Many people come to me looking to make changes to their lifestyle and improve their fitness. It’s one thing to make a change, but quite another to stick with it for the long haul! Below are some tips and random thoughts that might be worth considering if you’re embarking on your own health and fitness transformation. Focus on the process, not the outcome. You’ll get the results that come with good health by doing the daily work and these will add up to give you the outcome you desire. 9 out of 10 times, the biggest limiting factor is our own mind. To be successful, become aware of all the unhelpful assumptions that are holding you back so you can change them.

The all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work. Accept that improvement takes time and consistency. Do something, no matter how small, instead of doing nothing. Start small. What’s the very first physical action you need to do to get started? Take small steps, and take them every day to build consistency. Examine your daily habits. Take the time to reflect. What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while. Are you where you want to be? Stop waiting for Monday….or the New Year. Will anything be any different if you wait? Take one simple step in the right direction today. Give yourself permission to take care of yourself. If you want to have the capacity to take care of others, you need to take care of YOU first. Your actions – not your words or good intentions – demonstrate your priorities. If you say your health is important, but you can’t find two hours per week to move your body intentionally…you’re lying to yourself. There is no magic pill. At the end of the day, you need to do the work. No one can do it for you.

Content provided by Shelley Turk, Functional Aging Specialist and owner, ProActive Fitness

-Shelley Turk