You probably equate getting fit with working out in the gym and eating healthy foods, which makes it seem purely physical, but the truth is, fitness is mental. That’s right. Getting fit starts first in the mind, long before the physical side is even started. In order to be successful, it requires perseverance and mental toughness. It takes determination. That’s why approaching it as a goal makes more sense. Goals define what you want to achieve, plus provide a path to achieve it and a way to measure success.
To be successful physically, you have to identify it clearly mentally.
What do you really want? Do you want to lose ten pounds? Feel great again? Increase your energy? Those are all ways people identify their version of fitness. It has to be something achievable, measurable and really important to you. Looking like a specific movie star may not be possible, but becoming the best you is. You need a strong reason to and goal to keep you going when the road gets rough.
How will you keep that mental power going?
One reason you track your progress and set goals is to boost your motivation. Seeing progress is extremely important to sticking with any program. It keeps you focused and motivated to stick with it, even when it’s tough. Don’t just use weight loss as a measurement. Use inches lost, energy gained, amount of weight you can lift or distance you can run. I’ve worked with people who wanted to get fit to help relieve back or joint pain. They tracked their fitness by hours without pain and eventually days without pain.
Ask yourself if you really want that last slice of pie.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean depriving yourself of all the unhealthy foods. You can still eat that occasional piece of pie or bag of chips. It just means making smart food decisions most of the time. Ask yourself before you eat high calorie food that have limited nutrition whether you really want that particular food. It’s extremely important when you first start, especially if you eat a lot of sugar. Sugar is highly addictive, so you might find you crave it. That’s when the mental side kicks in and helps you skip it until eating healthy becomes a habit.
- Getting fit means forming new habits. One of those is drinking more water. If you normally drink sugary soft drinks, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you drink water and how much easier it is to lose weight, particularly if you drink them often throughout the day.
- Planning is important when you get fit. It means including your workout in your schedule and planning meals ahead of time, so you aren’t tempted to grab carryout.
- Your attitude is extremely important as you work toward fitness. Focus on enjoying your workout and healthy eating habits, rather than on the negative.
- Speaking of enjoyment, consider getting a fitness partner. It’s more fun to workout with someone, which is why group sessions are so popular. Sharing goals and successes with another person helps you stick with a program and be even more successful.