WorkINout

Work.IN.out

There's a gospel song that says 'something on the inside is working on the outside, oh what a change in my life..'  Real change starts from within.  Lasting change starts from within.  This is so true with making a choice to live a healthier lifestyle.  Most people who aim to lose weight automatically think I need to go on a diet and I need to workout.  However, if you want to make permanent changes your first step is to workIN.  

Living a healthy lifestyle does not start in a gym, with a special nutrition plan, or on a scale.  It all starts withIN your mind and spirit!  Think about it, if living a healthy lifestyle was all about a gym or a perfect nutrition program most people would be healthy!  People would not only lose weight but keep it off.  That is not the case.  According to an article in Shape Magazine, "More than 95 percent of people who lose weight - no matter how they lose it - put most or all of the pounds back on and more than 65 percent of Americans are currently considered overweight or obese."  That article could not answer why so many people regain weight or why so many people are obese but I believe it is because people do not start the real workout or the real nutrition plan that all starts on the inside.  I use this concept of work.IN.out in my ebook where it's all about working on the inside and applying it to the outside.

Today let's just focus on workIN the mind.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think..." - Romans 12:2

Work.In.Out - Mind

We've all read it or heard it before, 'you are what you think'!  I know this first hand!!  When you exercise your mind (daily) & get rid of cant's & doubt (daily) living a healthy lifestyle will become natural.  You have to start with your mind.  When I first started working out every time I felt tired or when a workout was hard I used to say to myself 'I can do all things through Christ' so that I would not stop.  I had to talk to my mind and convince it to keep going otherwise I would have stopped well before taking my body to its limit.  So many people do not go to the gym because of their thinking, are not eating healthy because of their thinking, and so many people are limiting their workouts because of their thinking.  Think yourself healthy!

When you fall, convince your mind to try again!

When Your Mind Says Can't

In the pic above I tried this higher plyo box (I believe it's 24inches).  It took me what seemed to be a long time to convince myself to just jump.  Once I finally convinced myself I was able to do it 14 times!  On the 15th time my foot hit the box and I almost fell on my face! During a later workout there were box jumps included and I used the box I normally use with no issues but guess what?!  I had to convince myself to jump on that box!! When we fail or make a mistake our mind might try to convince us that we cannot achieve it but we have to tell it we CAN do it.

Unhealthy thinking is dangerous!

When Your Mind Plays Tricks on You

Someone I know who lost a significant amount of weight still sometimes refer to themselves as fat!  It is crazy how healthy people who workout hard view themselves differently.  This is directly attached to how we think!  If we do not workIN our mind daily it takes a while for it to catch up with what's going on outside of us.  If we never address it could lead to giving up and other unhealthy behaviors.  I recently experienced this because I was so focused on my outer appearance.  Last year I had a huge transformation and I thought by now I'd be this lean chick but I'm no where near the picture I had in mind of myself!  Realizing the road I was heading down and had to regroup and remember the purpose of why I even started this healthy lifestyle journey.  Regrouping has helped me to appreciate where I am!  Although the progress I've made this year is not visual like last year's progress, it is still progress!

Before starting a healthy lifestyle remind yourself everyday that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  It doesn't matter if you are considered obese by society, focus on the truth of who you are.

When Your Mind Says it's Hard, Start Later

The perfect time to start a healthy lifestyle is n:ow!  The perfect time to increase your run or use heavier weight is now.  Everyday we should challenge ourselves.  Of course it will be hard but we are stronger than we think.  You see me quote it all the time, 'When you change the way you  look at things, the things you lQQk at change.  Everyday workIN your mind and get rid of thoughts that does not belong.  Take action on those new thoughts now knowing that God will give you the strength you need!

This post is dedicated to my sister who is thinking her way healthy!

There is no workout, meal plan, or any healthy choice that is more challenging than the mind workIN!  That is where the real work takes place.  Each day affirm who you are and what you can do according to the Word!  Do not let your current situation or any failures define who you are or what you can do.  Your life can change if you believe!  Let's experience true health by work.IN.out!

Seasoned with Grace,

QueenZadia

The Real Secret to Weight-loss!

How I Really Lost Weight...

I'm asked all of the time about how I lost my weight. People are like, 'what's the secret' or 'is exercise more important or is eating healthy more important'.  Sometimes I'm asked 'How did you really lose your weight'?  Most of the time I immediately respond with what I did as far as exercising and changing my eating habits.

But the real secret to my weight-loss is that I made up in my mind that I was fed up with my current state and I was going to do whatever it takes to lose weight.  Think on R. Kelly's lyrics 'when a woman's fed up, there is nothing you can do about it..'!  This is true for anything in our lives.  I was fed up with being tired all of the time, not fitting into my size 14s, and just not feeling great about myself.  I made up my mind that I was going to do something about it and nothing or no one (including myself) was going to stop me!

A changed & made up mind is really the only secret.  I've tried herbal life and it didn't work however, it has worked for a lot of people.  I've tried HCG and it didn't work, however, that has also worked for a lot of people.  I can go on and on but the point is it didn't work because I did not have a made up mind!  I was not fed up.  I was looking for a temporary quick fix.

When we change our minds, we change our lives.  Now of course you have to do something however, the start to doing something is a result of changing your mind.  As the quote says 'Your fitness is 100% mental; your body won't go where your mind doesn't push it'!

Once you train your mind (& continue to train it daily) start right away!  Get active, drink more water, eat healthier foods and log what you eat.  Make sure you begin with the end in mind.  Is your goal to lose weight?  Is it to live a healthier lifestyle?  Is it to have more energy?  Is it to fit into a particular size?  Whatever it is write that goal(s) down and get to moving!

With weight-loss don't just rely on the scale.  Pay attention to how your clothes fit.  In the picture below I bought that particular dress knowing I could not wear it at the time but when I saw it I thought to myself 'that's the type of dressed I'd like to be able to wear' so I got it!  When I met my first goal of weighing less than 200lbs I tried it on (that's the first pic).  At that point I said I wanted to be able to wear it by my birthday.  I was able to wear it a week before my birthday (the second pic) and now it's very loose (third pic)!  Also pay attention to how you feel.  If you notice that you're not as winded when you walk up stairs or walk to your car, you are making progress!!

I really wish I could give you a top secret way that required little to no effort to lose the weight!  You simply have to make up your mind.  I say simply because it really is as simple as that however we tend to complicate it.  Anything we want to do, achieve, or succeed at requires us to make up our mind that we can and no matter what, we will do what it takes to do it!  

Now make up your mind.

Seasoned with Grace,

QueenZadia