Physical Change Begins In Your Mind When You Take the First Step By Thinking Differently

After I finished reading Tammy Bechtel's book, "Mind-Body Connection: The Art of Language for Weight Loss, I became more aware of what was going on in my own head relative to my body.

I realized that I had shied away from activity since I sprained my ankle and pulled a muscle last year. I had to admit to myself that I had utterly convinced my brain that I couldn't be active again. That stinking thinking had led me to become very sedentary and dare I say, lazy.

As a consequence of being less active, I had put on extra weight and had begun to accept this new body shape of mine which led to my devloping a bit of a belly which was once foreign and unheard of for me. I used to think that having an accentuated pear shape was the worst of my body image problems. Then I started believing that I had a huge potbelly and holding that thinking and visual imagery has seemed to me to be the fuel that has caused it to expand more with each passing day.

That's why Tammy's book has made such a favorable impression on me. As I remember turning the last page of the book and recall reading the final sentence, I feel renewed strength in my body. It made a very strong impact on me. The past sentence reads, "When you begin thinking in a different way, your entire life transforms! So... go! Go transform your life!

With that thought blazing in my ears and burning my soul, I realized what Tammy meant. She intended for us to find all the ways that we minimize ourselves by thinking small and putting ourselves into a box. I automatically remembered how I used to feel about being active, doing exercise and enjoying the effects of that activity on my body and mind.

I shot a look at my trampoline that had been sitting in the corner of my den. I thought maybe it just takes a small step. Maybe I don't have to push myself like I used to, what if I just go slowly and move at my own pace, what if I give myself a chance to be a beginner again?

With those thoughts, I automatically felt the surge of excitement ripple through me as I unrolled my cellercizer to the middle of the room. I put on a CD and began my slow and easy reunion with my once loved trampoline.

I did some light calf stretches to start and it escalated into a mild even pace of jumping with both feet together. I felt my leg muscles stretching as though they were yawning, after waking up from a deep sleep. After 10 minutes had passed, I felt wonderful.I realized that I could do this and that I could change my pace of workout and be able to enjoy the benefits of being more active despite not keeping up with the intensity of the old regimen.

How about you? Is there something that you would like to do that will help you to change the way that you think of yourself and how you move your body? I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Comments

[Andrea Amador]

Hi Sharon,

You certainly do have a handle on the right way of thinking. Whenever you can connect up your highest values with your goals, you've got a win win situation. By doing that, you don't encounter any internal resistance.

For example if you have a special love of being outdoors and thrive in nature, you will do whatever you can to continue to enjoy that experience. Too many people think that they should try and do something because it's supposed to be good for them and they wonder why they have so much resistance to doing it. You're definitely on the right track!

You inspire me to give my Women's hiking (http://www.adventuresforwomen.org)
group a call and log on to set a date to do some hiking or other fun outdoor activity. Thank you.

P.S. I've since done it and now I'm booked for next Saturday to enjoy a bike ride in the mountains. Thanks a million!

Have fun,

Andrea

[Sharon M]

Very thought provoking. I am at the other end of the spectrum of sporting activity and yet this weekend, as I was competing in a triathlon, I was thinking "I do love the experience of competing, especially the pleasure of being in beautiful outdoor environments & feeling how great my body feels when I am moving well, so I want to make sure my body is in great shape to have this wonderful experience, rather than doing it tough because I'm carrying too many pounds".