Let the season inspire you to renew your health

Fall is the perfect time to start fresh, renew and take care of your health. Whether or not your kids are back in school, you’ve signed up at the gym or you’re thinking about new ways to alter your lifestyle, the right time to start is now. 

Starting could be simply buying that diet cookbook and reading the whole thing, making a workout schedule or simply making a promise to yourself.

The way to start is not to grow attached to the idea of being skinny, for example, but becoming committed to taking care of yourself so you can feel good, have energy and be present to your life.

For example, “I promise myself to do what I know is right and to honor my health and body so I feel better than ever,” versus, “I promise to get skinny, carb starve and not eat a thing after 6 p.m.” Do you get the difference in tone? Which one feels like we are giving ourselves the opportunity to expand and which makes us feel like we are trapped in a box?

The prospect of embarking on a journey to transform your health can feel really daunting. Like anything hard in life-beginning a new career late or going back to school, it can all seem very overwhelming and virtually impossible.  

Rationalizing

How often do we say, “Oh, I’ll start on Monday,” or “it’s so hard to lose weight at this age,” or even beat ourselves up for having a slice of pie and then say, “to hell with it, I’ll have another because I already cheated.”

All of this negative talk is reasons, excuses or self-torture.  Why put ourselves through this when deep down, we know we just need to do what’s right and what’s good?

One action

The only real answer is to start. Take one small or large action to move you closer to what you dream for. Actions beget other actions. Instead of feeling low about having a dessert or fried chicken, take a breath, enjoy your food since you’ve chosen to eat it and start fresh with commitment and integrity for your goals that following day. Positive talk and self-acknowledgement for what you’ve done that is right and good is going to propel you forward.  

Now, don’t get me wrong.  If you’re trying to lose 100 pounds and start every day with a healthy breakfast, and suddenly by 5:30 p.m., you’re eating layer cake and practicing for next year’s hot dog competition on Coney Island, you aren’t going to get what you want. 

Doing nothing and complaining about what you don’t have also isn’t going to get you any closer to your hopes and desires. So what’s the answer? Think hard about what you want, think even harder about why you are special and deserve to feel good and then take a small action towards bettering yourself. Then keep going, don’t let the hiccups get you down, just keep pushing and choosing what’s right and good for you! Have a great week.

For more food ideas or to follow Danielle’s culinary journey, add her on instagram @DanielleRehfeld.