Do you want to make changes to the way you look? Are you fed up with being overweight and deep down inside worried about people really think about you? (Even though they may not be thinking anything but in your mind they are.) Are you fed up with getting to the top of the stairs and being exhausted? Are you tired of not feeling attractive to the opposite sex?

A while back I mentioned that I wanted to started posting a series based on weight loss, fitness training, exercise for overweight people who weren’t sure how to being the process of changing their physical state and for anyone else who wanted to begin a new chapter with their physical condition.

When I began my journey just over three years ago I was in terrible shape, and that is putting it mildly, however I know that there are people in much worse shape than I was. Starting a new regime is easy and sticking to it is only the beginning of the challenge. Initially the weight drop will be fast and easy but then that will slow and plateau. Then there will be motivation issues and other temptations to contend with.

Everyone once in a while feels the surge of energy to act and make changes but that doesn’t last long if preparations aren’t made to maintain the enthusiasm for undertaking a new personal project. There are ways to combat this and I’ll share more of those a little later on. Then there things that pop up out of the blue that will also hinder your progress such as injuries and they can at times be soul destroying as you’re making such good progress it is very often at those times that injuries occur, almost as a test to your resolve.

There are many methods of weight loss and I have friends who tried varied weight loss systems that involve eating bars and shakes for breakfast lunch and dinner. Some have had success and some have had temporary success and some have had no success because sticking to those programs involves enormous amounts of will power and resistance.

I’m going to be offering you my suggestions and principles that should hopefully make the slimming down fun, easy, and gradual. If you expect massive losses consistently you’re kidding yourself. This process can take months and sometimes even years however time will become irrelevant because you’ll be enjoying what you’re doing so it will become part of your overall lifestyle rather than just something you do for a few months and then eventually give up.

The keys here are variety, enjoyment sustainability and pleasure. If you incorporate these four keys slimming down does become a breeze; something that you don’t have to even think about and something that doesn’t make you feel guilty just because you happen to miss a day!

To begin with:

1) Most people would say start by creating a goal. I say forget that for now and just make a start. The more specific goal setting can come later but for now just make your goal to start exercising whilst having some fun!

2) Find something energetic that you ENJOY doing! It can be a sport, going to the gym, walking, swimming, running etc pretty much anything you like that you like! Start doing it on a regular basis!

3) However, here is something that is extremely important and it’s a mistake most people make when undertaking a new program like this. Many people exercise until they get tired and end up having that achy feeling for the next few days. When that happens they feel reluctant to continue exercising because they’ve anchored that feeling into their body. It doesn’t last but if that happens for the first few sessions it’s what beginners remember the most and it’s that feeling which then puts them off maintaining that program.

Here’s the key: Exercise to the point where you are enjoying the exercise and stop well before the point of feeling tired! Do this for the first few months! Yes, you heard me right, the first few months especially if right now you’re classed as being ‘overweight’. This has a few objectives: i) It Anchors the feeling of enjoying exercise. ii) It gives your body the time to get used to the exercise especially for your joints. iii) You won’t be put off the exercise because you won’t have the exhausted feeling that can come from vigorous exercise.

I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to find something you enjoy doing. Enjoyment is the best motivation tool there is. It doesn’t matter what else you try and use as leverage on yourself; whether that be money, becoming more desirable to the opposite sex, or just to look good, nothing will beat sheer enjoyment. Let me explain what I’m talking about. When it comes to exercise badminton is my passion. If my body could allow me to play more then I would probably play 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If I had the choice between a hot date and badminton, badminton would win hands down every time!

That brings me onto my final point. Plenty of people come up to me and tell me: “Amit, I need to lose weight for the summer so I’m going to join the gym!” At this point, I debate about whether to roll around on the floor laughing for the next 15 minutes or whether to explain to them direct. The former never goes down that well so let me go ahead and explain the latter.

As I mentioned earlier, the greatest motivational force is pure enjoyment. When you enjoy something you never have to even think about getting up to do it, you just, do it! Thinking that the fact that £50 is coming out of your bank account is going to be enough of a motivator to get you to go to the gym then you’re deluding yourself. Here’s the rub: Get into the habit of exercising now without a gym. If you can do that for 3 months, then fine, go ahead and join the gym and go use the variety of equipment and classes. Until that point though firmly establish your good habits first and then decide on longer term commitments later. If you absolutely feel the need to join the gym then ask them gym if they do a trial membership for a month or so before they tie you into long contracts which you later cannot get out of.

These are the first few steps to take. Make a start now and do what I said and you’ll find that you enjoy the process of exercising and losing weight rather than feeling like it is a chore of necessity.

Part two coming soon!

On Friday I had the great priviledge of meeting and playing a game with Rajiv Ouseph who is the number 1 badminton player in England.

He came along to meet some of the kids at our club which put a huge smile on their faces as they had their pictures taken with them and he even gave them his autograph….it put a huge smile on my face too!

This week he’s off to Malaysia for the Thomas Cup (Badmintons equivalent to the Tennis’s Davis Cup) so join me in wishing him and the rest of the team all the best in the tournament!

Hi All,

This is slightly adrift of my normal theme of posting but I thought why not combine something fun with also some friendly discussion and debate. DC will be appearing in the movie and so I wanted to find out what your thoughts were on the clip and it’s effect on the perceptions of eastern teachings.

I’ve always been a fan of Mike Myers and the clip made me giggle! Watch the clip and see what you think. Please also feel free to share your thoughts:

He does say he is a man of no one faith or religion, but there is some clear religious iconography and terminology used in different videos and sites related to the movie.

It’s bizarre as on my radio show I play a character called the love doctor…uncanny!

Gary Renard will be speaking at event in London.

For tickets or more information click here.

If you found out about this event through this blog then please sign your name into the comments box or RSVP on this Facebook event page so that I can track referrals. With gratitude.

For more of the same please visit my events page!

“Estelle has revealed that she first met her musical collaborator Kanye West at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n’ Waffles.

The pair, who are currently number one in the UK charts with the single ‘American Boy’, bumped into each other at the Hollywood soul food eatery.

She told the Daily Telegraph: “I went to Roscoe’s Chicken and bumped into Kanye.

“I was like, ‘Lord, if you’re above, I need to meet Kanye, he needs to come outside.’ Ten seconds later he came out and I went ‘Thank you, Jesus!’”

(Taken from Digital Spy)

A powerful example of not only the power of asking but also the power of gratitude too.

We shouldn’t just wait for the oil to run out and then out of desperation make changes. Lets do it now; there is no time like the present!

Whatever your perception of the world, there is an undeniable truth in that the change comes from within. Everyone will see the world in a different way, some people will choose to focus on the economic crisis, some will choose to focus on the the upheaval in Tibet,some will choose to focus on the political situation in Zimbabwe and some will focus on the rising fuel prices. Where does Personal Development fit into the the current climate?

It boils down to whether we choose to focus on the symptom or the cure. Personal Development is the cure whereas each individual problem is just the symptom of a greater underlying problem. Trying to tackle each issue one by one is kind of like masking the symptom with pain killers. It never gets to the root of the issue. The solution is understanding. A broader scale understanding that we are all one and have just this one home to share.

Do you see your family as just those around you that share a home with? Or do you see every single soul on this planet as not just an extended family but an immediate family? Try observing a stranger on the street as someone who is part of your immediate family. You will be amazed at the difference it makes to the way you feel about them. Suddenly they’re no longer a threat to you. As soon as you look at the physical differences of language or culture or skin colour or any difference, those differences can make you feel the need to arm yourself. Whereas if choose to look at the similarities instead of the differences a whole different world opens up to you.

Think of them as human just as you are. Think of them as someone who is just trying to find a purpose just as you are. Think of them as someone who is trying to make a lively hood just as you are. Think of them as someone who is creating opportunities just as you are. Think of them as someone who would like to enjoy life and experience some variety. Think of them as someone who believes they are significant just as you do yourself.

Can you feel the shift within you already?

This is where the path of Personal Development makes inroads to the relationships between all beings on this small planet. It begins with a small shift and so, if we can start with ourselves, those beliefs and attitudes spread and eventually will create mass change, especially if we educate our children this way.

On Monday I had the wonderful pleasure of seeing Deepak Chopra speak personally at a seminar in London.

For those who don’t know who Deepak Chopra is, he is a medical doctor by profession but over the years has fused eastern medicine with quantum physics and has developed his own philosophy on the mind-body-spirit connection. He has written over 50 books in which he very wonderfully and succinctly explains the connections in a way which even a child could understand.

His talk was lively, entertaining and very informative. He shared some very interesting facts about the make up of the human body and how within two years every atom in our body is completely replaced and so in essence; we are completely different. So what is it that retains the information that allows me to still know myself as Amit Sodha?

During the talk we had a brief 10 minute meditation in which all we did was repeat the words to ourselves in silence “I am”. So simple and yet it was so powerful. It also reminded me of a blog post in my ‘100 Days of Wisdom‘ series from day 2.

I was so engrossed in his discussion that I didn’t take many notes but he did share 15 thoughts at the end which I wanted to also share here too. I was scribbling as fast as I could and so I believe I captured all the messages correctly but if you think I missed something please do let me know.

1) There are hidden dimensions to our existence

Jesus - The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.

2) The world is in you

Jesus - Be the world and not of it.

3) There are 4 paths to unity

Jesus - For my yoke is easy and my burden is light

4) All fulfillment comes from within

Jesus - Ask and you will receive

5) Suffering is the result of not knowing the true reality

Jesus - Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

6) Freed comes from choiceless awareness

Be still and know that I am god

7) The world is a mirror of the self

Jesus - As you sow, so shall you reap

8 ) Evil is not our enemy , evil is the personal and collective shadow

Jesus - Resist not evil

9) You live in multi dimensions

Jesus - In my fathers house there are many mansions

10) Death makes life possible

Jesus - You must be born from above

11) The universe thinks through you

Jesus - You are the light of the world

12) The only time is now

Jesus - You are the light of the world

13) You are truly free when you are not a person; we all exist in consciousness

14) Consciousness conceives, governs, constructs and becomes reality through synchronicity, self interaction and karmic connections.

Jesus - For where there are two or three gathered in my name - I will be there

15) The goal of life is unity consciousness and transcending the limitations of space, time and causality.

Jesus - What does it profit a man to gain the world and to lose his soul.

If you didn’t get to see him this time join me in setting a very powerful intention for him to return in the very near future!

While I was reading this quote in my little Zen companion book on my desk at work, it made me realise the simple truth that as children, we become so eager to become adults and when we become adults we become eager to become like children. That comes from thinking that being in one state or another will bring with it happiness whereas the truth is that the most amount you can have is by being in the moment; enjoying and making the most of now!