Road Assistance for Dieters

 
 Plans-Of-Action

It seems to me the first step in change or in a journey is always the hardest. You are up against a pattern and a known set of habits that you are changing.

That's why it is so important in the beginning to just put one foot in front of the other and do it.

As the body adjusts to being treated in healthy ways, it will respond by liking that.

After that, like in any journey, one acclimates and gains confidence as they continue. One step builds upon the next. A rhythm is established and it serves you and carries you forward.

Taking a map of the stars–those heavenly beings that light up in the dark of night and show you there is majesty all around you–is a good idea too. You can steer by the heavens and know where you're heading.

Sometimes it can be interesting and an adventure to get lost or to take detours and see or experience things you never would have otherwise. But sometimes, you can get too far off-track or even breakdown or find yourself in a flat-tire time out.

Too bad they don't have road assistance for dieters, or for people moving towards a healthier lifestyle, because, like on any journey, there will be ruts in the road.

There are several danger zones that you can count on needing awareness around such as:

     -anytime the workout becomes boring or unlikeable or too monotonous

     -when you have had results and fall off (i.e. you meant to get to L.A., but you got distracted and landed in Tuscon instead, then got homesick and turned around, etc.)

     -when you aren't in a present *connected* mode with yourself (the *other* reasons why your body got out of shape)

and other such times.

This is when we need to have PLANS-OF-ACTION for when it gets tough or discouraging or you snag on one of those ruts in the road. (Perhaps it could be called The Pot-Hole-Plan?) And one of the things about detours, is that they may have necessary-information that you need to stop and gather so that you are really going in the right direction for YOU.

For me, one of my plans-of-action is to notice as my body starts to adjust to a new pattern. Okay, I had to force it to do what it didn't think it wanted to do for awhile and now it's working with me. I'm  feeling more alive and I've established a pace, which is GREAT. But it's important to listen to what the body wants to do too and to let yourself, your body, have FUN, to change it up. FUN will go a long way to keeping things moving in the right direction or to putting you back on the right road. So having FUN on a physical level is key important! It's always a good idea to try and remember what you love to do, not just for exercise, but for the joie de vivre.


I love to dance. I have always felt that when I am on a dancing path, that it naturally fills my life with light and balance and vitality. I do my very best if I live near and am involved in a dance community or a place where I can go out (Allie McBeal after-work style) and dance or rock-n-roll on a regular basis. It's so much fun for me that I enjoy myself too much to not do it.

However sometimes that's not available, so I have to be more creative. But if I remember that I am a dancer at heart, it's good information.

Another thing I love to do is go on walking vacations; full-on, month-or-more, long ones to places like the Grand Canyon or the ocean where I can walk on the earth and feel my life. Those have been truly transformative, not just because I get in great shape that way, but because I am also connecting to this beautiful planet with my core life force and spirit. But again, that is also something I can't yet do out in nature everyday where I live now. I have to save up and plan for those wonderful treats. (Someday I hope to walk Ireland and maybe even the Great Wall of China!!)

But knowing that these are things that really inspire me on multiple levels of my being helps me to look for closer, more attainable fun things my body–and my spirit–wants to do.

So I'm wondering, if you are reading along with me, what are your FUN or INSPIRING ways of moving or transforming, not just when you are trying to get from here to there, but things you love to do when everything is just fine the way you like it best?

And do you have plans-of-action? I'd love to hear about them.

-bbffair

[Constellations by dark-digidestined courtesy of photobucket.com ]