AS we move into autumn, I see on Facebook that lots of people are regretting they haven’t yet lost weight like they planned to do this year.

Now that the summer holidays are over, there’s a little panic about what hasn’t yet been done.

Everyone wants to look and feel fabulous for the coming festive season - yes it’s just around the corner - but not everyone is ready.

Some folks are beating themselves up for things they haven’t done.

Maybe they didn’t go to the gym.

Or, they didn’t stop themselves over-indulging on holiday.

They never regularly went walking.

They rarely managed to get out to that class on an evening, as they were too tired or the weather was too hot.

They still just didn’t achieve that New Year resolution, set nine months ago.

At this point, I start to get a little philosophical.

Stay with me on this.

I truly believe that life should be a positive experience.

I don't believe in regrets, negative talk or beating ourselves up about past choices.

What’s done is done and can never be changed.

Beating ourselves up for something - anything - that is unchangeable is way too destructive for me.

Our current health, body shape, in fact everything about our life, is often a result of our past choices and choices we're currently making.

If we don’t like it, then we need to start making different choices.

TIP.

If you want something you have never had, then you need to start doing something you have never done.

And keep on doing it!

If our current diet does not get results, there are only two choices:

1) Change it.

2) Carry on the same.

The same goes for exercise.

When we step out of the situation and look at it logically rather than emotionally, it really is that simple.

We deserve to be happy and we deserve to be healthy.

But, we have to take responsibility for it.

Every choice we make has an outcome.

Before we make a decision, double check whether you would be happy with the results of that choice.

What's done is done, folks!

Beating yourself up serves no purpose.

Learn from it and move forward.

Learn what doesn't work.

One of the ever-constant things in our lives is Change.

We learn, time moves on, we take opportunities – life is fluid.

I believe that embracing change is key.

Change is good.

Not everything will alter – some stay married to the same person for a lifetime.

Others never leave the town they were born in.

My mother-in-law still has the fridge that they were given as a wedding present 58 years ago.

But, everyone experiences change in some way.

The opposite of change is being stuck.

Stuck in a rut, we say.

That’s awful.

Psychologists tell us that humans are happiest when we feel that we are progressing.

So try this forward-looking new approach on for size.

Our body can look and feel fabulous this season.

But remember these two rules:

• Indulgences and treats for special occasions - YES.

• Living every day like its Christmas and then getting depressed about your weight - NO.

Enjoy treat days to the fullest, and you will see that it will be much easier to refocus.

As you won't have any regrets, you won't have the negative feelings associated to it.

You'll feel empowered and in control of your choices.

Make it happen.

Go change things!