One of the main obstacles to good health and effective weight loss is the lack of physical exercise. Many health diseases and problems such as: Hypertension, Heart problems, Obesity, Fatigue, Lack of concentration, Depression, Dementia and Alzheimer’s, just to name a few, can be prevented or improved with something as simple and cheap as exercise.

Why is it that something so beneficial is not practiced on a regular basis by most people? In life there are two things that motivate us to do something: avoiding pain or getting pleasure. It’s very sad when someone gets the motivation to exercise because they already have a serious medical problem and they have to follow doctor’s orders. Or when the only thing that motivates someone is achieving a near perfect body to improve their confidence and self-esteem. Both reasons are understandable. However, we need to change our mentality about exercise and get rid of the idea that exercise is only for people who need to lose weight.

Many people have learned to see exercise as punishment for being fat, the price they have to pay. In reality, we need to change our perception and see exercise as time that we spend doing something fun and relaxing, more like a reward at the beginning or end of the day. When you exercise your brain releases endorphins which help balance mood, reduce pain and create an overall feeling of well-being. This is why some people get “high” when they exercise. Exercise also improves depression, increases energy, reduces stress, improves memory, concentration, quality of sleep and of course, helps eliminate fat and improve muscular tone and to achieve a better mental and physical state.

Hypnosis can help to find out the reason and negative thoughts that prevent someone from exercising regularly. Many of these negative thoughts or beliefs can come from childhood, like that case of someone who was bad at sports growing up or if someone’s parents forced them to do physical activities they hated. Or maybe just past experiences that make us believe that exercise is painful and related to dieting. The good news is that we can change and learn to think of exercise as a pleasant activity. I find it interesting when I meet someone successful who, in spite of having accomplished many goals, they can’t seem to find a way to make exercise a habit.

I believe we can make exercise and physical activities a positive habit; something as important as brushing our teeth every day for example. The key is to be consistent. It doesn’t help much to get a gym membership and use it for 2 weeks or a month only. I always suggest that my clients do something every day regardless of how long they exercise. It can be 10, 7, 30 minutes or more. The idea is to make it a habit and get rid of the excuses no matter what our day looks like.

Here there are a few tips to enjoy exercising more and make it a habit:

1. – Try different physical activities until you find something you enjoy and can stick to. You don’t have to sign up for classes or go to a gym, unless you can really commit to that. About 80 percent of my clients have gym memberships that they rarely ever used. Check out different YouTube videos: yoga, Pilates, dancing, tai chi, Zumba, etc.; play a sport or just go for a fast paced walk.
2. – It is best to exercise at the same time every day at least 3 times a week to make it a habit. I recommend to put it in your calendar or planner, just like you schedule important meetings and appointments. Your health is priceless and is as important as or more important than your other appointments.
3. – Lack of time is no excuse. You make the time if you prioritize your health.
4. – You can start with 10 or 15 minutes and gradually increase. You can also get started with a 7 minute video that you can find on: www.youtube.com/fitnessblender
5. – If you find it difficult look for professional help to increase your motivation. Hypnosis can effectively help get rid of negative thoughts and limiting beliefs that might come from childhood in some cases.
6. – Encourage a friend or family member to do physical activities together. It will be more fun and it can keep you accountable.
7. – Celebrate your success! Even if you had a tough week and you didn’t exercise as much as you should or could have, concentrate on the positive aspects and reward yourself by taking a walk in nature, going to the movies, reading a good book, etc. If you are consistent, very soon you will make it a habit you can’t live without!

Fabiola Miguel, C.H.

Certified Hypnotist, NLP practitioner and Life Coach
www.fabiolamiguel.com
Tel. 905-277-1113

Email: info@fabiolamiguel.com