Think positive for optimum health of body and mind
Think positive for optimum health of body and mind
This is the last in the six-article series New Millennium -
New You, providing practical tips on how to stay healthy. The
weekly column is written by Clare E. Urwin, a nutrition, fitness
and health adviser based in Surabaya.
SURABAYA (JP): Congratulations. Reaching optimum health and
fitness is within your grasp. Don't you feel good? Making those
changes to your lifestyle required effort and determination. So,
let's make sure they last. The final factor in New Millennium -
New You is "attitude". A positive attitude will ensure
maintaining those successful habits.
Develop a positive attitude. How many times have you heard
that one? Every business seminar, sales conference, self-help
book and health magazine seems to preach the benefits of such
thinking. They do so for a good reason. Having a positive mental
attitude works!
Have you, on occasion, woken up feeling that the whole world
is against you? Sure you have. Problems seem to be everywhere;
it's a bad hair day and hassles flourish. Conversely, when you
wake up with optimism, it seems like your birthday.
Obstacles transform into challenges, all lights turn green and
even the bank manager smiles at you. Emotions influence actions
because mind and body are linked; one has a potent affect on the
other.
Sometimes, it's easy to feel more inadequate and weaker than
you actually are. Into your brain come thoughts like, "I'm
hopeless, I just can't keep up with my exercise." Or, "What's the
point of starting a diet, I won't be able to stick to it?"
Regrettably, you take for granted that these feelings are
true. Then, believing such distorted thinking, you end up acting
as if they were.
Developing a positive attitude has the opposite result.
Thinking, "I can and will improve my eating habits," or, "I want
to make exercise a part of my life," will help you stay focused
and motivated. Conscious thoughts influence your subconscious and
can become self-fulfilling. The mind is a very powerful tool, so
use it well. Think positively and not negatively. What goes on in
your head matters!
Visualization is a further important aid in positive thinking.
Not more trendy mumbo jumbo psycho stuff you say? But before you
start sighing and rolling your eyes, consider this:
Tiger Woods "pictures" the golf ball going into the cup every
time he putts. His imagination certainly doesn't "see" the ball
going past the hole! With so many championship teams and top
athletes practicing visualization, there has to be something to
it. There is -- it really helps.
Turning old negative lifestyle habits into positive new ones
has resulted in regaining control of your own health and fitness.
Taking such personal responsibility is admirable and deserves
praise. It's being grown-up. But sustaining those hard-earned
changes may be a greater challenge than initiating them.
So how do you stay motivated? What guarantees your maintaining
healthy practices for life? Unfortunately, nothing can guarantee
this. No one is capable of perfect health practices during every
minute of every hour of every day. In fact, learning to modify
such a perfectionist attitude is essential to success.
The occasional dietary indiscretion or exercise omission is
normal. There will be times when things go wrong. Accept this
fact, be prepared in advance, learn from the experience and move
on. You are only human. All the deep breathing in the world is of
little use and of no comfort when you can't resist that chocolate
cake and loathe the thought of exercise! Slipups will help you
identify and avoid potential triggers in the future. The
important thing is to resume your healthy habits as soon as
possible.
There are several ways of reinforcing commitment. For example,
regularly remind yourself why you wanted to reach optimum health
and fitness in the first place.
Think of that untapped potential and the possibilities that
await. Remember, with mind and body at their peak anything is
possible. You're in charge and only you can make it happen.
Being goal-orientated works for some people. Setting a goal
and then achieving it provides great incentive to reach the next
one. Write down your goals and a time limit for reaching them.
Reward success when you tick them off. Feel good, you've earned
it! But be realistic; big goals are more attainable if they are
divided into smaller ones.
For sound, life-long nutrition, wanting to eat foods that do
you good should be the plan. You can have delicious meals that
give pleasure, as well as providing proper nourishment, energy
and protection. A healthy diet need not be equated with
deprivation.
Keep in mind the three week rule. Normally, if you persevere
with a change in your eating routine for twenty one days, it
becomes a habit. Taste buds can be content with sugarless tea and
coffee. Before you know it, too much fatty or salty food will
seem cloying and unappetizing.
Do you like your aerobic exercise routine? If you don't, try
something different. How about a bike spinning class or line
dancing? Staying motivated is easier if your chosen activity is
enjoyable. Vary your fitness regime and make it fun. Find a
friend to join you at the gym or step class. Those machines don't
seem so daunting now, do they? Sharing triumphs and frustrations
will help you stay focused on a healthier lifestyle.
Take the time to manage stress; it's sensible preventative
health maintenance. Incidentally, finding the humor in events,
and your own reaction to them, relieves tension wonderfully. The
ability to laugh at yourself is a life-improving and life-
preserving characteristic.
Give your mind as much reinforcement as possible. Influence
your thoughts with beneficial images. Make a conscious effort to
maintain a positive mental attitude. By thinking you will become
strong, energetic and healthy, you can help bring these things
about.
Practicing healthy nutrition, regular exercise, proper
supplementation, effective stress management and maintaining a
positive attitude will enhance your life. These five factors help
you look good and feel terrific, while they bring greater energy,
fewer illnesses and an overall sense of well-being. Have faith
and confidence. Reaching the optimum level of health and fitness
in mind and body will lead to your achieving excellence in other
areas of life.
Turn your dreams into reality in the new millennium. Good
luck.
This is the last in the six-article series New Millennium -
New You, providing practical tips on how to stay healthy. The
weekly column is written by Clare E. Urwin, a nutrition, fitness
and health adviser based in Surabaya.
SURABAYA (JP): Congratulations. Reaching optimum health and
fitness is within your grasp. Don't you feel good? Making those
changes to your lifestyle required effort and determination. So,
let's make sure they last. The final factor in New Millennium -
New You is "attitude". A positive attitude will ensure
maintaining those successful habits.
Develop a positive attitude. How many times have you heard
that one? Every business seminar, sales conference, self-help
book and health magazine seems to preach the benefits of such
thinking. They do so for a good reason. Having a positive mental
attitude works!
Have you, on occasion, woken up feeling that the whole world
is against you? Sure you have. Problems seem to be everywhere;
it's a bad hair day and hassles flourish. Conversely, when you
wake up with optimism, it seems like your birthday.
Obstacles transform into challenges, all lights turn green and
even the bank manager smiles at you. Emotions influence actions
because mind and body are linked; one has a potent affect on the
other.
Sometimes, it's easy to feel more inadequate and weaker than
you actually are. Into your brain come thoughts like, "I'm
hopeless, I just can't keep up with my exercise." Or, "What's the
point of starting a diet, I won't be able to stick to it?"
Regrettably, you take for granted that these feelings are
true. Then, believing such distorted thinking, you end up acting
as if they were.
Developing a positive attitude has the opposite result.
Thinking, "I can and will improve my eating habits," or, "I want
to make exercise a part of my life," will help you stay focused
and motivated. Conscious thoughts influence your subconscious and
can become self-fulfilling. The mind is a very powerful tool, so
use it well. Think positively and not negatively. What goes on in
your head matters!
Visualization is a further important aid in positive thinking.
Not more trendy mumbo jumbo psycho stuff you say? But before you
start sighing and rolling your eyes, consider this:
Tiger Woods "pictures" the golf ball going into the cup every
time he putts. His imagination certainly doesn't "see" the ball
going past the hole! With so many championship teams and top
athletes practicing visualization, there has to be something to
it. There is -- it really helps.
Turning old negative lifestyle habits into positive new ones
has resulted in regaining control of your own health and fitness.
Taking such personal responsibility is admirable and deserves
praise. It's being grown-up. But sustaining those hard-earned
changes may be a greater challenge than initiating them.
So how do you stay motivated? What guarantees your maintaining
healthy practices for life? Unfortunately, nothing can guarantee
this. No one is capable of perfect health practices during every
minute of every hour of every day. In fact, learning to modify
such a perfectionist attitude is essential to success.
The occasional dietary indiscretion or exercise omission is
normal. There will be times when things go wrong. Accept this
fact, be prepared in advance, learn from the experience and move
on. You are only human. All the deep breathing in the world is of
little use and of no comfort when you can't resist that chocolate
cake and loathe the thought of exercise! Slipups will help you
identify and avoid potential triggers in the future. The
important thing is to resume your healthy habits as soon as
possible.
There are several ways of reinforcing commitment. For example,
regularly remind yourself why you wanted to reach optimum health
and fitness in the first place.
Think of that untapped potential and the possibilities that
await. Remember, with mind and body at their peak anything is
possible. You're in charge and only you can make it happen.
Being goal-orientated works for some people. Setting a goal
and then achieving it provides great incentive to reach the next
one. Write down your goals and a time limit for reaching them.
Reward success when you tick them off. Feel good, you've earned
it! But be realistic; big goals are more attainable if they are
divided into smaller ones.
For sound, life-long nutrition, wanting to eat foods that do
you good should be the plan. You can have delicious meals that
give pleasure, as well as providing proper nourishment, energy
and protection. A healthy diet need not be equated with
deprivation.
Keep in mind the three week rule. Normally, if you persevere
with a change in your eating routine for twenty one days, it
becomes a habit. Taste buds can be content with sugarless tea and
coffee. Before you know it, too much fatty or salty food will
seem cloying and unappetizing.
Do you like your aerobic exercise routine? If you don't, try
something different. How about a bike spinning class or line
dancing? Staying motivated is easier if your chosen activity is
enjoyable. Vary your fitness regime and make it fun. Find a
friend to join you at the gym or step class. Those machines don't
seem so daunting now, do they? Sharing triumphs and frustrations
will help you stay focused on a healthier lifestyle.
Take the time to manage stress; it's sensible preventative
health maintenance. Incidentally, finding the humor in events,
and your own reaction to them, relieves tension wonderfully. The
ability to laugh at yourself is a life-improving and life-
preserving characteristic.
Give your mind as much reinforcement as possible. Influence
your thoughts with beneficial images. Make a conscious effort to
maintain a positive mental attitude. By thinking you will become
strong, energetic and healthy, you can help bring these things
about.
Practicing healthy nutrition, regular exercise, proper
supplementation, effective stress management and maintaining a
positive attitude will enhance your life. These five factors help
you look good and feel terrific, while they bring greater energy,
fewer illnesses and an overall sense of well-being. Have faith
and confidence. Reaching the optimum level of health and fitness
in mind and body will lead to your achieving excellence in other
areas of life.
Turn your dreams into reality in the new millennium. Good
luck.