Psychology Tips for Fitness Success

Original Post written by Austin Nicoson, Certified Personal Trainer in Houston, TX

Beginning a new fitness journey can be intimidating; we’ve all been there. And to make matters tougher, the results you’re working towards won’t usually be seen for weeks or even months after you start. No wonder so many people give up on their fitness aspirations. But that doesn’t have to be you! By understanding a bit about our psyche, you can utilize a few techniques to significantly improve your likelihood of success.

Self-Talk

Arguably most important, our self-talk consists of the words and thoughts we use to describe our situations. Our “internal dialogue”, if you will. Often times we revert to thinking of the worst case scenario; “No way I can lose 5lbs, I’ve always been fat.” It’s important to put a positive spin on our self-talk and say things like “I can lose 5lbs, I’ve faced tough challenges before & been successful, like the time I…” In the first example, you’re shutting down the possibility of success. Your mind stops searching for ways to achieve your goals & settles with the idea of failure. Restating examples of past victories reinforces your confidence and boosts your self-esteem! The optimism in your self-talk will create a sense of possibility, which will train your mind to seek opportunities for achievement! With all of this together, you can stick to your game plan when things get tough, notice small achievements to boost confidence, & ultimately have success in fitness.

Reframing

Going hand-in-hand with self-talk, reframing is the process of changing your perspective of a situation and eliminating irrational thoughts. In particular, referring to your perspective of failure. And unfortunately we tend to have an irrational fear that failure is likely to happen, even if no evidence suggests so. But in order to succeed, you must accept it as a possibility. Physically, it’s the point of (near) failure that forces our bodies to adapt; grow bigger, stronger, faster. Psychologically, it’s failure that teaches us the most about how to do something better; more efficiently. As Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed, I’ve simply found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. Emotionally, it’s failure that builds the resiliency of our character. Through failure, we test the strength of our will, and simultaneously train it to become stronger. Reframing failure as a positive learning experience will create a stronger mindset for challenges in the long run.

Prioritizing

Feeling overwhelmed is probably the number one emotion we have when starting anything new. When you’re staring at the journey ahead, it’s tough to see the end. But breaking down large goals into smaller, action-based goals with a shorter timeline will help significantly towards your success. For example, instead of focusing on losing 20lbs in 3 months, focus on not eating any fast food for the next two weeks. You’ve now given yourself a very realistic, action-based, time-sensitive goal to accomplish. Setting your priorities on smaller goals that create habits for success will take away much of your confusion and feelings of being overwhelmed. You’ll also build up momentum and confidence in your abilities along the way. Be honest with yourself and think of the biggest problems you’ll likely face, then decide on a series of small goals that will address each of those problems. Each goal should follow the SMART method:

Specific – what is it exactly you’d like to achieve? When? Where? How?

Measurable – how will you measure whether or not you achieved your goal?

Attainable – is this something you can realistically accomplish in the near future?

Relevant – is this goal going to significantly help you achieve your bigger aspirations?

Timely – give yourself a realistic deadline to accomplish your goal, making sure you’re on track for your long-term success.

There you have it! Just a few things you can begin thinking about as you setoff on your journey. The fear we feel as we begin something new is really just the fear of the unknown. But if a game plan is put into place, with a realistic timeline, and checkpoints along the way to stay accountable, then you’ve taken out the guesswork! Sure, not everything will go as planned. But at least you’ll be able to address any problems along the way, view them as learning tools, and simply adjust accordingly. These tips will give you a reassurance in your abilities, boost your confidence, and make it much more likely that you’ll have success!

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Contact Austin today to schedule a risk-free personal training session. If you are looking to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your overall quality of life, a RightFit Personal Trainer will help you set and achieve your health and fitness goals.