In case you haven’t heard by now, it’s Friday the 13th. The first of 3 Friday the 13ths in 2012. The spooky part: they’re all 13 weeks apart. If the three things creepier than that freaky fact are your waistline, your blood pressure and your BMI (body mass index) — you’ve come to the right place.
Instead of today being a scary day full of black cat dodging and salt-tossing, let today be the day you turn your luck around. That’s right, I said YOU. You alone have the power to start your own get healthy journey. It starts with a pledge to yourself, and (sadly) yourself is often a very difficult person to make promises to. When you make a promise to yourself (like to quit smoking or join our Mirror, Mirror Challenge), the only one who can hold you accountable is YOU. That’s right, I said YOU (again – louder this time). Trust me, I haven’t made a resolution, a promise or even an intention to myself in a long time, for fear of not holding up to my end of the bargain. But this year, I made a promise to myself that 2012 will be different. And that’s why I’ve put together a list of 13 (lucky!) quotes to help inspire both of us to live a happier, healthier lives. Even though no one can motivate you like YOU can motivate yourself, I hope these words help you make Friday, January 13th the beginning of your personal get healthy journey.
#1 “The perfect time to start something never arrives.”
If tomorrow is the day you are going to start your new diet or head to the gym, there’s a huge chance tomorrow will turn into the day after tomorrow… and so on. We know you have a hectic schedule and a lot going on, but there’s never going to be the perfect day to start living a healthy life, so stop waiting around for it. Why not today?
#2 “Losing weight is a mind game. Change your mind, change your body.”
The beginning of this journey can start with a war inside your head (fear, excitement, worry, motivation…) Only you can convince yourself that it is time to make a change, and only you can trick yourself into thinking that you can’t do it.
#3 “Make no change, see no change.”
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Wishing you could change your body, your health, your life, over and over won’t make your wish come true.
#4 “Stop thinking so much and just get on with it.”
After you’ve convinced yourself that today, right now, is when everything changes, don’t let the “what ifs” creep into your head. Just do it!
#4 “It took more than a day to put it on. It will take more than a day to take it off. Move.”
Get moving. Pledge to walk for 30 minutes a day. Break it up into three 10 minute walks. Walk the dog. Take the stairs. Skip the cab. Walk in place. However you do it, just move.
#5 “Eat better.”
It sounds so simple, because it is. What’s not simple is your mind’s relationship with food. A great way to examine this is to start a food journal. Write down what you eat, when you eat it and how you feel before and after eating it. I did this for a month and realized most of the time I ate junk was because I was feeling stressed or frazzled and eating allowed me to take a time-out/break and relax. Identifying your bad-eating triggers can help you change the way you think about food.
#6 “Do not reward yourself with food, you’re not a dog.”
Along the same lines as #6, food should not be a reward. A hard morning work-out does not mean pigging out at night is excusable. The same way eating healthy all week isn’t a reason to turn Sunday into a sundae.
#7 ” Drink more water”
In a bottle, in a glass, with lime juice, with fruit, hot, cold — just drink more water. And ditch soda!
#8 “Lift weights to lose weight”
Lifting weights isn’t going to give you a “man body,” trust me. Weight training with 3-12 lb weights doing 12-15 repetitions increases lean muscle mass, making it easier for your body to burn fat. Plus, weight training decreases your risk of osteoporosis.
#9 “Don’t give up what you want most for what you want now.”
Things I want right now: Chocolate truffles. A cold beer. Cheese fries. Things I want more: To be healthy. To wear a bikini on vacation. To be happy. What’s more important in the long run?
#10 “Every morning that you wake up is another chance to get it right.”
It’s okay if you mess up. It’s okay if you should have started 5 years ago instead of 5 days ago. It’s okay if you plateau or get discouraged. Never forget why you started this journey. Get a good night’s sleep and start fresh in the morning.
#11 “It never gets easier, you just get better.”
One of the most rewarding days on your journey will be the day you look back at today and say, “That used to be so hard, now it’s a piece of cake.”
#12 “Healthy is sexy.”
Being healthy will improve your relationship with yourself, cost you less money in doctor’s bills and give you more time (alive) with your loved ones.
#13 “A year from now you will wish you had started today.”
This quote is the single most powerful piece of inspiration I have personally ever laid eyes on. On January 13th, 2013, I won’t have any regrets. I promise myself.
Images via Pinterest
