Having a coach has been one of the best things for me in the last 4 years. I was having a really hard time with severe pain and fatigue. I was very overweight and depressed. I have made huge changes that have lead to better health, and happiness. I have listened to my coach. I have listened to my yoga teachers. I have listened to advice from self-help books. And most importantly, I have listened to myself.
I know the desperation of trying to make changes and looking for some magic pill or answer. I've been there and tried lots of those things. I knew that they wouldn't work when I tried them, but it was a burst of action that was an attempt that preceded hoping real action would come soon.
When I was ready for that real change, I knew it. I searched out people to listen to, but I always trusted myself and listened to myself and my body, too. When you try to use pure will power and go against everything you know is right for you, things won't last.
If I tried to keep eating things I hated or just starve myself or exercise in the late afternoon or do running for my exercise because someone said you have to run to lose weight, it wouldn't work for me. There's a difference between not facing things or trying things you need to do because you're in denial and listening to yourself and knowing yourself.
Nobody could just tell me not to associate food with love or fun. I had to somehow figure that out on my own. I had to listen to my stomach. I had to go through the process of trying different things. I don't even know how or when it happened.
Nobody could just tell me that sugar and cheese would make my pain worse. I had to experience that for myself and make that connection. I had to stop eating sugar. I had to try other things. I added fiber to my sugar when I did eat it. I'd have chocolate chip bagels. I don't even consider candy or ice cream or cake now. I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
In the last 4 years, when I have had a candy bar or cookies or cake, I don't feel guilty, but I also don't feel that great after and it makes it really easy to not want it again the next time. It's a process. I listen to my body. Not to some outside person or some deprivation mindset called will power.
Nobody could just tell me that weights would make my pain go away. I had to be surprised and experience it for myself. Nobody could tell me that training would do so much for my confidence, my posture, my happiness and so much more. I had to listen to myself as I experienced it.
Nobody could just tell me to try a more challenging level 2 yoga as my pain levels decreased. I had to listen to myself and know that I know how to rest when I need to and modify poses when I need to and know that I'm not embarrassed not to be the best person in a class.
Nobody could just tell me that by losing weight I'd start a healing process that is so much more than losing weight. I just knew I had to start somewhere and that somewhere took me to more somewheres and bigger and better somewheres so my body, my mind and my soul were open to listening to my coaches, my yoga teachers, my self-help books and most importantly, myself!
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