Humans tend to do only as much as they absolutely need to, minimising time and energy whenever possible. This mindset helped us survive as a species. However, times have changed and without a different approach, our ease of access to high-calorie, unhealthy foods leads to one path only, that of an early grave.
Although advancing us in many ways, this “ease” of life and a path of least resistance, cements us to yesterday’s solutions/answers, limiting any new potential trying to express. This is when it backfires turning a positive into a negative.
This is also the point at which our mad-mind chatter kicks in (the reptilian, monkey brain, with its bag of fears does not want to lose control) and the fitness excuses start flying.
Not enough time, too intimidating at the gym, too expensive, too hard, not good enough, too stressed, sick, injured, tired – so many negative Nellies step to the plate providing fodder for our fears.
When it comes to working out, we have now moved into dangerous mind territory – our excuse mindset. However, with conscious effort, we can overcome this negative tendency to fall prey to our old worn-out excuses and distorted beliefs.
Here are some steps that help move us past our sedentary “excuse mindset” and into positive activity.
Evaluate priorities:
Until health and the many benefits provided by physical activity are placed high on our list of priorities, any effort we put forth will fall short. The first thing we need to confront ourselves with is where our health and an active lifestyle fit into our personal value system. Good mental and physical health should be number one on everyone’s list. They allow us to enjoy all the other conditions and gifts that life generously provides.
Focus and take stock:
Focusing inward and taking stock of our own voice and the messages continually sent to ourselves is a mandatory step towards recognising what is holding us back. Once we come to terms with this negative influence/thought/belief, we can then shift these negative thoughts to a positive mindset.
We need to challenge ourselves and our behaviour. Having honest, personal conversations with ourselves helps to reveal a lot. “Why don’t I want to exercise, what excuse is getting in the way?” “What is preventing me from eating better?” “Where do we currently sit in life” and “where do we want to be” are all examples of questions, we should be asking ourselves and answering with integrity and honesty.
Expand our current perceptions:
We cannot change our actions until we address our perceptions because our actions are a direct result of our perceptions.
Exercise will improve a multitude of physical and mental conditions. It lowers the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease and reduces the chances that dementia and Alzheimer’s disease will get hold of our minds. Comparing how we feel before exercising and after exercising helps us relate better to the positive feelings connected to exercise while eliminating the negative ones.
We may not have the power to change all things, but we do have the power to change our perceptions. Change our perceptions and our lives follow suit.
Check the attitude:
Getting our workout routine in has a much better chance with a “get to” attitude rather than a “have to or must-do” attitude. Have-to triggers feelings of drudgery while get-to elicits excitement and positive feelings.
Honour the dates:
This one is an offshoot of our priority list. Once we eliminate the negative statements that have been sabotaging our efforts to work out, our next step is to be consistent. All successes in life, whether fitness related or not, have consistent action steps behind them.
We always put important dates on our calendars and our exercise routine should be treated as an important appointment, honoured, and kept consistently.
Fitness is like a relationship; you can’t cheat and expect it to work.
Have realistic expectations:
Exercise works. However, having unrealistic expectations when beginning a workout routine is a sure invitation to failure/quit. Your body did not arrive in the state it currently is, overnight, and neither will it shift to a healthier version overnight. It is not about taking one big leap – it is about realistic baby steps, about adopting lifestyle strategies that lead to your health and fitness goals. Tenacity, persistence and consistency pay off and provide a true sense of accomplishment. These are the keywords that lead to success in all things, including stellar health and fitness.
Skip the short-term success idea and reach for long-term sustainability because that’s where true success lies.
Stop expecting the external world to change for you. Look only to yourself - to your inner powers…that’s where the controls are.
One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.
* Carolyn Hansen is co-owner of Anytime Fitness
