Getting my body back Friday - Decluttering your Health Life - Food and Exercise

In the process of decluttering your health life, there are three levels which you could follow for this undertaking.

1) Start small or start slowly

Instead of undertaking a very ambitious approach which could lead you to feelings of overwhelm or discouragement, start with something that you know you will stick with and when you've completed it you'll feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.

When I first began exercising I started with what I was comfortable doing, knowing that I could stick with it. I did stretches only just to get my body loosened until I felt the need to go to the next level.

The same it is with food. Start with small changes in your diet - changes that you know you could stick with. For example, eating less of your favourite ice cream or having it on the weekend only. That way you don't feel the effects of deprivation and it also lessens the temptation to go right back to your old eating habits.

2) Take it up a notch - mid range

If you feel that starting small or going slowly is not for you, then feel free to do a bit more. The key is to do what you can without going into overwhelm and discouragement.

After I got used to the stretches I was ready to take it up a notch - adding some aerobics and weight training in addition to incorporating exercises into my daily activities.

The same adjustment can be made with eating habits, as well, making more of a conscious decision and effort to make healthier food choices, adding more salads and fruit into the daily diet.

3) Going all out

When you've had enough and you just can't take it anymore, you're then at the point where you know you are willing to go all out.

It is the same approach I took with my exercise routine. Even though I had some results, I felt that my results could have been better. So, I decided that it's time to take drastic measures. For some this may have been small steps, but this is the level I was at and for me that means brisk walking, endurance training, weight lifting, gardening and incorporating exercise in my daily routine. My first week of my drastic move? Yes, I began seeing results in my ideal weight goal. I set my intention to gaining weekly results and it's showing.

4) Analyze your progress

It is a necessary step to analyze your progress every step of the way. That's how you know if you're getting closer to your goal, remaining stagnant or regressing. Here's where you examine if what you're doing is working - see what's working and decide to either eliminate it, modify it or intensify.

It makes no sense to continue on the same path if after a period of time you aren't making any progress at all. What can you do to improve on your progress? Did your body get used to the exercise? Did you need to add variations? Do you need to check what you're eating and how much?

It's all about where you are and what you're willing to do to get the results you desire to declutter any area of your life. But regardless of your level, you'll only make progress when you begin.