Category: Healthy Lifestyle Coaching

One of the BEST things you can ever do for yourself

Facebook Live video Jennifer Ledford - One of the hardest and best things I've ever done - Blog Post

One of the hardest and best things I’ve ever done for myself and my clients is to challenge a huge portion of the marketing sold to us by the fitness and diet industry.

The notion that, in order for you to be happy, you need to look like a fitness model is pure nonsense and has created endless turmoil in people’s lives.  When we force our bodies to become a size they were not designed to be, it is not only next to impossible to maintain, the process can steal your joy.

You are uniquely designed and I believe that God wants you to enjoy your life. He doesn’t make mistakes and that is exactly what I remind myself of when I’m tempted to go down the slippery slope of criticizing my body and/or comparing myself to others.

Watch the video below. In it, I share how you can free yourself once and for all from the pressures of the fitness and diet industry.  It is entirely possible to lose weight and maintain it for life.  What that looks like on the scale and in clothing will be different for everyone because no two bodies are alike.

This video, by the way, was originally posted Live on my Facebook page and it’s such an important topic I did not want you to miss it so I am sharing it here on my blog and had it transcribed too (see below) so that it may be of help to anyone who sees it.

If you know this video or post could help someone else, please share it with them. This is a message that’s worth passing on!

Shared with Love,
Jennifer Ledford

One of the BEST things you can ever do for yourself

Hey there, it’s Jennifer here. I’m getting to have lunch pretty soon and I wanted to talk to you real quick before I started in on that, on eating lunch. One of the things I want to talk to you guys about today is one of the hardest things – and BEST things – I’ve ever done for my own self image and for my own body. And, that is to focus 100% on exercising and doing the things that are good for my body and keeping my body strong but not exercising necessarily for the purpose of weight loss. Exercising to help maintain my weight but not for the purpose of weight loss but for the purpose of keeping my body healthy and strong and eating food for the purpose of health.

Eating food to sustain my body. Eating foods that I know are good for me. And, keeping my diet diverse so that every cell in my body is being activated. So, that’s eating lots of whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables but making sure that I’m eating foods that are delicious and good. And then, also, having fun. Making sure that I’m having fun in moderation. That I’m enjoying things I like. I like wine, I like champagne, I like to go out to dinner, I like to go to parties. And, just making sure that I’m having that fun as well.

Make the right decision for you

So, once I decided that I was going to exercise, I was going to eat well and I was going to have fun, then I decided whatever the scale said, it’s what it says. Let the chips fall where they fall. I am not going to be a slave to a lifestyle that I don’t want to have. I’m not going to force my body to do something that’s unnatural for it. I’m going to have fun and take care of my body but I’m not going to strive to look like someone in a magazine because it’s not the lifestyle that I want to live.

Now, if somebody does want to have that lifestyle and they’re not hurting their body to do it and it’s serving them well, that’s fine. That’s totally your business. But, what I want to say is find your own set point, find what works for you. Allow your body to be its natural body type and allow yourself to have a lifestyle that you enjoy. It doesn’t mean you just let yourself go and you just binge on cookies… that’s not what I’m taking about. I’m talking about creating a balance in your life that you enjoy. And then, not getting caught up on what the scale says .

Allow food to be your friend. Allow yourself to have fun. Exercise the way you want to exercise in the way it serves your body. And if that means that you don’t fit the mold of what the magazines and the fitness industry is saying is healthy, then, well, whatever! Your doctor is going to let you know if you need to make any changes. Unfortunately, the fitness industry has turned it into a runway for fitness models and not all of us want to live that way. And some of us shouldn’t do that to our bodies because it would not – it wouldn’t be good for you. And I found that out the hard way – it wasn’t good for me.

Finding out who you are

So, one of the hardest things I ever did was I had to find out who I was. I had to find out what I wanted. I had to find out what my natural set point was. And sometimes that goes up higher than I want it to be and then I have to make some adjustments. But, just letting – just committing to a healthy lifestyle. Having a good time, moderation, and finding out what your real set point is, that can be a little scary because you might find out that it’s not exactly what gets paraded around in the magazines and that’s okay with me!

I have never been more happy and more free in my life.  So, I recommend that you move for fun, eat for health and enjoy your life! Life is way too short to spend it trying to fit into something that a very small handful of people tell us we should look like.

Have a great day! I’m looking forward to talking to you again soon and just go have some fun and eat well and enjoy it. Enjoy life! Talk to you soon. Bye-bye!

This video originally appeared on my Facebook page here. See more Live videos there and see healthy lifestyle and exercise videos here in my Health & Fitness Video Vault.

How To Feel Comfortable In Your Own Skin

How To Feel Comfortable In Your Own Skin by Jennifer Ledford

As a personal trainer and someone who has overcome my own body image issues, I am relieved and excited to watch more and more people say no to the pressures of the diet culture and yes to becoming their own best body.  Our society has begun to reject the notion that there is only one acceptable or “healthy” body type and is embracing the fact that health and beauty really does come in all shapes and sizes.  As more and more people recognize that they are uniquely designed and no two bodies are the same, the focus is shifting away from striving for perfection and more toward being healthy and positive about our bodies (flaws and all).

One of the first steps toward being positive about one’s body is self-acceptance and/or “feeling comfortable in your own skin.”  It’s important to understand that self-acceptance does not mean you just “let yourself go.”  What it means is that you will be kind to yourself and your body in every season and every stage of your life.  It means that if you do need or want to lose weight, you will choose a healthy path that can be sustained long-term and won’t force your body to become a weight that is completely unnatural for it.

Being positive about your own body doesn’t always come easy.  Most people, by nature, are compassionate and kind when it comes to how they look at other people’s bodies, but when it comes to things like our own cellulite or the extra five pounds we gained over the holidays, we can be way more critical.  Basically, humans can be downright hard on themselves.

It may seem like no big deal to speak negatively about your body; however, over time, it can start to become your identity.  This is why it’s so important to pay attention to the words that you speak when you are talking about yourself.  Do you say good things about yourself or do you tend to be over-critical?  It’s next to impossible to feel good about yourself if you are constantly bashing your body.

One of the best ways to know if you are picking on yourself too much is to ask yourself if you would ever say the things you say about your own body to your friend or your daughter.  If the answer is “no way!” then it may be time to change the conversation with and about yourself.

Five ways to stop the body bashing, Feel Comfortable In Your Own Skin, and encourage yourself:

  1. Avoid comparing yourself to others.  There is no one else like you on the planet so it is completely unfair and unrealistic to compare yourself to others.  Sure, there are similar body types, however you can place twenty people on the same exact diet and exercise routine and they will usually all have different results.  Comparison to others only causes heartache.  Focus on being the best YOU that you can be.
  2. Create healthy boundaries.  Complaining about one’s body parts has become a way that people connect with each other in social circles.  As harmless as a comment here and there might seem, this is not only bad for your self-esteem, it can completely derail you from your healthy weight loss efforts or any other goal you are trying to achieve.  If you notice that the conversation has turned into people criticizing themselves, address it head on with something like “Hey guys, no beating up on ourselves today, okay?”
  3. Hand out compliments.  Compliments are the exact opposite of bashing which is what makes compliments so powerful.  Give yourself and a minimum of one other person a sincere compliment every day for the next thirty days.  You will be AMAZED at how good it makes you feel about yourself and the trail of goodwill that you leave behind you.
  4. Be unapologetically you.  Life is way too short to spend it worrying about what other people think of you.  Focus on being healthy and living your best life.  Just say no to changing yourself for the purpose of acceptance from society, the media, and/or the diet culture.
  5. Create a folder of positive reminders.  Being positive about your body is an on going process and no matter how good you get at  rocking who you were designed to be,  negative and critical thoughts can still pop up from time to time. Just last week I was looking at some old pictures of myself and judgmental thoughts like “you used to be so skinny” began to pop up in my head.  Fortunately, I know better than to give those types of thoughts much airtime.  I quickly reminded myself “yes, I was skinnier but  I also had messed up hormones and my body was broken down.  I am so much healthier and happier now then I was back then.” Positive thoughts are like powerful weapons used for good. Come up with a long list of kind things you can say about yourself.  Then, when a critical thought pops into your head, pull something from your list to counter the negative thought.

FEELing COMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN SKIN is powerful

One of the most powerful things that you can achieve is the ability to be comfortable in your own skin.  In a society that places way too much value on the external and not nearly enough value on the internal, it can be difficult at times.  I look forward to the day when it is more common than not for people to be comfortable in their own skin each and every day.  Until then, let’s be the bold ones that step out and lead the charge!

Shared with love,
Jennifer

5 Ways To Create Healthy Habits That Stick

How To Create Healthy Habits That Stick

Habits – some serve you well while others can keep you from meeting your goals and reaching your full potential.

Based on my own personal experience and twenty eight years of experience coaching others,  I’ve learned that it is much easier to create new habits than to focus on getting rid of old ones.  We tend to get more of what we focus on so it’s always best to focus on the things that will take us to where we want to go.  The stronger the new healthy habit becomes, the less room you will have in your life for the old habit you’d like to see go away.  What you feed will flourish, and what you ignore will usually fade away.

A habit is defined as a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition. One of the top reasons people fail to stick to a new healthy habit is lack of consistency.  In the past, this lack of consistency was often blamed on a lack of willpower.  This type of finger pointing has been an unfair judgement and/or assumption.  While self-control and discipline certainly play a part in creating healthy habits, depending on “willpower” alone is a recipe for failure.

How to create healthy habits that stick

  1. Be specific.  When we set general goals like “getting healthy” it can seem vague and overwhelming.  Take a moment to ask yourself what your end goal actually means to you and then  decide on 1-2 specific actions you know you can implement right away.  For example, if you want to eat out less, you can start by bringing your lunch to work for the next thirty days. Or, if you want to be more active,  you can walk your dog every day before you turn on the TV.
  2. Honor yourself.  It’s important to know how you are wired to avoid setting unrealistic goals for yourself.  If you know you are not a morning person then you probably want to steer clear of the 6 a.m. boot camp class and exercise later in the day.  Take a moment to look at past successes for clues of what works for you and what doesn’t.  Stay true to yourself and learn to say no to the things that aren’t right for you no matter how enticing the marketing makes it sound.
  3. Give yourself a break.   Priorities and/or obstacles can pop up that interrupt your day.  While I always recommend planning for and expecting success, life doesn’t always go as planned.  If you find yourself in the drive through or skipping a workout, don’t beat yourself up about it.  Guilt can distract you from your goals.  Forget about it and get back on track toward your goals.  Success is about being flexible and figuring out what works, not being perfect.
  4. Attach your new habit to one that is already established.  Research suggests that when we attach a new habit to one that is already established we are more likely to stick to it.  For example, if you want to drink more water, tell yourself you will drink a glass of water right after you brush your teeth in the morning and with every meal.  It’s important for me to stretch daily so I do my stretches after dinner while I’m having a cup of tea or a glass of wine.  I’ve attached my stretching to the habit of eating dinner every night.
  5. Keep it fun.  None of us are looking for a long list of new chores.  While it’s true that any good habit worth working for is going to require effort and you will have to push through resistance at times, you should also be enjoying yourself and reaping rewards.  For example, if you’ve committed to eating healthy and cooking more often, make sure you are choosing foods and recipes that taste good to you.  Or, if you want to exercise more, choose activities that make you feel good and fit into your schedule.  Good habits should not be causing stress in your life.

STay In The Game

It’s a good idea to remember that anyone that has a pulse has a habit or two they would like to change.  Be kind to yourself and remember that this is your own personal journey.  You may not be where you want to be yet. However, you are further than you were yesterday.  Stay in the game and you WILL come out a winner!

Here’s to a lifetime a healthy habits!

With love,
Jennifer