National Fitness Day launches my 21-day challenge to YOU

MY task today is to inspire you to make exercise a regular and enjoyable habit (if it isn’t already). We all know a bit of exercise every day is good for you so I’m delighted to celebrate National Fitness Day on Wednesday September 25.

Obviously exercise is great for weight loss but it does so much for your health and well-being too.  It reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers and it strengthens your muscles and your bones.

And if you’re someone who regularly exercise you’ll know it also improves your confidence, your mood and helps reduce stress.

No matter where I am in the world, I always start my day with exercise – the picture is me in the gym in the USA while attending a conference!  It’s my cornerstone habit and it sets me up for the day.

My in the gym in America!

To mark National Fitness Day this year I’m launching a 21-day fitness challenge!

It’s easy to take part. First you’ll need to set yourself a daily goal.

It could be a distance to walk or run. Or it could be a number of strength exercises to achieve, such as squats, press-ups or sit-ups.

Secondly, set an alarm on your phone every 50 minutes to remind you to get up and move for the next 10 minutes, even if it’s walking round the kitchen or your office desk.

You can share pictures or videos showing your progress too as this really helps with motivation and accountability!

Remember the Slimpod message – all movement is exercise!

If you’re in our private group on Facebook you’ll soon see a new National Fitness Day thread where you can be motivated and held to account by other Slimpodders.

If you’re not in Slimpod Club then please use this blog post as your accountability thread. Also connect with me on Instagram and Twitter using #SlimpodSmile!

I’ll monitor how you’re getting on and hold you accountable.

National Fitness Day is great with Slimpod

Over the past 10 years, Slimpodders have had amazing success and transformed not only their bodies but their fitness beyond recognition.

They’ve discovered they now get so much pleasure from movement and for so many people love of exercise has replaced their addiction to food meaning they’ve lost weight and kept it off.

Darin McCloud is one of those people and last weekend this wonderful, inspirational Slimpodder competed in the IronMan triathlon in Weymouth.

What’s so special about that? Well, before Darin discovered Slimpod he was a depressed and hugely overweight 20-stone-plus couch potato.

Darin McCloud at IronMan

He could hardly walk down the street without getting out of breath. Now he’s lost over seven stone and runs, swims, cycles and has a completely different outlook on life.

Here he is the day before the IronMan race and you can read more about Darin’s amazing story here.

So let’s get this thing going!  Join me in my National Fitness Day 21-day challenge by dropping a comment below or on the special thread in Slimpod Club or on Instagram and Twitter. I really look forward to hearing about your progress :))

The post National Fitness Day launches my 21-day challenge to YOU appeared first on Slimpod.

Accountability buddy is proven way to keep weight loss on track

Accountability buddy is a phrase you often hear. So what does it mean? There’s an old saying that a problem shared is a problem halved. So I was fascinated to learn about a study carried out by a psychology professor in California.

She discovered that people who wrote down their goals then shared them with a friend – as well as giving the friend weekly updates – were on average 33 per cent more likely to achieve their goals that those who make goals but keep them to themselves.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off (and who doesn’t?) you need an accountability buddy. Someone you can confide in, someone who will keep a regular check on you, someone who will motivate you.

Recently I had a lovely chat with Slimpodder Linda Robson, who told me all about the great relationship she has with her accountability buddy, Liz Riley.

Here’s a video I made of our time together:

Linda and Liz’s success together totally backs up the findings of the American study, by psychology professor Dr Gail Matthews, from the Dominican University in San Rafael.

It’s really clear: It’s not enough to set a goal and tell yourself you’re going to reach it. You MUST share it to achieve the greatest success.

That’s because you need the right person backing you up.

Your accountability buddy will help get you through the tough times that inevitably come along from time to time – like when you might unexpectedly put on a pound or two or hit a plateau.

I have an accountability buddy in my business life and one who keeps a close watch on my personal life, too. So I can swear to the amazing effectiveness of sharing goals.

Here’s some great takeaways from the video:

An accountability buddy will help make anything possible

How will they do that? By making sure you move out of your comfort zone! I’ve written a lot about limiting beliefs and how important it is to cast them aside – and that’s exactly what your accountability buddy will help you to do. You need someone to give you a push and take risks (not dangerous ones!). So make sure the buddy you choose fully understands your goals and isn’t afraid to speak their mind when the occasion arises.

An accountability buddy will inspire you to hit the heights

No matter how successful you are in any part of your life, there’ll always be days when you’ve lost your oomph. The initial excitement of setting a wonderful goal can start to fade at times and that’s when you need someone to motivate you. When you say “I can’t go on” your accountability buddy will tell you “Yes you can!” It’s vital to have someone who can remind you of how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved already because this will help keep the end goal in sight.

An accountability buddy will keep you on track at all times

Think about previous times when you tried to achieve your goals on your own. Did some of them get dumped at the first sign of trouble? That’s the downside of going it alone. Your buddy will keep you accountable, pulling you back on track and willing you to succeed. So if you’re not the kind of person who will persevere against all odds then it’s important to pick a buddy who will! Choose someone you trust and admire who’s not afraid to tell you exactly what they think!

An accountability buddy is always there to watch your back

Have you heard Liverpool football fans inspire their team by singing the song You’ll Never Walk Alone? It has an almost magical effect on the players, driving them on to play their hearts out. That’s one of the joys of having an accountability buddy because with a trusted friend walking alongside you, you’ll be totally confident that you’ll never be alone. You’ll have someone with whom you can share your fears and someone who will give you a much-needed reality check from time to time.

An accountability buddy will celebrate every win, however small

The worst thing to do on any journey is to be disconsolate about how far you’ve got to go instead of being jubilant about how far you’ve already come. So it’s really important to get everything into perspective because as I’m constantly telling Slimpod users, losing weight is more about enjoying the journey than actually reaching the destination.

You need an accountability buddy who’ll regularly celebrate your wins with you, however small they might seem to you.

If you’re in Slimpod Club and would like an accountability buddy, then simply post a message, and please connect with me on Instagram and/or Twitter because I’d love you to share your stories with me there too.

And do also leave a comment below as well. I love reading them all and I know they’re such an inspiration to others.

The post Accountability buddy is proven way to keep weight loss on track appeared first on Slimpod.

Goodbye Summer, hello to weight loss again

SUMMER’S almost done and we’re heading into Autumn.  So many people struggle at this time of year.  I’ve had a great summer and have just come back from a late summer break in Portugal with my daughter and I must admit I’m struggling to get back into the groove!

But I’m not alone – I know Summer really throws so many people off course and can be a real problem.

For many of us the problem is lack of routine, especially if we have children.  For others it’s just lack of structure and that’s where I’m at!

I’m craving structure to my day!

While I was away I was thinking of my health and self goals for the next three months and because I know so many people need a bit of motivation, I thought I’d help get us all moving by getting some focus for the next three months.

My Autumn Success Drive is all about having clarity about what you want to achieve and then focusing on the process which will get you there. It’s about taking action and being accountable.

Here’s a video I shot this morning to help you get cracking again!

Now I know some people struggle a little with taking consistent action.

So the first thing we have to think about is what we want – and that’s where goal-setting gives us clarity.

Where are we now and what do we want to achieve?

Is it just that we’ve eaten too much over Summer and our exercise routine has gone out of the window?

Or is it deeper than that?  Is it about emotional connections with food or do you self Sabotage?

Are you holding yourself back in some way?

BE CLEAR and realistic about this! No wishy-washy goals, please.

You must really connect with your goal to make it happen.

So many people worry about goal-setting because reminds them of the past.  But if negativity creeps in, reframe and think differently!

Look on goals as a good thing because they give you the vital direction in which to travel.

They’re also there to give you feedback not to make you feel like a failure!

Use them as a positive tool to discover what needs to be done next if you don’t quite reach them this time.

Remember, goals shouldn’t be obstacles. Use them as something that will give you direction and feedback. 

Next step is that you need to take action – and consistent action is what so many people struggle with. Think of just two small actions which will take you towards your goal.

What’s worked well in the past?

Then get yourself a buddy or partner you can share your journey with – believe me, it really helps with motivation!

Post up your goals below or in Slimpod Club if you’re a member.  Also connect with me on Instagram and Twitter to let me know how you’re getting on.

The post Goodbye Summer, hello to weight loss again appeared first on Slimpod.