Many start the New Year by signing-up for a gym membership vowing to get into better shape. However, as months pass, gym participation typically declines and memberships are canceled. Why is this the case? A prime reason is because many people lack the proper mindset when it comes to exercise, which eventually leads to a loss of motivation. Here are 5 ways to help establish a healthy mindset on exercise to help with exercise sustainability.
1. Exercise with a mindset of gratitude: Do you dread exercise, see it as a chore, or view it as a form of punishment? Unfortunately, many people approach exercise from at least one of these negative viewpoints and put themselves in a state of resistance.
It’s key to understand that the mind and body are one, so exercising from a negative mindset will only hinder you physically. One helpful way to shift towards a positive mindset is to adopt one of gratitude for your body.
Think about it, no matter where you are right now in life, your body has carried you throughout the years. Why wouldn’t you want to do your part in helping to take care of it?
When you develop a mindset of gratitude you will start to shift the destructive belief that exercise is a chore or punishment. Instead, you will start seeing exercise as a benefit and naturally want to become a good steward of your body.
2. Focus on yourself: With social media playing a major part of our everyday lives, it’s easy to get caught up in another person’s level of fitness through social media.
Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have people who you look up to for motivation or advice, but you shouldn’t use another person’s physique as your measurement of success.
No two people are the same, so it’s important to not compare yourself to others. Your focus should only be on yourself and maximizing your potential.
3. Don’t look for immediate results: We live in instant gratification society where many struggle to commit to something if they do not see instant results. Operating from this type of mindset will not do you any favors when it comes to exercise because it takes time to see results.
In my opinion, it’s best to let your results speak through your increase in strength, endurance, and flexibility.
To be clear, I think it’s fine if you want to track your progress. Just be sure not to obsess over it.
4. Recognize that there’s always room for improvement: There’s nothing wrong with being proud of the “fruit of your labor,” but many will start to regress shortly after noticing progress. No, you shouldn’t exercise to the point where it’s obsessive or harmful, but you need to approach exercise with the mindset that there’s always room for improvement.
Put another way, you want to exercise as a part of a healthy lifestyle, not solely to reach a certain weight or size. When you exercise as a way of life you’re more likely to stay motivated and avoid complacency.
5. Find what works for you: Another reason why so many people lose motivation to exercise is because they engage in exercises they don’t actually like. There’s no way you can stay motivated if you don’t at least somewhat enjoy what you’re doing. So as my last tip, you need to figure out what works for you.
If you despise running on a tread mill then don’t do it. If heavy weight lifting is something you’re not ready for then start where you’re comfortable and work your way up. Maybe playing a sport better suits you. You may prefer swimming, biking, or martial arts, if you give it a try. Maybe engaging in a combination of exercise works best for you.
As you progress, you can take on new and different challenges, but if you are just starting off, it’s best to find something that you don’t mind doing to stay motivated.
Final Thoughts: The purpose of this blog post was to address various ways to transition to a healthier mindset for exercise sustainability. When you operate from a healthy mindset, you’ll be more likely to stay motivated and make exercise a regular part of your life. Mindset is everything, so start today with developing one that puts your body in position to fulfill its purpose, which is to serve you.
“Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.” ~ Steve Maraboli