Written by: Julie Pecarski, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What do you think when you hear this sentence?
"I don’t even recognize my body anymore".
This was something that I said to myself when I turned 40. It was almost like a flick of a switch when I started to gain weight overnight despite eating clean and moving as much as I could with the demands of my corporate human resources job.
Depending on how you look at it that line could be the sound of defeat OR the sound of success. Going from feeling unhappy and stuck in the body – to instead thinking "what is possible? I need support"
When I was faced with this unexpected weight gain, initially, I was frustrated and confused. I didn't do anything about my circumstances except jump on Google to try and diagnose. It wasn't until two years of struggling that I sought the help of my own coach to feel better.
Now, as a nutritionist and weight loss coach, working with women who are advocating for their health is the most exciting because it's coming from someone who is ready for something more, something better.
I like to think of these moments as a fresh start, a new beginning or even a new season in life (hello to your 40s!).
Yet, I continue to see high-performing women struggle to prioritize their bodies, health, well-being and ultimately their desires. And, what is equally remarkable is that women can identify where they are and where they want to be but they can't manage to bridge the two to get there.
But, there are three KEY things to consider when embarking on your weight loss journey or any change in your life:
1. There will never be the right time and your schedule will never be perfect
Let’s face it. If you’re waiting until the Fall or the New Year to super-charge that metabolism and lose weight, something will always come up to deter you. I heard this reframe recently: instead of saying "I don't have time for that" say "that's not important to me" and see if that changes how you choose to show up for yourself.
2. Start shifting your mindset when it comes to your body by making decisions like the person you want to be.
This is an uplevel approach you can take in ANY aspect of your life. It’s what many call the “act as if” approach where you take action like you are already where you want to be. For example, if you want to be 10 pounds lighter, envision how your future self feels, looks, and enjoys her time? How can you show up for yourself today that is in alignment with how you want to feel/look/enjoy your time?
3. The mind wants you to stay comfortable.
Discomfort is the currency of change. Except that our complex brains want us to stay in comfort and what is familiar and easy which is why so many of us resist change. We all inherently know that we are destined for more. The reality is that if we want a different result, we have to change which requires us to take action. And, while it is hard and likely the biggest mind shift of all, when we start creating awareness and taking action, we can make big strides in our health and career goals.
After supporting countless women in refuelling their sluggish over 40 metabolisms by increasing their calories versus decreasing them, I’ve come to learn that the ones with the most success are the women that understand that nutrition and mindset have to work simultaneously.
If you enjoyed this article and are eager for more, please visit my website to learn more about how I can support your metabolism to help you achieve both your weight loss and career goals.
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Julie Pecarski, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Julie Pecarski is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Weight Loss Coach in the business of helping women feel stronger and more confident as they step into the next season of their lives. While working in the corporate world, Julie put her body through the extremes of eating too little and trying on the latest fad diets in an attempt to make herself look and feel a certain way, not realizing that this was a disaster for her metabolism. Julie now coaches other high-performing women lose weight and regain confidence through a balanced approach that restores metabolism and super-charges energy levels.
