“Unlocking the Secrets to Longevity: Cultivating the Mindset for Wellness”
I hope you all had a lovely week celebrating love or others and yourself.
This week I gave a talk at my local community center. As a Functional Wellness Doctor they probably expected me to talk about diet, exercise, a magic supplement, biohacking etc etc .. you get the picture. Well, as I was preparing my talk, I had an idea. What if I just touched on those things that folks expect and spent most of the time talking about motivation and mindset. Talk about how important your thoughts both conscious and subconscious were affecting the way you feel and therefore effecting your belief and values, which effect your physiology, (Cells), your nervous system and then your choices.
So I did that through storytelling and what better way to do that than to share the transformational journey of Joan McDonald. What is so cool about her story is that she was 70 years old!!
Keep reading to learn more and I hope that were ever you are n your wellbeing journey this will make you smile and motavate you to take the steps to a healthier version of yourself.
It sure motivated me!!
TRAIN WITH JOAN:
“Unlocking the Secrets to Longevity: Cultivating the Mindset for Wellness”
Honestly, it’s not just about eating better and lifting weights. It’s just not. That’s a big part of it, but it’ll only get you so far. If you really want to change you’re going to have to change who you think you are deep down inside.
As long as you keep telling yourself you’re a snacker you’re going to continue to snack when you’re stressed or bored.
As long as you continue to tell yourself that you’re a drinker then you’ll eventually go back to a glass of wine at night or on the weekends with friends.
As long as you keep telling yourself that you’re too old, or too injured, or too overweight, you’ll keep on going back to that story when you are faced with the inevitable challenges ahead of you.
So changing your mindset/changing your identity, THIS is absolutely key to lasting transformation.
THIS IS JOAN’S STORY: TRAIN WITH JOAN
My name is Joan MacDonald, and I am 75 years old. 5 years ago I was 5’3”, 198lbs, and I had a 39″ waist. I was on medication for high blood pressure and acid reflux, I had terrible edema in my ankles, my arthritis was extremely painful, and I had difficulty walking up and down stairs. I was tired, I was emotional, and I was in desperate need of a change. Does any of this sound familiar to you? My daughter Michelle came to me on the verge of tears. She said that I had to make a choice. She said if I continued on the path I was on I would end up even worse off, and probably on even more medication. She offered me the opportunity to work with her that winter. I would be participating in an online group with other women who were all working to change habits and take the best possible care of themselves.
THE POWER OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT
So with the support and guidance of Michelle and the team of women I made a massive 180. I learned how to use an i-phone for the first time in my life. I renewed my gym membership, bought a food scale, a measurement tape, and got to work. It was incredibly hard work, let me tell you, and there were many days were I was in tears over technology but I never threw in the towel. However, I stuck to my guns and never gave up. My motto was, “I don’t mind if my changes are slow. I am going to go at my own pace and this time the changes are going to last the rest of my life.” I really meant it. Part of the program I was doing required that each of us prepare a collage comparing our starting point to where we currently were. I think it is human nature especially on a long journey to wonder if we are on the right track or not. But as the months rolled by I could see that we were all changing. The weight and the inches were coming off! My confidence in the gym was growing. We were all cheering each other on.
WELLBEING IS A JOURNEY
I’m now five years into my journey and I can honestly say that I am a different woman than I was when I started out. I know what macros are, I can create balanced meals, I know how to move around with confidence in the gym and I understand the importance of lifting heavy weight. I just love connecting with other women and men who are also choosing to live a healthier lifestyle. I’ve found that this new way of living has allowed me to meet and help encourage many others to do the same.
COURAGE AND CONSISTENCY
“Unlocking the Secrets to Longevity: Cultivating the Mindset for Wellness”
If you are looking for a change I can tell you that it is not an easy journey but it is well worth it. I hope that my story gives you the confidence that you can change too. If I can do it, you can do it.
Have a healthy week and if you need support and accountability then I am here for you
Dr Pia
