As busy entrepreneurs and business owners, it’s all too easy to put our physical, mental and emotional health on the back burner while we concentrate on our businesses, our families and the many other miscellaneous responsibilities we have in our lives. We all know the benefits of looking after ourselves, putting ourselves first, exercising and eating healthy, so why don’t we do it? Many reasons come to mind, including insufficient time, lack of motivation and commitment, and difficulty finding the right program for you. When the goal is weight loss, that list of reasons grows even longer.

As, an Integrated Wellness Coach, I understand those reasons intimately. Every day I help people improve their physical, mental and emotional health. I have personally had weight issues all my life, was an obese child, and battled anorexic twice, once in my early 20’s then again in my late 30’s. Today, I eat real food, maintain my weight and have a healthy relationship with food and myself.

Here are three things that you can do to reduce your stress, improve your self confidence, sleep better, and feel better about yourself. Getting control of your health will help you take better control of your personal life as well as enable you to grow a more successful business.

1. Make It About YOU!
   • Make commitments you can keep. When it comes to making commitments to others in our personal and professional lives, we tend to over commit and under deliver. Make a commitment that you can realistically achieve, rather than one that will fall between the cracks or keep you up all night.
   • Set boundaries with yourself and others! Often, people ask us for our time, energy, money or other personal resources. Before you answer the next request, take a minute to ask yourself if you have it to give, whether or not you want to give, and how you feel about the circumstances.
   • Learn to say No! As ambitious entrepreneurs and business owners, we forget that we are in fact allowed to say “no”.  Again, the next time a request is made of you, ask yourself why you are saying “yes”. If it’s because you fear the person’s disapproval or need the person’s approval, make the courageous decision to say “no”. When you genuinely want to (and are able to) perform the request, say yes without guilt or regret.
2. Eat Healthy
   • Master the 80/20 rule. When you’re busy, this seemingly simple task is far easier said than done. Plan on eating healthy 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time, give yourself the permission to eat what you love. Concentrate on lean proteins, good fats, vegetables and complex carbs. Avoid processed foods that contain hidden sugars and excessive salt.
   • Take small, sustainable steps. Make small changes that you can maintain. For example, do you normally drink 1 bottle of water a day and want to increase it to 6? Start increasing your consumption to 2 bottles a day for a week or so. Then increase to three bottles the following week. If you increase your consumption from 1 to 6 bottles right away, you’ll feel bloated and miserable (not to mention the many restroom trips!). Let your body adjust slowly to the change.
   • Don’t beat yourself up. When you eat an unhealthy food, don’t punish yourself. That “guilt” can send you into a downward spiral of low self-worth that leads to ongoing poor choices. If you find yourself eating plenty of foods that make you feel guilty, it’s time to learn new strategies that help you navigate emotional eating and develop a healthier relationship with food.
3. Exercise
   • Find a program that fits! Search for a fitness routine that works for you, not the bikini clad model on the cover of a magazine or even your neighbour down the street. Make the time to exercise on a regular basis and physically schedule it in your calendar. In as little as 10 minutes a day, you can build your muscles, feel stronger and have more energy. If you are new to exercise or are nursing an injury, start with chair exercises and build from there. Most importantly, have a plan; set an achievable goal; and get the support you need to keep on track and stay motivated.

When you incorporate these three things into your life, you will slowly but surely gain control of your health. And, in turn, you’ll feel more in control of your life. There is no perfect plan; there is only a plan that works for you and your lifestyle. When you try to be perfect and falter, then you can easily slide into a cycle of self sabotage. Your goal is to be a little better than the day before. It’s also important to get support from an expert who can help you create a sustainable, customized plan that will help you get in control of your health.

Visit Women Growing Strong to learn more about the proven Revitalize Me and Revitalize Me Fit programs I offer to help women achieve real success in weight loss, fitness, health and personal growth.

More About Althea

Althea Raum is a speaker, trainer, master wellness coach and mentor extraordinaire.  She is on a mission to help women get control of their lives, look after themselves, and lose that extra weight by eating real food, giving up the “perfect syndrome” and escaping the cycle of self sabotage.

Althea is no stranger to personal struggle. She has overcome obstacles from within and without!  Her road to personal recovery has included fighting a withered self-image, obesity, anorexia, and scarcity of confidence. Althea attributes her personal victory to one simple thing – “I just had to DECIDE I was worth it”.

www.WomenGrowingStrong.com
Integrated Wellness Coach, Speaker & Trainer
althea@womengrowingstrong.com
416.695.2160   416.371.9616 (c)