Here we go into Week 2 of Transform!! T was last week, and we touched on all things time related.  Remember, true transformation takes time, and we can all improve on time management. This week we will focus on R – Removing bad habits! The first thing we are going to remove is negative self talk (you just knew I was going to say something food related, didn’t you?). We all do it. . . and we all need to give ourselves a break. STOP looking for the worst in yourself! We ALL have things we want to improve, and that is what we’ll be working on during this transformation. From the inside out. But negative thoughts are never productive, and are definitely self-defeating. So let’s work on that, ok?  First things first ~ make sure your evening routine is complete before bed each evening, and that you are all ready for a successful new day.    Invest in some self care before going to bed – YOU ARE WORTH IT. 

Moving on to the “R” – removing unhealthy negative self talk. Get out of your head with the what ifs, should haves, if onlys. . . That is never helpful. It’s always easier to find something negative about yourself, which leads to giving up and making unhealthy choices. So, SNAP OUT OF IT! You are SO much better than that, and you deserve so much more. YOU are the daughter of THE KING. I’m certain that most of  you would never speak to each other the way you speak to yourself. Right? So as you are encouraging others, save some positive, encouraging vibes for yourself. Remove any negative thoughts and doubts about yourself the instant they pop up; they are from the pit of hell. If you’re unsure about something that maybe you’ve been convicted of, maybe during Bible study or the message at church, pray over it. Ask God Himself to guide you. I’m not saying that any of us are perfect, and that we’re “there.” We ALL can do better at some things. We ALL can grow and improve. Honestly, that’s a positive attribute when we recognize areas we can improve, right? Beating yourself up over a mistake or not being where we need to be spiritually, physically, fiscally, or professionally will not bring about the growth we want. Recognize any need, pray over it for His discernment and guidance, then move FORWARD. You’ve got this!!!

Another part of Removing Bad Habits is. . . yup, you guessed it. On to the nutrition! Have you been tracking your meals? Do you see changes you can make to your daily nutrition cleaner? Remove your excuses about being too busy. Remember our first work was all about time. It takes time for a true transformation. Invest some of that time in setting yourself up with productive, time saving habits! Go back to your evening and morning routines. Go back to the meal prepping. Build a healthy menu for yourself. Build a grocery list from that, then prep those meals ahead of time. Store the meals in serving size containers in your fridge so all you have to do is pack those lunch bags, grab and go in the morning. You CAN do this! Once you get started, stick with it. It will quickly become a habit.

One quick note – REMOVE processed, refined foods. Most of these are the really “sugary” foods that none of us need. That comfort food thing is also a lie: Sugar feeds inflammation and suppresses our immune systems. Don’t fall for it! You deserve better!!!

Even though we can’t see changes happening within ourselves as easily as we can in watching caterpillars building their coccoons, it’s still happening. Can you feel it? Are you sleeping better? Feeling a little more energy? Are your workouts becoming a little too easy so you’ve had to go up in the amount of weight you lift? Are your clothes fitting a little more loosely? Are you looking forward to those workouts a little more than you used to? Are you getting more water in than you were a couple of weeks ago? How about chronic issues such as headaches, inflammation, digestive issues, joint pain? Are these easing up? Have you noticed you are a little stronger? That your balance and/or flexibility has improved? Any of these non-scale victories are just the beginning!

So remember, REMOVE all of the negative thoughts. They absolutely will not serve you, nor will they lead you forward. Leave them behind, along with processed, sugary foods. Cut out coca colas, and limit sweet tea. I promise you will feel better!  

Finally, one other thing we need to Remove is our excuses. Other than illness or injury – don’t skip your workouts. Remove any excuses for not getting enough clean, nutritious meals in. What can you remove here? For me, it’s time wasters like scrolling on my phone or watching tv. If you can remove 30 minutes on your phone, that’s 30 minutes of meal prep, yoga, lifting, walking, or heck – even dancing, that you can do! If your household chores are piling up – the last thing you need is to spend that time scrolling on your phone. Get busy, and get that stuff knocked out! Remove procrastination along with your excuses. I would imagine that sometimes, they go hand-in-hand. Make sure you carve out time for your own self care as well! If that means removing 30 to 45 minutes of watching tv to soak in your tub or get some yoga in, it’s MORE than worth it! I’m preaching to the choir here, so I definitely know sometimes this seems harder to do. I promise, though, removing bad habits and being productive can result in building better habits and a happier, healthier lifestyle!

When my boot campers and training clients were watching the caterpillars transform into their cocoons, the key takeaway for us was: they are transforming on their own timeline, not all exactly the same!   While one or two caterpillars were in cocoons, the others were still crawling around or just beginning to build their cocoons.  Each of us is just different enough to have our own timeline, and our own genetic “blueprint.”

So remember that every transformation takes time. Be patient, trust the process, and enjoy each part of the journey. Manage your time wisely!

R – Remove ~ Get rid of the negative things! Negative thoughts, time-wasting habits, and sugary, unhealthy foods do NOT serve you or your goals. Remove them!