The words you feed your mind are as important as the fuel you use to feed your body. We all know the importance of the number of servings of vegetables and fruit we should have in a day, or the amount of daily exercise, but did you know that the way you think affects your progress in your wellness journey? Self-talk is what we say to ourselves on a daily basis. Think of it like a staff meeting with yourself. These words we say to ourselves are the most important words we will hear, as they become what we believe. Positive self-talk and mindset play an integral role in our success. Remember the children’s story of the Little Engine that Could? When the engine switched his thinking to “I know I can”, he made it up the hill. Your mental preparation will assist in dealing with training motivation, personal goal setting, and dealing with obstacles such as injuries and plateaus. Bonnie Rooney, a well known registered dietician, says, “Our actions and behaviors are strongly influenced by our thoughts and what we believe to be true about ourselves. If we mentally perceive ourselves as active and enjoy healthy eating, we are much more likely to partake in those activities and turn them into habits which will affect our overall health and well being”.
Ready to train your brain to achieve your goals? Try implementing these techniques:
1.) Visualize– Visualize what a healthy version of you would look and feel like. How would you feel doing new and fun activities? Also visualize obstacles you may encounter along the way and how you invision yourself overcoming such obstacles. For example, how would you handle if you overslept and missed your workout or didn’t have time to prepare your usual healthy breakfast? Would you just skip the workout all together or would you find the time to sneak it in throughout the day? Would you go back to fast food for breakfast or look for another quick healthy alternative?
2.) Patience– Rewiring the brain to a positive mindset takes time and patience, just as building strength and weight loss take time. Slow and steady really does win this race. Small daily affirmations and changes will add up to large gains over time.
3.) Strive for Progress not Perfection– Focus daily on the things you are doing well. Maybe you ate more vegetables or got a full 8 hours of sleep. Center your attention on the things that are moving you in the right direction.
4.) Set Realistic Goals– When it comes to weight loss or performance goals, focusing too much attention on a number can sometimes lead one down a discouraging path. By focusing on events that you can control, you will be more successful achieving goals in a positive manner. Lets say you are trying to lose weight- if you turn your attention to portion sizes and a well balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats and whole grains, you will find success. Utilizing factors all within your control, the end result becomes more predictable. After all, you can’t control what the scale says, but you can control the amount of veggies you consume. By identifying and working on the control factors, you will indirectly lead yourself down the path to success.
The mind is a powerful tool that we can use to our advantage if we are willing to train it just as we train our muscles. Pamela Peeke, MD author of Fit to Live says, ” If you want to succeed at weight loss you need to cut the mental fat and that will lead to cutting waistline fat. Look at patterns and habits in your life that you are dragging around with you that get in the way of success”. Stop holding yourself back from being the best version on yourself. Get out of your own way and instead be your own cheerleader. Fill your mind with belief in yourself and your abilities. Venus Williams once stated, “I feel that I owe my own success to myself, and found that confidence can be learned and developed. The fact is, you can train your mind to believe in your own self-worth.” You can do it! Looking for assistance in your positive wellness journey? Contact fitwithshaver.com