Learning to love exercise - Fitness ideals vs real rewards - Stay focused
published: Wednesday | July 16, 2003
Selena Deleon – THE WORKOUT
RECORD YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
SO WE know that sticking to an exercise programme has many physiological and psychological benefits. Stress causes rumination, exercise is a positive distraction. When you have a plan, you feel less vulnerable. The time that you set aside to step back from life and do something for yourself has a profound impact on your psyche, it puts you in control of your mind and body, and automatically causes you to worry less. Taking control of your body can be empowering and can give you the confidence to change other areas of your life. This is very rewarding but may not be as useful in terms of motivation. To motivate yourself it is good to keep a record. Just as a Food Diary is invaluable in showing what you eat and drink, a record of what you have achieved in your exercise week is a testament to your progress and will provide motivation to keep you going in difficult times. It is also good to write down how you feel wherever possible, this is good because you can start to see what you enjoy and what does and doesn't work for you. With this you can format your plan accordingly.
VISUALISE
When you are finding it hard to stick to your plan, try and remember your ultimate goal and visualise yourself achieving it. Imagine the satisfaction you will feel on completion of your plan and use this image to encourage you to make this vision a reality. At times, it is easy to get despondent about reaching that ultimate goal, and those same images that you would like to make your goal, can seem unachievable and leave you feeling exasperated and disheartened. Making progress in changing your body is sometimes slow-going. What is important is that you stay focused on your individual progress and the small rewards that become evident along the way. Stepping up your dumbbell weight at the gym, increasing your running or jogging speed, adding another mile, lasting through to the end of that aerobics class, or just pushing yourself a little further every time you workout are all rewards in themselves. Be aware of those mini-rewards and help yourself to stay focused on your individual progress every week. The fitness journey is an uphill one, and like many other goals in life, there are obstacles. Don't let feelings of despair derail you from your own progress, turn the images around, change your attitude and keep going forward.
REWARD
Once you have started your exercise diary and you achieve your monthly target or short term goal it is important to reward yourself. Maybe there is a new pair of shoes you have seen, or you could have a manicure, get your hair done or go to a movie. Avoid using unhealthy mediums as rewards, such as unhealthy food or alcohol. Build the reward into your plan for extra motivation. Remember it is not just material rewards that will motivate you, others will notice the change in your body and feel proud of your achievements and commitment. Making the time to work out improves the quality of your day by improving the way that you feel. Having a good exercise week gives you more energy to do everything else and gives your mind the power to deal with it all now that's rewarding. Nothing that is worthwhile is ever easy. If you start out by telling yourself that you hate exercising, then you are doomed to failure. Make up your mind that exercise is as important to you and as necessary as taking a shower. Yes, there are some days that we don't even feel like doing that, but once you make the effort and put yourself under that water, you feel much better afterwards. It may be the feeling that you get after working out that keeps you going back to the gym, and not the act of exercising itself, that's okay, the after-effects of exercise are just as addictive as the exercise. Some days are better than others, so don't beat yourself up if you are sluggish once in a while, give your body a chance to communicate. In pursuing any goal, the importance of having a good mental attitude is essential to succeeding; by improving your attitude towards exercise, you will quickly realise how it can affect your energy levels and so many other areas of your life! You will also learn how to set yourself up for success by developing a vision of your life as you want it. Visualise your healthy body in the future! Love what your body can do day by day and appreciate the energy that you create.
