TAKING YOUR MEASUREMENTS AND PROGRESS PICS
TOP TIPS FOR NAILING PROGRESS PICS AND MEASUREMENTS, A GREAT PART OF THE REFLECTION PROCESS (I WISH I HAD MORE FROM WHEN I FRIST STARTED, SO TRUST ME - TAKE THE PICTURE!!!)
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CHEST: Measure the circumference of your chest. Place one end of the tape measure at the fullest part of your chest, wrap it around (under your armpits, around your shoulder blades, and back to the front) to get the measurement.
WAIST: Measure the circumference of your waist. Use the tape to circle your waist (as a belt would) at your natural waistline, (the smallest part of your waist) which is located usually just above your belly button and below your rib cage. (If you bend to the side, the crease that forms is your natural waistline.) Don’t suck in your stomach, or you’ll get a false measurement.
HIPS: Measure the circumference of your hips. Start at one hip and wrap the tape measure around your rear, around the other hip, and back to where you started. Make sure the tape is over the largest part of your buttocks. Because making sure the tape is level back there can be hard, do it in front of a mirror if you can.
TIGH: Measure the circumference of the fullest part of your thigh. Wrap the tape measure around your thigh from front to back and then around to the front. (A trick I use here is to stand upright and place my palms by my side, then use the middle finger as a reference points for where I will take the measurement from - this keeps it accurate as your weight changes)
ARM: Measure the widest part of the arm unflexed for accuracy.
PROGRESS PIC TIPS
1. Show your shape - wear something skin tight, swim wear or bra and undies is best the less clothes the better however whatever you are comfortable to take the photo in. If you prefer to wear activewear you can but make sure your shape is visible.
2. If you can’t wear the same outfit, at least wear something similar every time you take your picture.
3. Use the same spot, clear background, no crazy colours or clutter to distract in the background.
4. Have the camera at eye level
5. Take photos, front back & sides (and a posed one for fun as you start to compare your progress, we all love a good flex)
6. Try to take your photo in natural daylight. If that isn’t possible, ensure that your room is well lit and there is as much light as possible.
7. Stand up straight, with your shoulders back and down and arms relaxed at your sides. Recreate the same pose each time.
BONUS: if you have the latest tech I usually record myself in 4K and then screenshot to avoid losing quality :)
One of the biggest things I see as a coach is limiting beliefs and an inability to regulate strong emotions.
LIMITING BELIEFS
Let’s address the limiting belief work first
Overcoming limiting beliefs isn’t always easy. They are deeply ingrained in us, often from childhood. But once you discover what they are and how to identify them, you can learn how to overcome your limiting beliefs
1. First we need to identify them - Limiting beliefs are ideas we hold about ourselves and the world that prevent us from becoming the best versions of us, they limit us and we believe them to be true. How to identify start writing down beliefs you have and ask yourself is this a universal truth (e.g true for everyone) or is it a belief in placing limit on myself
2. Take ownership - ultimately our behaviour determines our reality. To overcome our limiting beliefs, we must develop the belief that life doesn’t happen to us but for us. There’s always a lesson.
We can always have mastery over our emotions, find the lessons in any losses/failures, makes better decisions and stay focused / work toward our goals, no matter what.. Catch out Self-talk, this is constant, the more we tell ourselves something, the more we believe it. We have thousands of thoughts per day and if even a small amount of those involve limiting beliefs, that’s a constant negative narrative running through your head all day.
Identify the belief
Is it universally true?
What do you want to believe instead?
Affirm the new belief
As mentioned they can be challenging to always identify, so we must build the practice over time (Remember Neuroplasticity - Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience)
Example
Situation: Parents forced you into swimming at a young age because you were overweight, even though you didn't like it.
You Assigned the Meaning: Enjoying exercise isn’t as important as losing weight
Belief: Being skinny is more important than anything else when it comes to health
Reality: Crash dieting and endless cardio classes because of the belief whilst hating the process.
SOME OTHER COMMON ONES
1. I’m not good enough.
2. I’m not smart enough.
3. I always fail.
4. Bad things always happen to me.
5. I don’t deserve success.
6. Things are always hard.
7. I’m not loveable.
8. Rich people are greedy.
9. No one cares.
10. I’ll be happy when …
11. I can’t do anything right.
12. Money is the root of all evil.
13. If I try [whatever] rejection is inevitable.
These could also be part of your shadow (below) where you don’t like people who enjoy exercise because you held the belief nothing is more important than skinny.
It's easier to keep believing to keep your ego safe than it is to work through healing it, however the expansion that happens on the other-side - priceless.
SHADOW WORK
The term 'the shadow' was made popular by psychoanalyst Carl Jung. He saw it as the uncivilised, even primitive side of our nature. We all have a shadow self. It is generally made up of the parts of ourselves we deem unacceptable
Shadow work is simply becoming aware of what's hidden and gradually healing those aspects of yourself. When you start shadow work, you may feel the way you felt as a child when you were forced to suppress those emotions. But once you overcome it, it may open your eyes to a whole new side of you you had no idea existed.
Your shadow develops during childhood. As a kid, you heavily rely on your
parents or caretakers to survive. You learn what behaviours are “good” and “bad” to keep your parents happy and ensure your survival.
If your mum always told you it’s not okay to cry when you were upset, you learn to
keep in your emotions. If your dad always yelled at you to shut up when you spoke your mind, you learn to keep your opinions to yourself.
You learned how to adapt to the world around you and shove those no good behaviours and traits to the side. Those negative parts of yourself are repressed and become your shadow self.
As an adult, all those negative traits and behaviours are programmed into your subconscious. You are often not aware of how your shadow is subconsciously affecting your present-day behaviours and thinking.
Your shadow can cause you to be triggered by certain people or situations for
seemingly no reason. For instance, if you were taught to keep your emotions in,
you may experience anger or resentment towards a person who is openly emotional.
To do shadow work is to uncover what your repressed qualities are and to heal
from childhood experiences or traumas that formed your shadow.
HOW DOES YOUR SHADOW DEVELOP?
REMEMBER...
Create a safe, no-judgment zone. Approach each layer with a curious mindset. Be open and non-
judgmental while figuring out what makes you tick and why.
Give yourself lots of grace and love when doing this inner work. Learning about your shadow is not easy work ! It can be painful to think about past traumas and negative experiences. It is important to follow up your shadow work with a calming self-care routine.
Decide whether you want to seek external support to help you move through or work through things on your own, if you’re ready to start shining light on your shadow I highly recommend you download the shadow work journal here:
CLICK HERE FOR SHADOW WORK JOURNAL