With the Olympic Games commencing later this month I started thinking about the way elite athletes prepare for their event. It’s no secret they train long hours and are physically in peak fitness in order to perform. But there is more to it than that, there is one preparation that starts long before they set foot on the training circuit. 

Sports psychology is a big part of the preparation of any Olympic athlete and addresses things like visualisation, self talk and motivation. This stuff is not just for elite athletes, it’s for anyone who has a goal to achieve. Your mind is one of the greatest contributors to your ultimate success.  So this month I want to talk to you about affirmations and the importance of this for you to achieve your goals. At my 3 Day Workshop Retreat in March the psychologist talked about affirmations and said that as a psychologist she is bound by a Code of Ethics and can’t recommend something that has not been proven. She said “I recommend you use affirmations because it is proven they work”.

What sort of self talk (ie affirmations) do you use? “I’m hopeless, I will never be able to do this” or “Every day I am getting closer to my goal, my destiny is in my hands”. Developing a positive mindset is one of the best ways to create the reality you want. When you hear your mind saying negative things, find something positive to say about yourself. If your mind is thinking positive, you will act more positively. Inner thoughts can make or break your success. Without knowing it we send ourselves thousands of messages everyday, some good, some bad. If you see a positive in everything even though at times you may have to look really hard, I guarantee you will react differently to situations.Are the messages you say over and over in your mind or subconscious helping you achieve great things or are they holding you back?

Some tips to get you started
•    Stop saying “I wish, If only, I should”, instead say words like “I can, I must and I will”.
•    It takes time to change habits, you may fall down but so what, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and begin again. Nothing worth while comes easy so stick with it to the end.
•    Focus on what you want to achieve and let nothing stand in you way, if you never ever give up then you can’t fail.
•    No one is perfect, stop expecting so much from yourself, be your own best friend not your worst enemy.
•    Accept your shape. If you are pear shaped you will be a smaller pear shape when slim, don’t have high expectations that will deflate you.
•     Lose weight for yourself and nobody else, this is your journey.
•    Stop being superwoman/superman to everyone.
•    Give yourself a pat on the back every time you do something good and be proud of what you are doing to make your life the best it can be.
•     Love yourself for who you are no matter what shape or size you are.


Having the right mental attitude is an important part of losing weight. See yourself slim, trim and terrific. Focus on how you can make today the best day ever. I know you can be the healthy person you want to be, all you have to do is make the decision and JUST DO IT!!!

Put this on your fridge for inspiration… “I know that I am capable and competent in making healthy choices. Every day I see new opportunities to improve my health and quality of life”. 

Here are some more positive statements to help you on your weightloss journey

I AM STRONG

I AM CONFIDENT

I AM CAPABLE

I AM IN CHARGE OF MY LIFE & MY FUTURE

I AM PERFECT IN EVERY WAY

I AM ALL THAT I NEED TO BE

I LOVE MYSELF UNCONDITIONALLY

SUCCESS IS MY ONLY OPTION

I BELIEVE IN ME