When she first came to me, she was five foot tall and weighed 13 stone. And, to cut a long story short, by the time we had finished, she had not only lost a load of weight, but her mind and body were transformed. She no longer felt underconfident and bad within herself. In fact, her life changed so much that she ended up finding a new love and getting remarried, which is such a lovely ending to a success story I’m really proud of.
What would be your biggest piece of advice for readers who want to achieve the same?
I actually have a few pieces of advice! First would be to give yourself a break, learn from your weaknesses, and remind yourself that no one can change your mindset but you. Until you do that, you won’t know what you need to work on to strengthen.
It’s also important to face your fears. Believe me when I say that you’ll be surprised at the outcome if you teach yourself to never give up. These could be the sorts of fears I faced, such as not being good enough. Then, with the right mindset trained into you, you’ll start to realise that, when things aren’t going your way, there are important lessons that can be learned.
In addition, readers that want to lose weight and feel better in themselves should be mindful of the foods they eat. As I tell all my clients, weight loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. And, speaking of exercise, make sure you choose to do a physical activity that you like, because otherwise, you’ll never stick at it. As an example, you might not like going to the gym. So, you should try other forms of exercise such as running, biking, or tennis.
Finally, learn to pause. This is especially important when you’re not feeling at your best and you have an urge to indulge. In doing so, you can more accurately pinpoint the patterns of behaviour that lead you to those urges and, as a result, you’ll have a much better chance of controlling them.
What are the biggest mistakes you see people make and how can they be avoided?
We live in a culture where everyone is busy and this can have an effect on an individual’s mind. It stops them from truly seeing and appreciating all the lessons they can learn along their journey and which have the potential to help them to grow. As a result, they lose sight of their identity, and before long they begin to disengage from their true potential. All too often, people reach a point where they just don’t know themselves.
Reality TV and social media don’t help, either. They paint this fantasy picture of the fairy tale lives of celebrities and the super-rich, which just obscures the fact that these people are human beings that have feelings and insecurities and are, very often, unhappy. The simple fact that so many of them are more concerned with posting what they’re doing than actually living in the moment says it all, really.
Add to that the widespread promotion of fad diets by this or that celebrity, and it really is so easy to forget about the importance of individual health over mere aesthetics. Just as a car that isn’t maintained won’t run properly, a person’s individual health needs to be nurtured daily to ensure they feel and function at their best.
As I mentioned earlier, the key is to learn to pause and breathe and just take in the moment. When this sort of stillness is practised daily, an individual can start to really take in their surroundings. Not only that, but they’ll also start to recognise the things in life that actually serve them. This sort of mindset evolution can lead to immense growth and a feeling of true happiness within.
You might have heard the old saying that everyone has a story to tell. Well, every moment you’re in is an opportunity for you to write your own story and reach the happy ending that you want. The moral here is to stay in your lane and do what matters most to you. If you do, I guarantee you’ll start getting the results you want to see.
How do you plan on further growing your business?
I learn every day that growth never stops. Just as I have to be consistent with working out and looking after myself, I have to nurture my business constantly, too.
Gone are the days of just handing out a business card. These days, it’s all digital. Therefore, I ensure that everything I learn is relevant to the times that we’re in and has the potential to sustain my business long-term.
However, there is one thing I truly believe I have already mastered in my field: I know how to get my ideal clients the results they want to see. I do so by applying strategies such as:
- Targeting clients that I know will benefit from my services.
- Getting to know my clients by interacting on social media, so I can better understand their needs.
- Doing live video streams to drum up new interest in services I will soon be launching.
- Organising my time so that I never miss out on important work-related tasks.
- Using my time more effectively so that, when I do have free time, I carry out research that is beneficial to my business.
Where can the readers find you?
Readers can find out more about me and the services that I offer over on my website: www.helenaphil-fitness.com. They can also follow me on Facebook (@helenaphilfitness), Twitter (@helenaphilfit), Instagram (@helenaphilfit_bodymind_coach), and LinkedIn (@Helena Phil).
Additionally, they can listen to the ‘Body & Mind’ podcast by Helena Phil over on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Spotify, and buy my book, ’30 Day Practice to Becoming the Best Version of You,’ on Amazon.
