by Molly Rausch L1 Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Athletic Trainer
Hello everyone! This week’s “Fitness Tip of the Week” is about how to create a positive workout mindset. When many of us think about fitness, phrases like “feel the burn” or “no pain, no gain” spring to mind. We learn all of these descriptors to fitness that lean toward a more negative connotation. Fitness is all about mindset, so when we use negative descriptors it starts the whole process off on the wrong foot. So how do we flip the script? How do you channel those positive vibes when thinking about fitness?
Spin It
The reality of working out is that you stress the body to make improvements and that can be uncomfortable. Being out of your comfort zone is, well, uncomfortable after all. The cycle we need to try and change is that being uncomfortable isn’t bad. We need to spin it around. Instead of viewing the discomfort of fitness at surface level, we need to remind ourselves of what those sensations really mean. When we exercises, we are making the body stronger, improving sleep, elevating our mood, and helping brain function. I know it’s easier said than done, but focusing on these positive aspects really help change the whole mindset you have to fitness. You have to really buy in though.
There has been a lot of research studies on the power of thought and visualization. Changing your mindset about fitness from negative to positive is a lot about visualization. If you are a person that has a tough time stopping the negative thought cycle about fitness, there are a couple tools that can help spin it to the positive. One tool is creating a reward system. When you complete a workout, do something afterward that makes you happy. Think Pavlov. If you do this consistently, you will begin to associate fitness with happiness, thus creating a positive mindset. A similar tool to incorporate is through correction. If you are thinking about your workout or in the middle of your workout and find yourself in a negative thought cycle, correct the mindset by thinking of three to five positive things about it. Eventually, there will be fewer negative thoughts and they will be replaced with positive ones.
Now what?
Learning to spin it is all well and good, but the most successful tip I can give you about changing to a positive mindset is finding your “why.” WHY? Why did you set the fitness goals you did? What is your driving force? What do you really want to accomplish through working out? You are going to be much more successful if you know why you are working toward a specific fitness goal. It’s like saving money. If you have a concrete reason for why you are saving money (i.e. a down payment on a house, paying off a loan, etc), you are more likely to save and not spend. It’s the same with fitness goals. If you find your why, it’s a lot easier to be positive about fitness. Having certainty as to why you are making yourself uncomfortable makes it a lot easier to be successful in your journey.
If you have any questions on this topic, please feel free to contact me at mrausch@healthworksfitness.com or leave a comment below!
Molly’s Fitness Tip of the Week 