TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
TOO TIRED OR TOO BUSY? HERE’S HOW TO STOP THAT VOICE IN YOUR HEAD FROM TALKING YOU OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT
Just like that, we are on the other side of winter. Spring is in the air, which naturally takes us back outside and gets us motivated to work out after a winter hiatus. Well, for some of us …
A lot of the time we end plans or thoughts of working out before they even have a chance. Humans are pretty damn good at making up excuses and convincing ourselves we should be doing more important things.
Forget the days of needing at least an hour to fit in an effective workout — all you need is 30 minutes of some huff and puff or toning and you’re on your way. Write down what you love doing. Yoga, pilates, spin, Zumba, swimming, running, gym — everyone has their own lock and key to creating a sustainable, enjoyable fitness plan.
There is absolutely no point embarking on a particular program a friend had results with if it doesn’t float your boat.
It’s time to show your mind who is the boss — you know that evil twin that sits on your shoulder and somehow convinces you to take the easy option? We all have one but it’s about how we react and how loud we allow this voice to be heard that matters. Habits create us but ultimately our habits also control us. This is why it’s worthwhile considering who is actually controlling who in the situations where we are backing down from challenging a thought. Awareness is a great virtue around our behaviour patterns so here are a few ways you can ready your mind for welcoming fitness into your life.
DON’T RELY ON FEELING MOTIVATED
If you are waiting for a magical feeling of motivation before you begin a fitness kickstart then you are shot before you start. That evil twin we spoke about earlier will always, always win and want to return to what it knows best — not exercising — if you give it the chance. So be ready to contest this feeling.
TELL YOURSELF IT’S ONLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES
Research has shown that if we give ourselves small goals we are more likely to follow through. Tell yourself you’ll only walk/run/swim/stretch for a couple of minutes. Odds are you will find your groove and want to keep going. This is a trick I often use myself, with fantastic results.
TELL YOURSELF YOU’RE NOT FEELING TIRED
We get so bogged down in life that we forget the difference between mental and physical tiredness. Sure, you might have had a stressful day but usually, this is not enough of an excuse to put a halt on moving your body. Convince yourself you have the energy to workout or do something to change it, such as going to bed earlier.
PERSIST UNTIL A HABIT FORMS
It’s human nature that once the going gets a little tough we return to our comfort zone. Most newly formed habits are just days off taking hold when we give up and say it’s all too hard. Don’t throw the towel in too early — if something isn’t gelling for you then try something else. Getting bored with your morning walk? Try a different route or throw some stairs into the mix.
USE THE WORDS NON-NEGOTIABLE
Become mindful of the voice that wants you to take the low road. View the evil twin as nothing more than a two-year-old having a tantrum. Yep, we do know what is best for us and listening to a toddler for direction on a decision is non-negotiable.