Friday with Heidi: One thing isn’t everything…

I find it interesting that weeks tend to have themes about them.

It’s not because of any doing from me, but the problems and concerns that people present with tend to be similar and I find that I have similar conversations too.

Over the last seven days it’s been about the perception that things have ‘gone wrong’. Whether it’s with an exercise plan, a new way of improved eating or getting more sleep (the big three).

When there’s been a straying from the new regime the conversation is normally around phrases like “I’m rubbish, I can’t do this“, “nothing works“, “what’s wrong with me?” or “why can’t I do it?”.

It’s really not uncommon in these times for me to ask a few more questions and discover that in fact it’s just one part of the day that’s become a sticking point and that other parts of the plan are working brilliantly.

The one thing, has become everything.

I’ve heard of days of great food choices until dinner time when there’s no motivation to make a meal. Of regular exercise over four consecutive days but a feeling of ‘meh’ on the other 3 of inactivity and a feeling of ‘not enough’ exercise when infact 10,000 steps have been walked in the day.

It’s quite common for us to be laser sharp on the thing that we’re doing ‘wrong’ and to completely ignore the things that we’re doing right.

When we’re tied up into this paralysing way of thinking we can’t see that a few tweaks will keep us away from achieving what we want.

Over analysing the problem and blowing it up into a massive issue isn’t unusual but staying stuck in that pattern is when the lack of confidence about your ability to make progress starts to take a hit.

Here’s a few ways you can look at what you do more practically.

• I spoke about this last week, but write the problem down. Seeing it on paper will make it so much clearer. So you’ve eaten a healthy breakfast and lunch but blew out at dinner? So that’s two thirds great, one third to work on.
• Chat it over with someone who can see the bigger issue.
• Write up your health job description. What do you need to do each day to fulfil your role? Have no more than 3 headings at a time and work on those for a week or so. At the end of each day as yourself if you’ve done a good job today and focus on the things you’ve done well.
• Create a tick list of things you want to do each day. Yes it’s a star chart for adults, but so what? If you want to get something changed in your behaviour ticking it off each day really works. Several of our clients have a water chart. They know how much they need to drink each day and they tick them off. No need to over think it, no need to wonder if you did or not. A simple tick chart works beautifully.
• Can you tweak your ‘good behaviours’, because you find them easier to do already, and amplify them? Doing this will give even less attention to the area you feel is holding you back.
• Decide what your acceptable standards are. You may want to drink 3 litres of water a day,  but if you do that 5 days a week and 2 litres on the other two is that good enough? Making and seeing changes is about being consistent, not about being perfect. What’s good enough?

Good luck! Let me know how you get on.

This week we’ve moved to a new Wokingham Fit Camp home at Evendons Primary School. We’ve made it earlier at 19.30 on a Tuesday and Thursday and moved it closer to the town. If those times and the location suit you do come along for a trial and see what we’re up to. Drop Nia a line at admin@fasttrack-fitcamp.co.uk and she’ll set you up with all you need.

This Sunday we’re hosting our last charity camp of the year. It’s to support Guide Dogs as it’s their awareness week from Sunday. So please join us at 9am on Sunday at Bearwood Recreation Ground, we’d love to see you. All proceeds go to the charity and I am told we’ll have a Guide Dog puppy visiting too.

Finally, I am making preparations for our annual Happiest Year Yet Event in January. This is our sixth year and it will be on Saturday 5 January at Hilton St Anne’s Manor Hotel in Wokingham and will start at 14.00 until 17.00.

If you’d like to know more about the event and when you can reserve your seat then please register here https://goo.gl/forms/7O2OQRpj2WlOq7Kl1.

Have a great week!