolutely crucial to my success.
I would imagine myself at my new goal weight.
To help with the visualization process, I found something to aspire to (I say “something”, because it wasn’t a real person or a Hollywood supermodel). Let me explain.
Everyday I would walk home along 6th avenue, and look up in the window of Modell’s, a huge sports store here in the city. As I gazed into the window, I would see a mannequin of a lean, fit and athletic looking girl, who was wearing tight fitting shorts and a sports bra.
She had amazing abs, without looking extremely muscular and distasteful. Yes, I know this was not a real person…
But I thought to myself…
“That’s exactly what I want”
In fact, I even named the girl – now you know I’m totally nuts.
But seriously, it helped.
Having a mental picture of who and what you want to become is so powerful. I completely underestimated this on my journey, and now advise anyone making a transformation to do the same.
Here’s why:
(a) It Helps You Focus on the Big Picture
Taking the right, positive action steps now will make a difference in the long run.
With an end goal in mind, it can help you stay positive on those rough days by keeping you focused on the big picture: reaching your long-term goal.
During the winter, when the only thing I felt like doing was stuffing myself with warm, delicious carbs, I would see my inspirational figure in the window keeping an eye on me. It was a simple reminder of who I wanted to be, but like I said, extremely powerful.
(b) Connects YOU with Your Why
On the days you don’t feel like it, or it seems too hard, think about your why. Why are you doing this? Why do you want to transform your body?
These questions are not easy ones, even if your answers seem simple. Take your time and really think about it. The most important thing is you personally connect with the reason behind your action.
Is it for your family? Or most importantly, yourself? Your health and wellbeing should be #1. I think that’s a damn good reason to get out of your funk.
This bigger reason, your greater purpose is what you need to connect with, to overcome the rough times.
(c) Positive Reminders
Seeing in your mind’s eye who you want to become can help you to remain positive in the face of adversity. Having a mentor or support person keep an eye on you and hold you accountable is essential. Remember, you’re not alone in this.
Surrounding yourself with positive people, both online and offline, will make a huge difference. In fact, this has been a game changer and the reason for my accelerated success.
Overcoming Objections
There’s always going to be hurdles, but that’s why strategies were created to keep you on the right track. Learning to say no to friends/family and most importantly yourself, is the first step to making a lasting change.
A major objection I’ve heard is people not willing to give up certain things that are stalling their progress. For example, I want to lose 20lbs but I’m not giving up beer or candy corn. Well, why are you wasting your time? Keep on dreaming.
Think about who you want to be – does that person eat chips and other junk, drink beer and party till 4am? Unfortunately, no.
As a former beer guzzling party animal, I can tell you first hand that drinking less booze (while perhaps considered boring at first), has made my life 1000% better. It’s not to say I’m boring and never party anymore, I just have bigger plans. A greater purpose in life.
You vs Your Mind
The greatest objection is within you. It’s the day in, day out battle against your mind. Want to wake up early and workout when you feel exhausted? Probably not. Want to come home cook greens and grilled fish after a long day at work?
Stop analyzing everything you do and over-thinking it. Just do it. Follow the plan and think big picture.
And don’t kid yourself into thinking you can make a transformation without making any sacrifices. Again it’s simple, but not easy to take the first step. “Simple” and “easy” are two very different things.
Why You Need to Fake It Till You Make IT
What does that mean?
Be the person you want to become.
Fake it till you make it.
Sure, you might not be physically where you want to be, but mentally you can be there.
What does it mean for you to reach your goal? And what will be different when you reach it? Go on, imagine yourself there. Be that person now.
This doesn’t work in every situation. For example, if you want to become a doctor, I don’t advise you try this. But for transforming your body and your life, this is a big secret.
Here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Imagine yourself where you want to be. How do you look, feel and what do you do? How is this different to what you do now?
The clearer the image, the more likely you will be able to connect with the new and improved you, and become that person.
Step 2: Fake it till you make it
Be the person you want to become. Model that lifestyle. Hang out with the people who are living the healthy lifestyle you want. Change one habit it a time. Keep taking action and moving forward.
Step 3: Celebrate every success
Big or small, you need to celebrate every success and recognize your progress.
Just finished a workout when you really didn’t want to do it? Celebrate.
Resisted desserts and said no at a function? Celebrate.
Decided to go home after one drink, instead of getting trashed? Celebrate.
If you’re not going to celebrate how awesome you are and your own achievements, then who will?
Whatever you’re trying to change, take small steps to achieving your goal. Whenever you feel alone in this, remember I’m in this with you. We all are here at Fat Loss Accelerators.
Jump on Facebook and get involved today. Post your goals, successes and keep us all posted on your progress. You are not alone on this journey.
Have an awesome day,
KV
