Today is the day! You have finally decided to make that body transformation you always wanted. Are you feeling a little déjà vu? I know, I know, you have been here before, but this time it's going to be different. You have the perfect plan, the perfect gym -- everything's perfect. Wait! Isn't that what you said last time?
I want you to stop for one second, take a deep breath and ask yourself, "Why do I always start off with good intentions and wind up with fatter thighs?"
Don't despair, the two hardest things pertaining to fitness are starting a program and sticking with that program. So you got the first part down, now how do you get over that hump? What is stopping you from following through? Why can't you wear skinny jeans, or have a perfectly etched mid-section that is reminiscent of a Greek God? Why, Why, Why? I will let you in on a little secret: If you really are going to make it happen this time then you need to make sure your mind and body are in sync.
You can have the most expensive workout program in the world, personally written for you by the greatest fitness guru in the world, but it's not worth the paper it's written on if you are not properly motivated or mentally prepared to execute it. A perfect example of this would be celebrities. We all know who these people are. They can afford every luxury in the world, some of them have million dollar gyms built in their homes, plus expensive trainers and home chefs and they still can't stick with a program. They are always going from one extreme to the next, fat to skinny, skinny to fat, muscle to geek, geek to muscle. The bottom line is that despite all the wealth and amenities, they rarely find that balance between the body and mind that will help them achieve an maintain their personal transformation.
A strong mind is your best ally in succeeding at anything you do; especially a permanent physical change. The first thing anyone who strives to make a positive physical transformation has to do is reprogram their brain to follow and embrace a completely new way of life; a fitness lifestyle. All of a sudden, eating healthy and working out on a consistent basis becomes a part of your daily regimen. That is a not an easy feat, especially if your only form of exercise the last ten years has been lifting food into your car through the fast food drive thru window. Seriously though, no matter how weak or strong your mind is, there will be those times when you just don't want to get out of bed or your car mysteriously breaks down and you can't get to the gym. That same car might for some strange reason veer right into an all you can eat Chinese buffet that has you smack in the middle of an egg roll eating contest.
No matter what obstacles you encounter, just know that we are all human. As time goes on, your motivation to maintain your lifestyle changes might hit the skids a little bit. That is normal. You might even be tempted to slide back into your old ways on a full time basis. Believe me when I tell you that I have days when I'll grab some ice cream or a slice of pizza or skip a workout because I would rather do anything but at that moment. It's ok to let down your guard at times. The point is, you experience a little bump in the road, but don't swerve in another direction. You get back on the road immediately and work even harder the next day. Don't set yourself up for failure again! Don't let these obstacles take over your mind. Exercise your mind so that you're able to battle everything and anything that comes your way. This time, you are going to finish what you start. Your journey to your personal transformation is going to be a successful one. Here are six tips to add that mind power you need to succeed.
Six Tips To Exercise Your Mind:
1. Only use positive words when talking. If you're constantly telling yourself "I can't," you may convince yourself that's the truth. Replace those negative words with positive ones! Tell yourself you will do your best or that you will try your hardest instead.
2. Use words that evoke strength and success. Try filling your thoughts with words that make you feel strong, happy and in control of your life. Make a concentrated effort to focus on these words rather than those that make you feel like you are failing or incompetent.
3. Practice positive affirmation. This means you repeat a positive phrase to yourself on a regular basis like "I deserve to be fit" or "I am worthy of love." Believing that these things are true and reminding yourself of it can help give you a more positive outlook on life.
4. Believe you will succeed. There is nothing like believing in yourself to create a successful reality. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt and believe that you will succeed at fulfilling your goals. Block out all of the negativity and clean house when it comes to less-than-positive friends.
5. Analyze what went wrong. Give yourself some time to think about the things that led up to your current situation so you can avoid future mistakes and look toward a more positive tomorrow.
6. Mentally focus on your "personal goal." If you surround yourself with positive people, you have a much better chance of succeeding. Having some positive support will help make you stronger mentally.