Everyone is affected by three types of influences: what you feed your mind, who you spend your time with, and your surroundings. When you proactively take control of these three influences, you can design a powerful system of support so you can lose weight and live a healthy life. Here are some ways to create your own encouraging and supportive environment to help you in your journey to a healthier you.
What You Feed Your Mind
You may not realize it, but everything you expose yourself to can influence your mood, outlook and attitude. Watch hours upon hours of depressing news and you are bound to start feeling down. Watch a funny commercial and you are bound to laugh. Just like if you watch an inspiring story, you can’t help but feel uplifted. So be selective in what you feed your mind. If you want to feel more positive, try to have more positive influences feeding your mind.
Read encouraging books, blogs and articles.
Follow inspiring and motivating people on Facebook.
Empower yourself with uplifting Webinars and videos.
Watch TV shows or movies that pick you up.
Print out some motivational quotes or images that get you fired up (in a good way!).
Seek out success stories that will give you the sense that you can be the next success story.
Who You Spend Your Time With
It may not be realistic to cut ties with everyone negative you come across—especially if they are in your family—but you can limit associations you feel are holding you back or bringing you down. When you are around people who exude positivity and are encouraging, those associations can really make a difference in your life. You can feel recharged after just one conversation. Positive friends and family can have a big influence on your confidence level and your belief in yourself. The people in your life also can influence your habits too.
Seek out people whose habits you want to emulate.
Spend time with people who are into fitness like you are.
Get an accountability partner or two so you can have company as you exercise.
Set your boundaries down with people who are always trying to get you to join them in dessert or a second helping or want you to skip exercise with them. Practice saying NO!
Have someone to swap healthy recipes with, share nutritional and fitness tips and share stats like your weight, water consumption and body fat measurements.
Your Surroundings
Creating surroundings that support your healthy life can involve many things, from the food you buy to signing up for a membership at a gym that’s geographically desirable so you will actually go or taking some steps to have a motivating environment in your home. Here are some ideas to have super supportive surroundings.
Create a fail safe environment by not stocking your house with foods that tempt you. Fill it with healthy choices so you can make healthy choices.
Find a gym close to you or one that has features that will really motivate you to go. Do you have a gym where your friends go? Or a gym that has awesome classes or a pool where you can swim laps? Find a gym that has features that draw you in and make you want to go.
Compile a vision board or collage with images and quotes that rev up your desire to go workout and strengthen your body.
Purchase some fitness DVDs, free weights or gym equipment.
Find a park nearby where you can exercise or map out a favorite walking or running route near where you live.
Take a little bit of control of your overall environment by being more involved and selective in what you feed your mind, who you spend your time with and your surroundings. View your associations as a powerful way to keep positive as you continually make choices to live a healthier life.