How to change your mindset about exercise
Do you see exercise as a chore? Do you get a burst of motivation but after one week it’s disappeared and you can’t find the energy to get up and get back to it?
What if I told you you can change this by doing some work on your mindset?
I am a huge advocate for working on your mindset in conjunction with creating a better lifestyle for yourself whether that includes changing your body or not.
You might have a toxic relationship with exercise because you’ve only ever seen it as a punishment for eating “too much”, or to earn your food, or to get as skinny as possible because that’s what society deems acceptable.
And although changing your mindset about exercise might not be easy it is possible and it is so worth it.
Here are my top tips on how you can change your mindset about exercise and see it as something that adds to your life!
1. Focus on the benefits
Don’t look at exercise as a punishment or a way to earn calories. Look at it from the point of view that exercise is a benefit to your physical and mental health.
As well as helping to improve your fitness, heart health and strength, exercise also helps with reducing stress, improving your cognitive function and improving your overall mood. There’s so much good stuff to be had!
2. Do what you enjoy
If you dread going to the gym because you force yourself to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes every time then I have no doubt your motivation will soon run dry! It’s KEY to find something you actually enjoy doing.
Whether that’s swimming, weight training, dancing, hiking, or cycling. There are so many options out there and you’re not just limited to one. Once you find a few things you like to do, exercise will feel like less of a chore and more like fun!
3. Set realistic goals
Say you have decided to embark on your fitness journey and you tell yourself you wanna exercise 5 times per week. Honestly, it’s not a realistic goal because what usually happens is you go for it for the first few weeks, and then you burn yourself out.
How about starting with 3 times per week? This gives you time and space to work up to that 5 times per week if that’s your ultimate goal. It makes exercise seem like less of a burden too and creates space in your life to do other things.
Remember, setting smaller achievable goals with help you stay focused and on track longer.
4. Get your friends involved
One way to make exercise more enjoyable and an extra way to keep yourself accountable is to do it with a friend. You could work out at the gym together or even join a group fitness class where you’ll make new friends who will have the same interest in improving their health and wellness too. You can also motivate each other!
5. Be gentle with yourself, always
Last but certainly not least is to be kind to yourself and remember that perfection is not the aim here. If one week you miss a workout or two that’s okay. Everyone has days off here and there. Focusing on the progress you’re making over time and sticking to your overall routine will propel you further than sticking so rigidly to your routine will.
If you’d like some further guidance on your mindset, exercise and how the two together are an unstoppable force, I can help.
Mindset is a key part of my 1:1 coaching because low motivation and bad days are inevitable but it’s through working on your mindset that you’ll be more well-equipped to deal with those days.
You can find out more and apply here for my 1:1 coaching, or if you have any questions just drop me a message over on Instagram!
