Decluttering your life - Part 2 - Exercise & Food

Getting my body back - Day 108

In the process of decluttering your 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 lessen 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. What we've done with our home is going all out to make a complete overhaul and taking drastic measures to achieve our goal.

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'm 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.

I also took it up a notch in the food department - adding more salad and fruit and cutting back on my portions of other foods, such as rice, pasta etc.

I take one day off to rest just to let my body rejuvenate itself, especially from the weight training. The extreme end for me would be to go completely vegetarian which is something I've considered but I'm not ready to completely give up on meat just yet. So I've decided on a working compromise - eliminating one day of meat to start. In this category, I'll say I'm back to #1 - start small or slowly.

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.

Fuelling words: I do what I can do with all the willingness that I'm willing to do to get to where I need to be.

Workout - walking, endurance exercise, weight lifting

Change your mindset about food

Getting my body back - Day 46

So much has been said about food; what you should eat, what you shouldn't eat, how much of what you should and shouldn't eat. Sometimes it makes you feel like saying, "Would you make up your mind, already!"

The purpose of food

Food was intended, from the beginning of time and still is, the source of our nutritional sustenance. You don't have to be told that if you don't eat what will happen to you. That's pretty obvious.

Visualization and food

Because thought and visualization are such powerful tools of manifestation to attain what it is you want to achieve, why not use them as you're eating. Consider this:

Instead of being distracted while eating and eating only because it's natural when you're hungry, try slowing down and as they say, "Smell the roses." In this case, change your mindset and enjoy the aroma of your food and the taste of it.

Research has shown that the digestion process begins in the mouth. The chewing action combined with your saliva begins breaking down the food and prepares it for further digestion in the stomach.

The mindset about food

As you swallow, think about and imagine the nutrients being extracted from food and is distributed to all of your body parts providing the necessary energy it needs to repair your cells and optimize bodily functions.

See your body using this food to give you the energy you need for your daily activities. See yourself experiencing health and wellness. As you do this, you'd consider making better food choices.

Gratitude

You know that gratitude opens the way for more good to come into your life. As you are eating, remember to say, "Thank you," for your food. Be appreciative of the fact that you have food to eat and that your food supply will always be plentiful.

Fuelling words: Food is good for my health and well-being, and therefore I am thankful for every bite I consume.

Routine: Warm-ups, stretches, aerobics, toning and strength exercises, cool down.

Visualization - keeping focus on my goal; healthy, strong and my ideal body weight and shape.

Deep breathing - relaxes the muscles and sends oxygen to the muscles where exercising alone would not reach.