Do you have a problem saying "NO" When it comes to your Health?

One of the biggest things I come across as a Health, Nutrition & Fitness Coach are my client's struggles with '𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗢'

Learning to say no is one of the most useful skills you can develop when it comes to living a healthier life. BUT it is also one of the most hardest skills that I find most people struggle with.

The issue with saying no is that most of us want to please, help and be there for others even if it is in detriment to ourselves.

When it comes to our own health & fitness goals we find saying NO to ourselves, situations or temptation is even harder, which can really make reaching your goals an arduous task.

Saying No seems easy when we think about it but putting it into action can be a whole different thing.

Research has started to show that small changes can make a big impact. One way you can start to make changes right now so that it will be easier for you to say no, resist temptation and stick to your health and fitness goals for the long–term is to change your language.

A research study done on 30 women that signed up for an health and wellness seminar were told to think of a longterm health and wellness goal that was important to them. The group was then divided into 3 groups of 10.

Group 1 was told that anytime they felt tempted to lapse on their goals they should “𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼.” This group was the control group because they were given no specific strategy.

Group 2 was told that anytime they felt tempted to lapse on their goals, they should implement the “𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁” strategy. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, “𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.”

Group 3 was told that anytime they felt tempted to lapse on their goals, they should implement the “𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁” strategy. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, “𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀.”

For the next 10 days, each woman received an email asking to report her progress. They were specifically told, “During the 10–day window you will receive emails to remind you to use the strategy and to report instances in which it worked or did not work. If the strategy is not working for you, just drop us a line and say so and you can stop responding to the emails.”

Here's what the results looked like 10 days later…

Group 1 (the “just say no” group) had 𝟯 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟬 members who persisted with their goals for the entire 10 days.

Group 2 (the “can't” group) had 𝟭 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟬 members who persisted with her goal for the entire 10 days.

Group 3 (the “don't” group) had an incredible 𝟴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟬 members who persisted with their goals for the entire 10 days.

The words that you use not only help you to make better choices on an individual basis, but also make it easier to stay on track with your long–term goals.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 “𝗜 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁” 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 “𝗜 𝗖𝗮𝗻'𝘁”

Your words help to frame your sense of empowerment & control. Also, the words that you use create a feedback loop in your brain that impacts your future behaviours.

For example, every time you tell yourself “I can't”, you're creating a feedback loop that is a reminder of your limitations. This terminology indicates that you're forcing yourself to do something you don't want to do.

But, when you tell yourself “I don't”, you're creating a feedback loop that reminds you of your control and power over the situation. It's a phrase that can help you move towards breaking your bad habits and implementing new ones.

“I can't” and “I don't” are words that seem similar and we often use them for one reason or another, but psychologically they can provide very different feedback and result in very different actions. They aren't just words. They are affirmations of what you believe, reasons for why you do what you do, and reminders of where you want to go.

Your ability to overcome temptation and effectively say no is critical not only to your physical health, but also to maintaining a sense of well–being and control in your mental health.

If you need more help in implementing strategies to change your health, message me for a complementary Ignite Session to discuss how working together can help you achieve your goals.