Patience & Persistence when it comes to diet, exercise & health

I felt?I needed to address a problem that I see more and more in my practice.? People? you have to know, understand and accept that getting healthy takes patience and persistence.? Bottom line is you didn?t get to where you are overnight, nor will you recover overnight. There is no pill to swallow to suddenly make you healthy nor does simply making the decision to get healthy make you healthy overnight, BUT it?s a huge first step.

The first issue?is a lack of persistence.? Usually I see people who either go all in, cold turkey, all or nothing and fail because who can sustain that kind of pressure?? Or, I see people who start trying to say eliminate?food from a box or gluten.? It gets uncomfortable for them.? You actually have to think outside of?the box for lunch if you eliminate boxes and bread. People don?t like to be uncomfortable. Problem is it?s in this uncomfortable place that real change, growth and healing happens. I?ve heard Yogis say, Yoga begins when the pose gets hard.? Your job is to breath and hold the pose.? You see, for change to occur you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.? It is the only way to change, grow and heal. The same example goes for exercise.? I either try to?get people to join group fitness (your best option), get a trainer or follow?an at home workout circuit. It?s like pulling teeth to get people to stick to it.? If you aren?t used to working out or you are trying a new kind of workout, you get uncomfortable and quit.? Is there a learning curve to a new sport or activity? Yes.? Are you going to be sore if you try something new? Of course. That is no reason to quit.

So whether it?s exercise or food, change is hard.? You have to get ok with being uncomfortable and frustrated on occasion.? It is the only way to change and get healthy. You have to have persistence to push through the uncomfortable bits.? They will get easier.? A month from now or a year from now, you will wonder what you were complaining about!

The second problem I see is lack of patience.? You didn?t get to your current state in a week, a month or even a year ago, so why do you think it should take a week to find your way back to health?

I have had patients who have come for acupuncture who have previously been seeing a variety of western doctors for years to no avail.? They give me 1-2 weeks to ?cure? them. Really?? You have had?a chronic condition for 6 years and you want it gone in 2 weeks?? You need to be patient.

I have had patients who come in on a dozen different medications. Usually I see a combination of blood pressure, diabetes, pain, cholesterol and anxiety meds.? Some have been amazingly dedicated to changing their lives.? They want the freedom to live a long happy drug free life.? We work on changing diet, stress levels and exercise.? It is a slow process.? They make huge strides over 6 months to a year. Yet, they get chronically disappointed that they aren?t ?there? yet.? I can?t emphasize enough that you have to see, acknowledge and reward those small victories along the way.? Feel pride in what you have accomplished.? It is a long road on the return to health. Just because you are not where you ?want? to be doesn?t mean you are failing.

Be proud and persist and you will get there. Problem is that when you get ?there? you will have learned so much that your destination will have changed. You see, people assume they know what they need to know to be healthy, but you should never stop learning and in that your destination will be ever changing, and that?s ok.? Enjoy the journey, the learning and the healing.? Never give up, but celebrate and reward the progress that you make along the way.

Small changes lead to revolutionary health changes. Never forget it. And? as Maya Angelou says, when you know better, you do better.

Share your struggles and success below in the comments.? You might just inspire someone on the verge!

Source: http://www.acupunctureinwestchase.com/blog/index.php/2013/05/patience-persistance/

Walking Dead Season 3 smash Richard III Superbowl Commercials 2013 Grammy nominations 2013 Lynsi Torres Fall Out Boy