The other day, we left for boot camp at 5 AM. I was wearing a short sleeve shirt, no coat and commented that it was warm.

The next morning – same routine – the car again read 55 degrees. It was 5 AM, but this time I wore a coat and commented how chilly it was.

Have I lost my mind?

Or do I need a mindset shift?

Here’s the difference. The first day, they called for 78 degree temperatures. The next, they were calling for a high of 48.

But then that got me thinking; what other aspects of our lives are controlled by our mind?

The answer: EVERYTHING!

If you tell yourself you will always “struggle” with weight loss, you will. You’re right.

If you believe you are “too busy” to exercise and things aren’t going to change. You won’t make the time – you WILL be too busy.

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” Zig Ziglar

How can we make that adjustment – what we call “the mindset shift?” We need this to be successful on all levels: personal, financial, physical, mental, etc.

In our boot camps, we reframe the words “I hope,” “I can’t,” “I wish I could.” There is nothing positive about these statements.

Think about your own life. A UCLA study showed that kids heard the word “no” over FOUR HUNDRED times each day. Think that influences their thoughts? Of course.

For instance, when things go wrong, instead of criticizing yourself, work on focusing on the positive, your strengths, and talents.

Try reframing your thoughts:

Instead of: “I can’t be successful at weight loss, I have tried so many times in the past—I just wish I looked like my friends.”

Try: “I am in complete control of my body and fueling it with the most nutritious foods that will allow me to feel even better and lose fat.”

Imagine thinking THAT each morning vs. the first statement!

 We simply need a mindset shift. Our minds play funny games and it’s often because of the continual negative messages we hear and the blame we put on others. But in reality, no one can “fix” you, but you.

So back to this weather thing – surely you’ve experienced it. 55 degrees in the winter is warm, but 55 degrees in the summer, is freezing. Our mind plays tricks on us. But just like you are in control of the foods you put into your body, to fuel your muscles, cells, etc, think of the messages you read and hear as fuel for your brain. Your brain needs the right fuel too.

Feed it junk, and you’ll have junky thoughts. This is one of the best books out there for helping with that mindset shift.

Organic is hot — everything from produce to cereal, energy bars to oats are labeled “organic” these days.

That’s a debate in and of itself, though…but truly more important than organic, is local. A vegetable picked from a farm down the road from you is going to offer more flavor and nutrients than organic produce that has been shipped across the world.

That is where Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) comes into play. In a nutshell, this means you buy a share of a local farm, get a weekly (or sometimes monthly, depending on the farm), delivery of the farms crops for around $450-500 for 6 months (about $20/week).

Most guarantee nothing is picked more than 24 hours prior to when you get it, meaning it tastes the best, the nutrients are highest, and you’re supporting your local farm. A true win win all around.

For those in Louisville, check out all the local options by clicking HERE. For those outside of Louisville, go to localharvest.org/csa to find a CSA near you.

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