Wow, what an event! At our inaugural recipe swap, we hosted the entire Masiello Family! Anthony Masiello shared how he transformed his life, when he set out to take back his health and lose weight. With the support of his amazing family, they have figured out how to make it work in their lives, and today they shared it with us. Here are a few take home tips from his talk:
- Know your why. Why do you want to do __(fill in the blank)__? What is your internal motivation? Losing weight to fit into your jeans is not enough to encourage long lasting lifestyle changes. Push yourself and find your real meaning in life. Make this your why.
- Set your environment. Your self-conscious mind (automatic brain function) is like an elephant and your conscious mind (higher thinking) is like the tiny rider on the elephant . The subconscious mind (the elephant) has more power and will wander, if given an open environment with the opportunity to choose. So, make it easier on your conscious mind and put yourself on the right path – think, healthy surroundings, so you can fall back on autopilot without going off course and wandering into unhealthy territory.
- Change your habits – So much of what we do is habit, without even thinking about it. It takes some conscious effort to initially change your habits, but set them in place so you can start creating habits that support your health and life goals. Do it enough times so it starts to become automatic, and something you want to do.
- Make it last. Think of a beach and the ocean. Lying on the beach is comfortable. Floating in the water is enjoyable. But where the waves crash, the shoreline, can be rough and challenging sometimes. Hovering in the middle is always going to be harder, and takes constant willpower and strength. It’s easy to fall back into your old ways and land on the beach again, eating junk food. But, if you can stay consistent, and make it into the deeper water, you can float and coast and then it becomes easy, and a long-lasting lifestyle change.
- Believe in yourself. “If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford. If your self-talk is, there’s no way you could eat like this – you’re right! You’ve already decided. But, if you think you can give it a try and really reach your goal, you’re right, too. Watch what you say to yourself, and believe you can do it!
Anthony made his transformation with small steps, an important purpose, and with a goal clear in his mind. He told himself he could do this, and he set his environment. It wasn’t always easy, but he came out on the other side, and says he feels better and loves his life now, more than ever before. His family – including his wife and kids – say the same thing!
I hope this gives you inspiration. Life transformations are possible, whatever your goal! Set your why, believe in yourself, and go for it!
For more on Anthony’s incredible transformation (and some delicious recipes!), see veggiesfordinner.com.