Isn't It About Time To Change Your Life?

From time to time, things happen in our lives that motivate us to make lifestyle changes to improve our health. These "moments of clarity" are catalysts for making self-improvements to our health, our relationships, our attitudes, and more. And there's no doubt about it - change can be hard! How many times have we started a new habit and fallen short of solidifying it permenently into our lifestyles? It's okay to admit it - we're all human, and it happens. Sometimes, we lost motivation. Or maybe we feel like we get "close enough" - not realizing that in order to make these changes permanent, we must see them through to the finish line. In other cases, the changes we begin to make are made for the wrong reasons: such as making changes for someone other than ourselves. While it may be the influence of another that nudges and motivates us to these changes, lasting changes will become lifelong habits only if we choose to make them for ourselves. While admirable in many ways, changes made for others (instead of ourselves) often lack the commitment necessary to follow through. So, make sure that you're also on board with and in agreement with the changes that you are about to try and make. And once you've got yourself on the same page - that this change is right for you and you're doing it for you, we've got a few tips to help make sure these changes stick.

Learn from your mistakes. Failed attempts are truly only failures if you don't learn something from them. For example, if you fail at one diet or exercise, learn from the experience and avoid those pitfalls when you make your next attempt. Take a moment to critically think about where you fell off that pathway. In the case of a dropped exercise regimen: was it the cost of a gym membership? Was it having to get up at 5:00AM to fit a work out in everyday when you are naturally more of a night owl? In the case of a diet: did you grow tired of eating the same meals everyday? Were those you loved not supportive or receptive to your new lifestyle? Were you finding yourself snacking late at night? All of these questions and more are important to discuss internally (or even write them down). Have these conversations with yourself. By better understanding where you "fell of the wagon" so to speak, you'll figure out what works for you and your lifestyle and be better able to prep yourself for success the next time around!

Adapt your changes to you. Whenever you try something new, be sure to go through the list of things that do not work for you. Early morning workouts not your thing? Then find time to work afternoon or evening workouts into your schedule. Adapt an exercise program. "No carb" sounds great on paper but just isn't right to get you through your day and maintain long-term? Then adjust a diet to meet your individual needs. Find a plan that allows a healthy balance of carbohydrates with other healthy foods to facilitate weight loss. Pro Tip: Metabolic Research Center has several plans that incorporate fruit and starch carbohydrates into their weight loss menus! Talk to an MRC Weight Loss Specialist today to learn more about a personalized menu that's right for your lifestyle and body. Bottom line: just because you failed at a change in the past doesn't mean you can't ever successfully make that change in the future. It just means you'll need to approach that change from a different angle. By learning from previous mistakes, you will begin to find your own path to wellness. When something works for you and you can see noticeable benefits, then it is much easier to make lifelong, healthy habits and choices.

Believe in yourself. Okay, we know this one sounds cheesy, but it's true. If you set a goal, make sure you have the confidence in yourself to see it through. If you say to yourself "I want to lose 100 pounds", well then you need to believe that you can get there. When it comes to reaching your goals, YOUR own support is the most important. How much more difficult is it going to be to reach that goal if you're on the sidelines in the back of your mind saying "you can't do this" or "you'll never get there"? Your goals start and end with YOU! Don't talk yourself out of achieving the things you want most for your life. Once you've got yourself on board with your healthy goals, it can be very helpful to get others on board, too. This can be family members, loved ones, close friends, coworkers with similar aspirations, support groups, and more. Because it can be difficult to make certain changes on your own, many find the support of an outside party incredibly helpful to reaching goals. Think about it like this: you may want to fix a leak on your roof, but you're probably not going to go up there yourself and patch it up perfectly; so, you hire a professional to provide expert guidance and assistance. While you might have been able to do it on your own, the contractor is a professional and can help you fix that problem much quicker and with much less stress than on your own. The same is true of weight loss. You could do it on your own...but why not work with a professional to make the process less stressful, easier, and more rewarding? Together you can form a support system that will have you on the path to success! By working with the professionals at MRC, you will have someone to celebrate your achievements and keep you focused on and driving towards each and every milestone. We're here to support you every step of the way and celebrate every life-changing milestone with you!