What
Sugar
Self Comparing
Stress
Self Limits
Sitting
Self-Talk (of those jiggly bits!)
Why
Sugar is a good one in general to get control of since it's affects as we've seen are endless: from diabetes to obesity and more.
Yet as a 40+ woman it's imperative to get your sweet-tooth under control (you are sweet enough already, didn't you know?) since with sugar can come weight-gain and with age this becomes tougher to lose.
"drinking" lots of sugar....can also be linked to an increase in "visceral" fat (close to the organs - hence why we want healthy-sized waists) which again with age can happen more.
As they say, the only person you should compare yourself to - is the you, you were yesterday.
Self-comparing is the killer of confidence, gratitude and plays with our spirit (not happily, I might add).
When you compare yourself negatively to others you are undermining everything you have to offer the world - and it will be reflected in your words, actions...your aura....
Oh were to begin? In this world of "busy" do you truly. just. stop?
In a nutshell: there are two types of stress: eustress (good) and destress (bad). Both put our bodies in a state of stress and it takes a toll on our system. Remember when we wanted (above) to be careful about the sugar we ate since it can cause visceral fat that we don't want around our waists? Well....guess what: stress (or the "fight or flight system) releases cortisol into our system. Too much cortisol if not kicked out of our body (through activity, meditation etc) settles and guess where it can for us women? You got it...around the hips/ waist again - more visceral fat we can't afford to have.
Not only this, but we KNOW the affects of stress on our mind-health. From anxiety and depression and more, with always "doing" and never giving our minds a break - the negative affects are very real.
We can tell ourselves we can or we can't - and we'd be right. Honestly....often, the one person holding you back from truly shining is, well, if I'm honest: *you*. Ever had those days where you wanted to do something, be something....but you talked yourself out of it because you put limiting words in your way?
You can honestly be whatever you want to be (okay...maybe not a neuroscientist if you've not been to school for it, but you know what I mean, right?). The ONE person who will tell you that you can't - and who many times will be listened to - is you.
But doing this not only holds you back from putting out to the world all you could achieve - but ever thought of this? By holding "you" back...you are potentially having others miss out on your magic. Right? Ever thought of that? What is the world missing because you have told yourself you couldn't?
Worth a ponder.
Guess what? Sitting is the new smoking (and if you're a sugar-a-holic, that's a double-whammy).
Sitting for lengthy periods without moving affects our health in a multitude of ways and research has been linked to these including obesity and "cluster conditions" ie, excess body fat (around that waist again), high blood sugar, high blood pressure and more which make up what is known as "metabolic syndrome".
Honestly? I couldn't think for the life of me (and I was looking up antonyms too!) of an "S" word for body image or putting ourselves down when we look in the mirror.
This is one of THE biggest topics I find women I connect with struggle with. I mean: with so many images in the world of "Perfect" bodies (but did you know less than 4% truly have this..but another post for this topic since really? YOU ARE perfect the way you are; you are you - the best one at that).
Women as they get to their 40's and above fall into a couple of categories I find:
- The "I have FINALLY got to a place where I'm more comfy in my own skin; I appreciate what my body allows me to do. LOVE how strong I feel and BRING ON the next decade! or:
- I jiggle; I see my flaws; I'm getting older; life's heading downhill from here.
Which camp do you want to fall into?
How
Start small.
Don't try to overcome your sugar habit overnight - not gonna happen (or let's say "rarely") - you'll feel as if you are missing out and depriving yourself and will ultimately spend the hours dreaming of food.
Instead? Pick one thing you want to change (ie, adding fruit to your yoghurt instead of purchasing the fruit-filled (sugary.....) yoghurts. Or...one sugar in your coffee instead of two for a day (increasing days every few days); or another idea? Switching up from those SUGAR-filled "mocha-choca-watte-latte" (I never know their names) to "just" coffee. Just a few ideas for you....
This one is aaaaall about training the mind. Bottom line my Friends.
And it's practice, practice, practice for it to happen. Don't give up or in. This is all about the effort put in.
It's about going "within" (that mindful thing? This is it friend): Listen to your thoughts; sense when you look at someone or something on the gram etc.
- What are you comparing with?
- Do you know why?
- Let's get past that: if you think one thing about the "other" person - make an agreement with yourself that you have to say one thing about yourself that you love or are proud of.
- Start making that inner voice say supportive words and in time you will be, think and feel so much more positively about yourself.
There are a few things to do to decrease stress - and if you need help with this please reach out to me at the end of this article but one thing I would suggest is move. Exercise of some kind be it something energetic like walking, running, strength training, dancing....anything you want. There's a reason they call it "meditation in motion" since your mind focusses on the task at hand - which means taking it off the stress. Secondly? You'll be working through that cortisol; ridding your system of the excess so it doesn't settle where you don't want it to be.
Similar to the comparing to others; this is much about your inner voice and thoughts. What you tell yourself shows up in your actions, words and abilities.
Take 5 minutes and sit down to write out a few self-limiting beliefs you know you are prone to think. Next to these? One by one, write out what would be a positive thing to say or think instead. Put this list where you can see it - and consistently work on it; change how you think to change how you act.
This one is pretty easy - on paper. It just takes effort. But....it'll be one of the best reasons you could push yourself to do: *you*.
There's a concept called "NEAT" which I go over in my "Live. Sweat. Sparkle!" Program but basically it's about getting creative and moving more. Where can you add movement in your day? Well...you could put an alarm up (to have this action become a habit at first) and stand up/ move around every 30-60 minutes. **Try to make this a part of your day and ultimately life**. You could stand up between tv shows or walk up an down your stairs; you could do ten or more squats for every two items you iron (hah! See what I did there? I mean...does anyone iron anymore? And if you do....I am in awe - seriously!) But you get the idea; for your health and quality of life: move more.
Let's talk. Join one of my workshops on this - but...at the very least it's time to focus on all your body allows you to do.
Focus on your strengths (they are there).
Look in that mirror and agree with *you* that you have to say something you love about you, your body when you do (we can talk for creative ways to do this!).
FORCE'n'FOCUS: force yourself to find ONE thing each time you look in the mirror that is positive about you (pst: they are THERE). And keep the focus on the positive. Think. Act. Be....how you want to feel.
"THIS" is what I help women (and girls) with - and women 40+ especially. I'd love to help you feel so incredible and transform from feeling a little blah about you to letting that inner sass show up! Message me below and let's start this journey together - just a talk is where it starts! xo
I can help you love you...message me below