This summer, billions of fans are watching athletes from around the world compete in the Bejing Olympics. As a patient on our weight loss program, your chances of reaching your goal weight will improve by utilizing behavior modification techniques that are used by world class athletes.
Here are 5 tips on how to incorporate the deeper meaning of the Olympics into your life:
1. Excellence comes with hard work and practice. Learning about the training schedules of Olympic athletes reminds us that accomplishments don’t come easy. Repetition is the cornerstone of success. For successful, sustainable weight loss we need to set long term goals as well as realistic and incremental steps to reach them. Give yourself credit when you obtain a short term weight loss goals and, as you set the next one, aim to move ever closer toward your ultimate goal. Strive for your personal best- and remember that the most important competitor is actually you.
2. Relish support that comes from those who care about you. Individual athletes depend on an entourage of people assisting them. As you work towards your weight loss goals, the cheering section may be more limited- family, friends, the staff at St. Francis – but, whatever the size, accept the encouragement! Function as a team and be available to help sustain others when they need it. Athletes talk about the Olympic village and the sense of community. Who makes up your community?
3. Expect to fail sometimes. And when you do, pick yourself up and start all over again. Every athlete who has made it into the Olympic competition has suffered injury and disappointment along the way, but that has not been the end of the quest for them. When you have a day where you have fallen off your program, recognize your setback as a teaching tool. As you learn to pick yourself up and start again without beating yourself up, you will become more resilient and adaptable.
4. Find your unique passion and cultivate it. There are hundreds of events at the Olympics, each representing a specific activity that athletes have chosen to pursue. What brings you joy and the ability to be fully engaged? Recognizing the creativity and excitement that emerge as you follow your dreams will help fill the void that you were previously filling by eating in excess.
5. Enjoy your successes! Observe the Olympic athletes when they stand up on the winners’ platform with their medals, listening to their national anthems. Their pride and emotionality are palpable. Reward yourself when you reach a significant target and savor the feelings of empowerment that come from your achievement. You deserve it.