The hardest part in this fitness game is losing motivation, falling off the wagon and starting all over again. But, it happens. Life happens. We lose motivation. Or we have an injury or health setback and BOOM our weight is back again. It’s frustrating but giving up completely won’t make it any easier and for sure won’t get you to your health goals.
Here are just a few ways to prioritize your fitness so it becomes second nature.
1. Time Block
Time blocking is how I run my day. I couldn’t get half as much done without simple time blocking and daily planning. It’s not just a great way to organize your tasks, it’s a phenomenal way to prioritize the most important things such as your health.
Just as we time block our work hours during the day, our hair appointments and dinner dates it’s just as important to schedule in your workouts and even your eating schedule.
Before you start your week, write your agenda on a weekly calendar and be sure to schedule in 30 minutes to an hour 5-7 days for your health. This includes your workouts and your active rest opportunities. The best place to start is to determine the numbers before you write your agenda. For example, if you plan on working out five days per week, also determine your meal intakes or at least have a one to three hour window of when you may eat. This should also be the same time everyday so your body gets into the habit of eating at that time everyday.
I truly think this is my greatest secret to staying lean. Timing my meals. Doing this will help you limit overeating and under-eating. It’s highly crucial to fuel your muscles with good wholesome food when dieting. Undereating won’t help you gain lean muscle and lean muscle is what you need to burn fat even at rest! So be sure to time block your workouts and your meals!
2. Affirmations & Visualization
“Visualization helps you “practice” success,” MindTools. By doing this you are making your subconscious work for you not against you. By imagining every step of an event or activity going well you get your mind and body ready to take those steps in real life.
“Your subconscious mind is the part of your brain which does everything you are not conscious of – everything from accessing memories to tying your shoelaces,” The Power of Visualization. Just imagine the effects of your eating habits if you’ve been going on autopilot. Your subconscious has been controlling the game! So make sure you’re coaching yourself by visualizing each successful step along the way. Waking up fueling yourself with a full glass of water, eating a healthy fueled breakfast, eating your prepped meals during your sequenced timing, ending your day with a nourishing and healthy dinner.
“Your subconscious mind makes everything you say and do fit a pattern consistent with your self-concept, your “master program.This is why repeating positive affirmations are so effective — you can actually reprogram your own thought patterns by slipping in positive and success-oriented sound bites,” Subconscious Mind Power Explained by Brian Tracy.
Write affirmations that relate to your desired goal. Everyone is different so maybe it’s as simple as writing, I am healthy and strong. Maybe, you have more selective goals such as I am lean and athletic. I am happy, confident, flexible and at peace with my body. The options are endless and the effects are incredibly favorable to get you to your goals.
Control your mindset by time blocking when you’ll be putting 5-10 minutes away for effective subconscious training. Studies show before you go to bed and right when you wake up is the best time to visualize and write affirmations.
3. Journaling
Journaling helps us break through our habitual patterns to discover our true power. Journaling is a similar technique just like writing affirmations and visualization. Journaling your success and even your hiccups is a great way to end self sabotage. You can write your affirmations before or after your journaling too. It doesn’t have to be a separate task!
I recommend journaling every day using an automatic writing technique, which means to write anything and everything that comes into your mind without stopping and / or censoring what comes out. It’s a helpful way to see your triggers especially if you are one that allows your cravings and overeating to get the best of you. Simple awareness will take you a long way.
4. Progress Photos
Progress photos are not just used to select a winner during a fitness challenge. These photos are so you can see your true progress. The scale won’t give you accurate numbers of what your body has truly accomplished. Be sure to take before and after photos whenever you start a new fitness venture even if it’s challenging at first. If you stick to your game plan, follow your diet, rewire your mind with the techniques above your body will inevitably change. If you don’t have progress pictures you may get discouraged along the way trying to justify why you gained a pound. Your body burns approximately six calories per hour per pound of muscle and two calories per hour per pound of fat. So you may be putting on muscle when you see the scale fluctuate. To see your true progress you should be taking progress photos.
5. Accountability
Accountability is a helpful way to keep your fitness goals on track. This can be done through one of our 30 Day Challenges, with a coach or training partner.
As you strive to reach your goals you want to be held accountable for your actions. Before you begin it’s also important to define a specific target. By setting a specific goal, tracking your progress and asking for accountability will greatly improve your motivation levels and chances of reaching your fitness goals.
References:
Visualization, Imagining – and Achieving – Your Goals. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_81.htm
“Mastering The Subconscious Mind With Creative Visualization”. The Power of Visualization. Copyright © www.Power-of-Visualization.com, a Personal Development Planet website | All rights reserved.
Subconscious Mind Power Explained, Brian Tracy International. © Copyright 2001-2021 Brian Tracy International. All Rights Reserved: https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/understanding-your-subconscious-mind/
