HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED HOW YOUR NEED FOR PERFECTION COULD BE HOLDING YOU BACK?

This is a guest post by Jenna Brockmuller of The Skinny Chick Academy. Thanks Jenna! Connect with Jenna at the end of this post.

This is a topic that is close to my heart and I see it all the time!

And to be honest, I think it’s one of the biggest things that holds women back from achieving their goals.

I’m talking about PERFECTIONISM!

And we are all guilty of it, aren’t we?

This all or nothing attitude where one little hiccup in the plan leads to complete derailment!

Doing X amount of sessions or else why even bother right?

Feeling disheartened after you fail to eat 100% “clean” (I’ve come to hate that word) and consequently writing off the whole day/week/month/year!

Convincing yourself that if you don’t eat absolutely everything 100% organic you won’t lose fat.

Obsessively focusing on minor details as opposed to fundamentals.

Hitting an arbitrary calorie quota for the day and binging over the guilt you have, when you accidentally exceed it.

This might sound a bit harsh, but it has to be said and boy do I wish someone told me this 10 years ago………

ONLY A FOOL PURSUES PERFECTION!

Perfect to who anyway?

At the end of the day it is you that has defined your own idea of perfection.

The problem with perfection is that when you inevitably can’t attain it or live up to your own expectations, you get a sense of failure, guilt and even shame.

And even on those rare days, where you do manage to tick all of the boxes, dot the i’s and cross the t’s, you end up being so tightly wound and restricted that it’s almost like you forgot why you set out to create change in the first place!

Here’s what you really need to know about changing your body.

SOMETIMES CLOSE ENOUGH IS GOOD ENOUGH

And no, I’m not talking about short changing yourself of a good workout or giving you an excuse to eat crap.

I’m talking about being smart!

Smart women do not pursue perfection. Smart women strive to consistently improve.

Smart women forgive themselves, they don’t dwell on the past or over analise it.

They don’t seek to blame others and they are NEVER victims of the situation.

They take full responsibility for their actions.

Smart women get back on the horse immediately, not tomorrow next Monday and definitely not next month!

If they can’t make it to the gym, they bust out some burpees in their lounge room.

They master the fundamentals first before getting caught up in the details.

They have faith in themselves.

And they keep putting one foot in front of the other!

What you need to realise is that nobody is going to give you an A+ for getting 100%! So stop grading yourself!!!!!

Since when did being in great shape become a contest on who can be the biggest hero and restrict and push as much as possible?!?!?!

Because there are no prizes for unnecessary restriction!

The truth is that fat loss should ultimately be about getting solid results, whilst getting away with as much as possible!!!

And I can tell you now that it’s not that one little cookie/meal/night/day that makes you put on weight! It’s the write off, the derailment and the increase in cortisol from agonoisng over it for the next week!

On the other hand…….

Are you one of those women, who is waiting for the perfect time to start changing your body?

That magical day when all of the stars align, you no longer have any social engagements, work functions, and you somehow have extra time to prep meals, get your pantry in order and start hitting the gym.

Are you waiting for work to slow down, exams to stop, Xmas to be over, or to get over your friend’s birthday weekend?

There’s always something isn’t there?

I can tell you now, the perfect time aint gonna come!

It’s never a good time to go after what you really want!

This is something that I can personally attest to.

You see at the moment I am trying to get a little bit leaner and boy my social calendar has not made it easy!

In the past two months I’ve had 5 birthdays, one of which was my Dad’s.My Dad and I have a long standing history of devouring chocolate mud cake for our birthdays and to be honest it’s not a tradition I intend on changing.

That combined with the fact that we have been enjoying some gorgeous Autumn weather in Melbourne, which has called for a lot more eating out and socialising.

Despite all of this my clothes are significantly looser and I am making progress.

Am I just genetically gifted with a supercharged metabolism?????

Do I thrive on a diet of chocolate mud cake?????

No, I’m just smart about it!

Smart women don’t find time to train, they make time!

When smart women go to a birthday dinner they are mindful with their portions and pick the best option, where possible.

If they decide to have cake, they enjoy it and cut back a little the next day.

They know that if they do indulge it is a conscious choice.

Smart women don’t delay feeling better about themselves.

They know that empowerment comes from taking control of a situation.

They know that there is always something they can do NOW to move one step closer to their goals…. Even if it means only eating half of the chips on their plate or sharing their cake with a girlfriend ?

Smart women decide what they want now and take action immediately.

They don’t flirt with the idea of getting in shape, they make a commitment and claim what they really want!

Just a little food for thought ?

Love Jenna

X

Jenna Brockmuller is a female Fat Loss & Fitness Coach and is the creator of the Skinny Chick Academy and author of the Skinny Chick Eating Plan.

Jenna is a certified Level 2 PICP Strength & Conditioning Coach and a Level 1 Biosignature Practitioner.

Jenna has helped countless hundreds of women throughout Australia to create the body of their dreams and a healthier lifestyle in the process.

Jenna has overcome disordered eating and now works extensively with women to conquer emotional eating and destructive behavioural patterns.

Connect with Jenna at her blog/website http://jennabrockmuller.com/ or check out her Skinny Chick Academy over here!