Staying motivated for your health and fitness goals can be tough, especially with sporadic lockdowns and drastic changes in routine over this past year.
However, instead of digging yourself deeper into that hole and beating yourself up wishing you had achieved more, remember that just a simple change in your thinking can make all the difference.
Our thoughts determine our beliefs which impact our feelings. Our feelings influence our actions, which shape our thoughts … and the cycle continues.
Having a positive view of your health and fitness will make a BIG difference in keeping you motivated and on track. This is simply because when we feel good about what we are doing, we are more likely to continue to do it – “I may not be where I need to be now, but I have the ability to get there if I want to.”
Here are some ways in which positive thinking can help you stick to your goals:
1. The greatest obstacle you will face during any fitness goal is yourself
Being positive is much harder than being negative, and consistent negative self-talk will deter you from pursuing anything worthwhile.
Instead of focusing on all the things you have not achieved and how “far away” that end goal is, celebrate the fact that you have chosen to do something positive for your health. Choosing to be healthier and taking steps towards it is a big step, so recognise it.
Matt’s transformation helped him overcome years of depression and addiction.
2. Acknowledge the little wins – no matter how small
It is important to consistently recognise your progress throughout and not just the end goal – this is what keeps us going and what keeps us motivated! Whether it is managing to drink more water, getting more steps on a given day, managing to improve your sleep – these are all small wins that add up to you achieving your ultimate goal.
Sam rebuilt a healthy relationship with food and exercise step by step.
3. Visualise what achieving your goal looks like
When we visualise what we want to achieve and imagine ourselves actually achieving it, it activates the creative powers of the subconscious mind. You will notice new levels of motivation and find yourself doing things you would normally avoid or find hard to do, this will drive you closer to success.
Ajay reached his goal of achieving a body like Brad Pitt in 10 weeks.
4. Your overall outlook on life is important
Do more than just have a positive attitude about your goals, have a positive attitude towards yourself as well. If you want to lose weight or build muscle, you have to believe that you can do all the things you need to do to achieve that. Remember, whether you think you can do it or you can’t, you are right.
A great way to stay in a positive mindset is to list all your achievements at the end of each day. Then set yourself some mini-tasks that are geared towards your goals and tick them off as you go along.
At the end of the week, look at all the things you have done that have brought you one step closer to your ultimate goal. You will feel motivated, and this will set you up to do it all again and remain consistent.
The power of positive change: Emilie’s 30kg (66lbs) transformation story
Emilie had been overweight for most of her life. The countless hours of mental, physical and emotional energy she had expended in this depressing struggle were exhausting.
Emilie had simply had enough. She didn’t want to feel this way anymore and knew something drastic needed to change. Working with Ultimate Performance has been utterly transformative for 33-year-old Emilie.
Physically, she is 30kg (66lbs) lighter and leaner than at any point in her life. But a huge weight has been lifted from her life – she is back on a positive path and feels strong, confident and empowered with self-belief again that she can achieve anything.
Read the full story of Emilie’s life-changing transformation here.
