Why You Can’t Change Your Body… And Why It Doesn’t Matter

If your goal is to see positive changes in your body there are things that, when you focus too much on, will prevent you seeing results.

In today’s post I’d like to share the trap you’d need to avoid, and what to focus on instead to see results.

The problem is you can’t lose weight.

Perhaps if you told me about your goals you might mention you’d like to lose a little weight. Maybe you want to be fitter, and a little more toned. But there’s a problem.

Losing weight, getting fitter or becoming more toned are things that are completely out of our control.

Feels a little uncomfortable to say this out loud, but you’re wasting your time focusing on losing weight. There’s something else that needs your attention.

I wanted to see results, but was headed in the wrong direction

As part of my EOMLC (Early Onset Mid Life Crisis) I’d taken up tennis, with one of my goals being to win the little club league.

Problem was I lost every match. No matter how much I wanted to win it just wasn’t happening.

So I started having coaching. I told the coach I wanted to win more matches. But he didn’t show me how to win matches.

Instead he showed me how to throw the ball better for my serve.

He showed me how to relax and lean in when I struck a forehand shot.

And he showed me where to put my feet before I hit a back hand.

He spent time working on how to better play each individual shot.

And a funny thing happened. As I focused on improving my throw, I served more aces. (Ok… just the one ace, but I’ll remember it forever!). As I stayed relaxed on my forehand I started returning more winners. As I focused on my foot position I started hitting stronger backhands.

Focus on individual shots, rather than winning points

I had been focusing too much on winning. Even during matches. Which meant there was no-one home to focus on playing each individual shot.

I’d been getting it all wrong. I had no power over whether I won or lost a game.

All I had was one individual shot, and how I played that shot.

It’s so obvious… the moment someone else points it out

Once I started focusing on playing each shot as best I could I started to win more points.

When I started winning more points I found I was winning more games.

When I won more games I started winning more matches.

I had to put myself in the present moment and focus on what I was doing right then and there, rather than thinking about the future win or loss.

Focus on the now to influence the future

Have you ever been focused on ‘winning matches’? Have you ever jumped on the scales or stared in the mirror frustrated by the lack of change in certain areas?

It’s easily done. And while it gives you feedback it distracts from what we actually need to do to make progress.

What I’d encourage is to put the results you want to bed for now and focus on the shots you need to improve to make it happen.

Every day presents opportunities for progress

Maybe you think your portion sizes are a little too big. Maybe you know you eat too fast. Or maybe you rush through your workouts, paying no attention to each exercise.

There are plenty of chances each day that you can focus on improving. Some simple ways might be to…

• – Slow down how fast you eat breakfast
• – Walk to work instead of driving
• – Take the stairs instead of the lift
• – Include some veggies or a large salad with lunch
• – Lift weights with controlled technique instead of rushing
• – Do 30 secs more cardio than last time
• – Reduce how much you eat at dinner
• – Put off the temptation of (insert favourite treat here) for just 5 minutes more

Summary

Forget trying to win games. Focus on playing better shots. Don’t worry about getting stronger. Focus on increasing your weights. Give up trying to lose weight. Focus on practicing better day to day habits.

There are plenty of ‘shots’ you can improve on. And they’re where your power to influence your future results lie.

With that in mind, which shot can you focus on today to help you win the fitness, body-change or weight loss game?