To transform the body- transform your mind!

""Until one is committed there is hesitancy, a chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in ones favor all manner of unforseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could ever have dreamed would come his way."

Making a successful body transformation is about so much more then just working out and eating right. Its as much a mental transformation as a physical.

We have all gotten stuck in these ruts where we stop and start and stop and start, which means we pretty much just stay where we are, we may lose a little and then we gain it back and the cycle can repeat itself again and again until we lose all hope of getting there. Essentially we're yo-yoing, taking one step forward and two back and more often than not this pattern can last for years.

It is definitely possible to stick to a diet and workout plan for long periods of time, but a few things need to happen first- mainly, the transformation of your mindset about training and especially about nutrition. Your thinking needs to change!
Here are the things I know and have learned and what I feel to be necessary to an amazing transformation:

• What is your purpose? Why do you want to lose this weight, or gain this muscle, be a certain size etc.? Figure out what that is. Maybe you want to be a good example for you family and kids, maybe you want to compete, maybe you want to be a fitness model, maybe you just want to feel good again. Hell maybe you just want to shimmy into the skinny jeans that have been sitting on your shelf for the the last year! Make sure its what you feel PASSIONATE about.

• Then decide exactly what you want to accomplish, be very specific, write it down in detail. Set specific goals and write them down as if its already happened. Find a picture of your ideal physique and put that somewhere you can see it daily- I have photos ALL over my house, on the fridge, on the bathroom mirror, anywhere that I feel I need inspiration or a reminder of why I do this.

• Imagine what it will feel like to reach your goals, create a mental mind movie, imagine specific situations starring your new lean self, imagine looking down at your body and it looks exactly like you want, what does it FEEL like? If you find this hard at first don't stop, work on it everyday it will become clearer and clearer. As I'm hauling ass up the stepmill for the second time in a day, I keep thinking "pro card pro card pro card", over and over until I can SEE them calling my name out for my pro card. I can envision the whole process happening and I get overwhelmed with motivation!

• Review these goals everyday.

• Take before pics, you don't have to share these with the world, but its important YOU see where you are at. It wasn't until I took my before pics that I realized I must do something NOW waiting even one more day was not acceptable! Better yet- hire a trainer or coach to help hold you accountable and submit photos to them weekly! I can tell you one thing- knowing you have to step into a bikini to send photos will surely keep you on track!

• Tell yourself after your workouts, I am even leaner today then I was yesterday, I am getting leaner, stronger and tighter. Imagine the fat melting off to reveal tight shapely muscle.

• Focus on the positive, everyday write down 3 things you did well, also write down 3 things you will do even better tomorrow.

• Have a plan B, what if it rains, the car breaks down, the kids get sick, your stuck away from home without a meal, you can't get to the gym etc. whats your plan? I have a bodyweight circuit I keep on hand for when I can't get to a gym, know what you can do, create options for yourself. I have bands and balls at home and I'm close to a park I can run in as well.

• Plan ahead. Cook your meals ahead, some of us hear this, know this, tell others this, and still don't do it! lol ...DO IT! If you don't prepare to succeed you're planning to fail!

• Write down what you are grateful for everyday.

• When you feel like crap and like nothing is going your way, go encourage and help others, works wonders for your mental outlook.

• Before you go to bed, imagine how you want the day to go, imagine your workouts, the reps, sets and weights, when you wake up - do it again.

• Weigh, measure and do skin folds, take pics and try on clothes at regular intervals, this could be weekly, bi-weekly or once a month, I like weekly (at least for measurements and weight) because if things aren't going in the right direction you can make corrections before they go too far the wrong way but just pick one and stick to it. This ties in with what I said about before pics and taking photos weekly. I prefer photos the best because the scale is just a number, as is a skinfold, but VISUAL results are priceless- seeing yourself thinner, having your clothes fit better, those are tangible results you can show off to the world!

• Celebrate your victories, even the little things, don't wait until your at your goal to celebrate.

• Get some new gadgets or equipment, they can help with motivation. Download new music onto your IPod to drive you through your workouts!

• Try something new, try some yoga, boxing, pilates, go climb a hill, and see if you can beat your time next time. Have fun!

• Keep a workout journal, find a nice notebook, write motivational quotes in it, track all your measurements on a page and track your goals, write down your meals and workouts and water consumption, cut out pics of what you want to look like and past them in it, customize it, make it yours!

• Write down the time you will do your workout, what time you will eat, wake up go to bed etc, these times are important and if you know what time you are doing everything it just makes it easier- plan plan plan!

• Set goals for each workout, you should be trying to go faster in less time further in the same amount of time, lifting more weight, or doing more reps, in some way make each workout better then the last.

• Hold yourself accountable, join a board, forum or group of like-minded people. Hire a coach, get a training partner! Sometimes there is no one in the world who understands you, especially if friends and family are not supportive, they will listen, motivate and give you a kick in the ass when you need it.

• Commit to your goals completely and wholeheartedly, sometimes we say in our minds I will give this everything I have! (well, as long as this, and this, and this, happen or don't happen) Don't set limitation on yourself, if you argue for your limitations, you will get to keep them!

• When you REALLY don't want to workout and you find yourself trying to think of an excuse, STOP THINKING and go DO IT. Those times will be some of the best workouts ever, you don't want to miss that do you? :) Trust me on this- think less, do more. Just DO IT!

• Be ready when you hit a goal with a new goal, its too easy to think I've made it, I can rest, but what really happens is you start going backward. Keep challenging yourself!

• If you screw up and eat something off plan, DO NOT blow off the whole day, get right back on track with the next meal. Too often people blow off that day and then it snowballs, and suddenly the whole week is one big binge. Don't do this. You promised yourself this time would be different, that you would reach your goals THIS TIME remember?? Honor your self promises, thats where that inner strength comes from. The feeling that you will have when you sit down to eat with family and friends and can keep your hands out of the junk and on your pre-prepared food with a smug smile will be priceless. You'll feel in control and INVINCIBLE and that feeling just builds on itself.

• Have your off plan meals PLANNED, don't eat out of the bag or box, put it all on a plate, laid out so you can see it all , then eat slowly and enjoy :)

• Spend some time looking at transformations online, or bodybuilding.com, or youtube. Do this whenever you start to doubt you can do this. This will build belief. I have seen such amazing transformations, mind-blowing transformations, and I know that if they can do it, so can I.