Ladies, we are told so much by the media about our health, that if we believed everything we read, we wouldn’t leave the house in the morning. Which would be bad for us too, right?

So today, I give you a short and sharp chat about your weight loss journey. These are a few simple points but dealing with the basics first is number one, mindset included.

1. No matter what modern schools of thought will have you believe, having a weight loss goal isn’t wrong. We all would probably be lying if we said we didn’t have some aesthetic goal. For me, performance goals are better. Focus on a fitness endeavour and long-term, healthy lifestyle changes will come. The aesthetic will follow. 

2. Instant results don’t last. Lifestyle changes take weeks and months, not days. Don’t expect progress right now. A diet isn’t a success if it leaves you in the same place in weeks, months or years to come.

3. There is NO secret food, supplement or diet. If there was, do you not think we’d ALL know about it right now rather than be in the middle of an obesity epidemic? If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. I’ll say it again: long-term lifestyle changes, not quick fixes.

4. You HAVE to be consistent over time. Have a weight loss goal? You didn’t put your unwanted weight on overnight, did you? So, it isn’t going to come off that way either. I read something online recently that said ‘Don’t go back to less just because you are too impatient to wait for better’ – I love that.

5. If dieting is miserable, it isn’t a success. We do all of this health and fitness stuff to feel better physically and mentally about ourselves. It’s all well and good going out feeling great, and liking the way you look, but if you can’t have fun with friends and you lack the energy needed to have a boogie, what’s the point?

6. A spicy one - if Slimming World worked for you, why did you put all your unwanted weight back on? The definition of a successful diet is weight maintenance. It didn’t work. 

7. Maintaining a healthy life after you reach your goal. Something to consider, especially as we go into the New Year, is does your transformation challenge provide you with any education as to how to live your life healthily beyond there. If not, move on.

8. Abs will NOT make you happy. Enjoying a BBQ with friends and family will. As will a couple of glasses of vino with the girls, or an ice cream with the kids, which I would say is FAR healthier than sitting in on your own eating chicken and broccoli while the rest of your friends are out having a wonderful time. 

9. No one cares what you weigh except you. Do you really think your kids care about your gravitational pull towards the earth? No, they care about the energy that you have running around in the park, or the ability to lift them up above your head and swing them around until they belly laugh.

Now, I think it’s time to go and tell someone you love them. Just the way they are.

Peace and love, A x

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Anna works with women who are fantastic at looking after their gorgeous families, running a home, trying to maintain a social life and doing a full-time job, but in doing so have neglected themselves, their health, fitness and happiness and found themselves with a poor relationship with food, health and fitness. Together she works online with them in a flexible format on some different aspects of health, nutrition, lifestyle and mindset to help them feel their happiest and healthiest selves both inside and out because until they feel alive and energised, they cannot best show up for those closest to us every day. There are very few individualised and personalised programmes out there that are accessible and flexible alongside YOUR lifestyle, working on small, manageable habit change alongside a coach, confidant and friend - and that is why I have produced this programme for YOU! Anna has helped women to build optimal nutrition, exercise and lifestyle habits into their every day in a way that works for them to feel back on top of what has become a hectic life and she promises to work together with you to do the same. Check out her website and Facebook.