It amazes me to see examples of just how much our mind controls our bodies.
Yesterday, on the Wii Fit Plus, I tried out the free run. As you are pacing yourself, the scenery takes you around corners, up hills, down hills, over bridges, through a beautiful, animated park with runners in front of you and coming at you.
The most amazing thing I realized in those 10 minutes is just how my body responds to what it sees! My pace actually changed when the scenery was climbing a hill, it slowed…. When the scenery was coming down a hill, it sped up… But I was on a flat floor! Tell me how that is so. I became conscious of it, but it did not change at the next hill.
I have practiced writing affirmations and visualization for years. I get to points where I think, “This isn’t working!” but when I have certain experiences, such as the one above, it changes my thinking. The mind is powerful. More powerful than even we can imagine. It is a fascinating and integral part of ALL that we do.
I have been at a weight loss plateau for almost two months now. It is getting frustrating and more difficult to stick with my plan. But, is it my mind that is guiding my body? I heard in my weight management class I took earlier this year that plateaus are real. Your bodies chemical make-up starts to change and needs time to re-adjust. They talked about a study with postal workers who walk their routes. If you use the standard calories in, calories out method, you would think that postal workers would be able to lose weight continuously if they are maintaining a healthy calorie intake, wouldn’t you? But that is not the case. Our bodies get use to the muscles we use everyday and at about 6 weeks, the body levels out. So those muscles no longer burn the calories at the same rate. The brain just sends different signals.
So is it, that my brain is holding onto the weight because it is preparing for the next change I might put it through? What I feed it with the new eating habits and what I have added in the way of movement perhaps has confused the heck out of it? I don’t know the answer and perhaps that is my answer. Quit searching for the answer and just continue doing what I am doing. Learn to trust the process. I do know I feel better and maybe that is all that matters. Things don’t move in Julie time. Patience is truly a virtue. (But I have a major deficiency in that area when it comes to me!)
The bottom line for me right now, is I am having a heck of a lot more fun. I am excited about moving my body every day. I do enjoy what I am doing. It starts my day off with a smile. I automatically challenge myself. I give myself some much needed kudos when I move up a level in a game. I am looking forward to what I can learn about myself and my body when most of my life I have mistreated it.
With that said, it’s time to get moving!
Everything we do is basically mind over matter. The brain is so powerful that it can control the way we perceive the world. We need to take control of our minds to achieve positive results. We can't let our minds take control over us.
If you think that you love exercising, your body will respond accordingly. You will want to move more. You will look for exercise.
-Denise
I know that it's mind over matter, but it is knowing when the thoughts behind the thoughts, so layered, are working. My affirmation writing always brings up "stuff" and that's why I write notes around it. Also, I think that years and years of eating unhealthy food, it is more than just the mind. Like any addictions, at some point it moves from only mental, to emtional and then, physical and that is what must be dealt with. How do we deal with the physical withdrawal and needs of certain foods? That is the place I am at with learning and discovery. Blessed be.
According to Napoleon Hill (he of "Think and Grow Rich" fame), affirmations work only when combined with genuine emotion. Apparently you have to visualize and feel both.
(For what that's worth.)
Word verification: dised.
My first comment on your blog, and I'm dissed by a spelling challenged word verification? Hmph.