I was just talking with a client, Cami Krueger, who has totally transformed her body, mind and pretty much her entire life in only the past 12 weeks.  She has lost over 32 pounds and way too many inches to count. 

But honestly, it's not the weight loss that is so remarkable, it's the TOTAL change in her mindset.  So I asked her, "If you had to sum up the reason why you have been able to do so extremely well in such a short period of time, what is it?"

Her answer, and I quote, "I'm Worth it! Finding out that you're worth what it takes to live your dreams...The effort transforms into energy and it feeds you!"

Cami is tearing it up like no other I have seen in a long time.  She has been put into many difficult situations over the past 3 months where her healthy eating and workouts could surely have taken a backseat to the momentary pleasures, but she rose above it all and remained committed. 

What clicked?  Like so many others, Cami could have found a million reasons to slip and slide backwards but she didn't.  Why?

I will argue firmly that her mind is no longer the same.  Once she made the decision that her body and life was worth more than lazy afternoons on the couch or greasy slices of pizza, it all made sense internally.  It clicked!

Far too many people fall short over and over again because they never make the decision to choose what is really going to give her lasting rewards and not fleeting ones. 

Yeah, pizza tastes good...for the moment.  Yeah, ice cream dripping in caramel tastes delicious :)..., for the moment.  But then what.  What happens when the food is gone and you must look into the mirror and tell yourself another lie about how "tomorrow" will be a new day.  It's always "tomorrow".  Well, eventually, the tomorrows run dry.  The anatomy of a fallen mind is permeated with endless tomorrows.

It's time to make a change.  The change starts NOW.  Not tomorrow or even later on tonight.  NOW is the time.  NOW is all there is.

The lies of the mind begin with, "If I could just ____ _____ ___...."  Fill in your own blanks. 

It's all about finding excuses that take the responsibility off of YOU and YOUR choices.

Cami went on to say this to me, "Choosing to move in the right direction of my heart and passion, no matter the obstacle...there is always choice in the matter."

The mind will begin to run in the right direction AS you begin to make the right choices immediately. 

Consider the following mindset pitfalls:

1. I'm No Good

We always want to equate our self-worth with our successes or failures.  If we seem to be doing well, we feel worthy.  If we seem to be struggling, we feel unworthy.  Bottom line is this: You MUST always own your decisions--both good and bad--but they are not made in a vacuum.  You can make every bad decision null and void by following it with 10 right and empowering choices.  If you fail, stand up against the black rain (as I like to call it) and run harder.  Don't fall into the victim mentality.  If you feel like a failure, you will live like a failure. 

2.  The Finger Pointer 

This is a great one.  Many want to point the finger at everybody but themselves.  "oh, if my trainer would just give me more carbs and some pasta, I would feel better and not cheat."  Sounds good, right.  But, in the real world, that same person will NOT ONLY eat more carbs and the pasta, but then top it all off with MORE unhealthy carbs.  I've seen it 9 out of 10 times.  I give them what they want and they still fall.  Why? It was never really about the food.  Sure, in some cases, you may need more carbs.  You may very well need a pizza :)  Sometimes that is my exact prescription to my clients.  However, that is just not the real answer in most cases.  

More finger pointing would be; The gym is too far.  I don't have the time. The weather is bad.  My husband is a jerk.  Whatever!  Blaming external factors makes it easier to avoid taking responsibility for your own choices.  

3.  I Hate my Body, my Belly and my Butt!

Day and night you agonize over the different body parts that are lagging or don't match up with your "perfectionistic" desires.  You say things like, "Well, if I only had her thighs or buns, I would be happy." Or, "If I had that guys chest and guns, I would be complete."

Sorry, but no you would not.  It's not about the outside.  Your problem is all about the inside.  You not only need to love who you are, but you MUST if you want to succeed and get better. 

Honestly, when I see a guy with a bigger back or more defined body part, I don't lament about how I wish I was like him.  Nope.  Instead I say to myself...next time I see him, my body will blow his away in ALL areas.  I see it all as inspiration and motivation instead of reason to whine about my shortcomings.

Truth is, God only made one of you.  Think about it.  Nobody else could ever be you.  Why not be the BEST YOU that YOU can BE!  Stop comparing yourself to others.

Once you loose the "bones" of what I call the Anatomy of the Fallen Mind, everything begins to fall into place.

I close with a quote.

"Two men look out the same prison bars; one sees mud and the other stars." - Frederick Langbridge

Which do YOU choose to see?  Cami sees the stars!