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Gila Community College Wellness Center |
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Centers Hayden Fitness Classes |
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Four Pillars of Wellness
1. Mental If you could have one thing, right now, what would it be? Your mental state is the first pillar of your wellness. Without a strong mental commitment to changing behavior patterns, you’ll have a tough time implementing the physical aspect of the program. Use discerning insight to achieve what you want. Ask yourself: what do I really want? Focus on what you want and remove your focus from what you don’t want. By allowing your desire for the thing you want to grow, and eliminating thoughts and behaviors that detract from achieving that goal, you will receive your heart’s desire. What’s the single most important thing you want from your fitness program? The thing I want the most is__________________________________________________ In order to achieve this I must_________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Obstacles that might prevent me from following through on this are: ______________________________________________________________________ I will overcome these obstacles by: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Think positive! Positive affirmations really work. Your mind is a powerful tool. If you see yourself the way you want to be, your mind will create that into a reality. If you beat up on yourself and criticize yourself, that becomes your reality. As Jane Roberts says: You create your own reality Positive Affirmation:______________________________________________________ Utilize your positive affirmation throughout the day and visualize yourself achieving what you want. Right now, see it as a reality. Practice everyday, whether you take action or not. 2. Physical A rat can develop a new behavior after 30 repetitions The best mental state in the world won’t get you what you want if you don’t take action. And the most important thing is creating a pattern of positive behavior. So make the commitment to create this positive habit pattern of exercise in your life now. If it takes a rat 30 repetitions, how many will it take you? I ______________________________________ make a commitment to myself to exercise ___ times per week for _____ minutes for the next ___ weeks. I make a commitment to myself to be free from excuses and other obstacles that might impede my journey. I’m doing this for myself, and by following through, I’m showing that I honor and respect myself and my commitment to what I truly want. Signature___________________________________________________________ You are what you eat That doesn’t mean you should avoid fruits or nuts. Eating is an important component to your wellness. Pick up “Your Guide to Healthy Eating” at the wellness center. Or click here to view it online. Compiled by registered dietician Mary McMullan, this packet contains everything you need to create healthy eating habits based on the USDA Food Pyramid Guidance System. Other resources are: a. Overeaters anonymous 425-8315 b. Losing Weight Together- Wednesday nights at the Chamber of Commerce c. TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly)- Thursday morning 9:30am St John’s Episcopal Church at 185 E. Oak d. Books e. Body for Life by Bill Phillips f. Body for Life for Women by Pam Peeke g. Get with the Program by Bob Greene h. The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution by Dr. Phil The Zone by Barry Sears 3. Emotional How do you feel? Emotions play a large role in our patterns of behavior. Often, our emotions are the driving force behind our patterns of behavior and are based around our desire for fulfillment or fear of pain. Sometimes we utilize short-term solutions that undermine our long-term goals. Example 1 You dislike the pain of exercise, so you avoid it. This helps you avoid the short-term pain of exercise, but it causes you more pain you develop high blood pressure, diabetes or become short of breath all the time. Example 2 You feel sad about some aspect of your life. Eating makes you forget about feeling sad. Sometimes eating fills the void. Soon, you find yourself overweight, but the sadness is still there. The eating was only a momentary solution to your emotions and you suffer in the long-term because of it. Consciously redirecting your thoughts and actions helps you overcome these common pitfalls. Identify your unwanted thoughts or behaviors. What is the underlying emotion or desire that is fulfilled through these thoughts or behaviors? Are you avoiding something painful? Is there a different way that you can receive the same fulfillment or experience less pain? What can you focus your energy on to get the same results? 4. Spiritual Connecting with the breath Deep breathing is a great way to center yourself. Here’s how to get started. Dedicate 5 minutes each day to deep breathing. Focus on your breath. As thoughts arise, simply acknowledge them and without judgment, allow them to come and go without becoming attached to them. As your mind quiets, you’ll have an opportunity to listen to the deeper source of wisdom within you. Getting in touch with this wisdom strengthens your ability to utilize the three pillars above to achieve your desired goal. If you need help, please make an appointment to speak with one of our staff. Or call me at 425-0510 to discuss these issues or email me at rmiller@gilaccc.org Thanks for joining the wellness center. Ralph Miller |
