You are totally committed to your goals, your ‘WHY’ is powerful, and you have the knowledge and skills to get started. You go grocery shopping and come home with bags full of wonderful vegetables, lean meats, fruits, etc. only to have your family turn their noses up and grumble. Then your friends call and want you to come out to a party with them, and the next day you head to work to find birthday cake and cookies for your colleague. What just happened?
External influences can make your healthy lifestyle really challenging. How you respond can set you up for success or loads of frustration.
Here are two steps to helping manage external influences:
1) Communicate - Share your goals with those around you. Friends and family may not be prepared for a shift in your habits, and communicating with them can help build support for you moving forward. Who knows, perhaps you will influence them to develop a healthier lifestyle.
2) Set boundaries - This of course requires step 1, communication. Setting boundaries may be a shift from your norm of saying yes to everything and may catch your friends and family off guard. Communicate up front why you are making changes and what you hope to accomplish, so they know what to expect.
Establishing new habits can be challenging amidst a sea of influences that may not share the same goal, and it make take some outside support to manage them. Contact me if you would like to have a coach and partner to work with you and support you moving forward to reach your goals. robin@x4mationfitness.com
SNACK HACK: Cottage cheese (1 cup) with a sliced pear
