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There are many reasons that we “fall off the healthy lifestyle wagon” after working so hard on developing and maintaining healthy habits.  It could be that we are not paying attention to the emotions that are attached to our eating habits and our weight loss goals. Knowing what causes you to check out what’s in the cupboards when you are not even hungry, or realizing that one trigger that can change your motivation to indulgence may be the secret to your success. 

Here are some great insights that will help to keep you on track….. 

Begin a journal
Whether you are just beginning your healthier lifestyle routine or you have been on it awhile, it is never too late to start journaling. In my years of coaching, the most successful clients are those who have kept a journal. It helps you to get connected with yourself. Write down your feelings for the day and what you eat and when. The first pages should be full of your dreams and goals, your strategies to reach them, when you will exercise, how often you will weigh in and check in with your health coach and support team of accountability partners. 

Write happy and not-so-happy occurrences, but mostly keep it upbeat. For example…if you had a night out with friends and ended up having too many drinks, tacos and chips (probably making you feel sorry that you succumbed to your friends coaxing) make sure you write all of that down.  Then finish the journal entry with strategies for the next time you go out with those friends…what would you do differently, what would you have to eat instead? The next time you go out, you will be ready and prepared to stand strong for your conviction to live healthier. 

Write down your reasons to live a healthier lifestyle 
Think about the REAL reasons that you are choosing to live a healthier lifestyle… to fit in those favorite pants, shorts, or bathing suit. Maybe it’s a reunion, or your doctor told you that you need to lose 40 pounds to be healthier, your cholesterol high, or want to play sports with your children, maybe you are just sick and tired of being sick and tired!! Whatever the reasons…write them all down on an index card and laminate it if you have the resources. Then keep it in your pocket and look at it often. 

Be truly committed
Make sure that you keep a positive “I CAN do it!” attitude with you all the time. Don’t let a friend or co-worker burst your bubble and steal your dreams! Be prepared to stand up for the things you value. Have response prepared when friends or co-workers or family are persistent in offering you something and keep it light hearted so you don’t create conflict with others (i.e. tell others you’re allergic to fatty foods or sugary sweets and explain it makes you break out in spots like your stomach, your hips and your chin). 

Never miss a meal
It is so important to eat every 3 hours from the time you awake until you go to bed. Think of it as fuel for your body so you don't get stranded and end up making a bad decision. 

Give yourself an “instead” list
Your list will be full of activities that you can do instead of eating. The activities or chores only need to take 15 minutes because that is about how long a craving will last. Some examples could be clean the garage, take a walk or bicycle ride, sweep the floor, clean out your closet. The list can be very helpful and many ways! 

Congratulate yourself often
Your decision to get healthy is the best action that you can do for yourself. So many people out there have not been able to gather up enough courage to make the positive changes that you are making. Be proud of your daily and weekly and monthly accomplishments. Every hour you are that much closer to reaching your goals and dreams. 

A champion wrestler and motivational speaker, congenital amputee Kyle Maynard set out to achieve one of his most challenging goals: conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro. His journey up the mountain and the barriers he faces are similar in nature to the ones we all face in climbing Extraordinary Health Mountain.

If you're in need of some encouragement and motivation today I'd like to challenge you to watch this video. If Kyle can climb his mountain you can do the same and get healthy!

If it's been a while since you reviewed your list of reasons to get healthy and you feel your motivation has decreased, remind yourself of all the reasons you have to live a healthier life. Take a moment and think of the top 10-20 reasons you have to get healthier and climb Extraordinary Health Mountain. I’ve listed a few categories below to get you started…

Benefits of getting healthier and climbing Extraordinary Health Mountain:

Family (How would relationships change with your spouse, kids, parents or grandkids?)

1. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

Faith (How would your faith be strengthened or improved?)

3) __________________________________________

4) __________________________________________

Friends (Who would you spend more time with? What would you do with them?)

5) __________________________________________

6) __________________________________________

Fitness (Would you feel stronger, more energetic and/or accomplish a specific goal?)

7) __________________________________________

8) __________________________________________

Feelings (How would it feel to be healthy? Would you have more self confidence?)

9) __________________________________________

10) _________________________________________

Fun (What would you be able to do, be or have? Where would you go?)

11) _________________________________________

12) _________________________________________

Firm (How would your career/business improve? How would opportunities change?)

13) _________________________________________

14) _________________________________________

Finances (How would your finances improved? Would you have/make more money?)

15) _________________________________________

16) _________________________________________

Other reasons to get healthy….

18) _________________________________________

19) _________________________________________

20) _________________________________________

Equally there are also reasons not to climb. The path of least resistance is comfortable as it doesn’t require much effort to be on. We can simply relax and go with the flow but where this “flow” takes us is not a happy place. What you choose to focus on each and every day will be the ultimate driver in where you are in the future and how your life turns out.

Reasons people use not to climb:
• Comfort or complacency with current “ordinary” life
• Change in lifestyle and habits is perceived as difficult to accomplish
• Conflict with family and friends when making healthier choices
• Confusing as to which path (diet, exercise, etc.) to better health is best to take
• Choices to live healthier require more knowledge and skill
• Convenience of “River Rafting” and going with the flow
• Coping with life’s challenges is easier if I don’t have to be healthy
• Costs associated with climbing are perceived to be higher

Your focus precedes your success. When a person gets focused on why they’re climbing the mountain they will not be as concerned with the obstacles that come before them. The climbers who focus on the WHY and not the HOW will have the greatest success in climbing but their long term success is dependent on whether they maintained the first habit required to climb Extraordinary Health Mountain.

You’ll need to review this list every morning when you get up, every night when you go to bed and any time you feel challenged to climb. It will be easy to do and also easy not to do but if you do it consistently for 28-Days it will become a habit and it will become part of your normal routine to keep you encouraged (and climbing).

Over the years I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept—the ant philosophy. I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part: ants never quit. That's a good philosophy. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, they'll climb under, they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important perspective. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants gather their winter food in the middle of summer.

An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in the summer." Why do we need that advice? Because it is important to think ahead. In the summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun.

The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long; we'll soon be out of here." And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

Wow, what a great philosophy to have—the ant philosophy. Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can.