Shape Up Your Mindset

Do you feel like you’ve tried numerous tactics to get in shape and lose weight, but nothing has worked? Have you spent hundreds of dollars on equipment, memberships, and services only to call it quits after a few weeks? Well, you’re not alone. Studies indicate that 50% of people starting an exercise program call it quits within the first 6 months.

Obviously the desire to make a change for the better is there; otherwise we wouldn’t have dusty treadmills in the basement or inactive gym memberships.  The problem that I’ve found from my experience as a fitness professional is not that there is a lack of awareness; the average person is aware that daily exercise and a balanced diet is important for good health, but the dilemma is that there is a lack of motivation and the correct mindset for success.

So how do you program your mind for success?

• Be in tune with your fears
• Set goals
• Be held accountable and find positive reinforcement
• Practice positive thinking

Be in tune with your fears

Studies suggest that a person’s self-perception plays a critical role in exercise adherence and motivation. This theory is based on psychologist Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory. According to Bandura, one must feel confident in his or her abilities in order to succeed. This is better known as self-efficacy.

There are many situations in life that can damage one’s self-perception. Attempting to get in shape, but failing to do so can create negative associations with exercise and diet, past injuries can create fear of further damage or flare up, and unfamiliarity can cause one to feel uneasy or afraid of embarrassment.

All of these situations have one thing in common. Fear. Fear is debilitating. It will hold you back from new experiences that could be liberating. Why limit your own potential?  Often times, fear and doubt creeps in whenever we start to dream about the possibilities. “I could do that! Oh, wait, but….” 

Being aware of a negative thought is the first step toward positive thinking.  Pay attention to how you talk to yourself. What you believe about yourself and your abilities will affect the outcome.

Set Goals

Discover your intrinsic reason to get in shape by going deeper than “outside” reasons. Outside reasons include feel better, lose weight, prevent disease, feel good in my clothes, etc. An outside reason is what the media tells us exercise can do. It is the “known.” In order to adopt a healthy lifestyle once and for all I urge you to search for the “unknown.” I call the motivating factors that drive you “inside reasons, “ because the spark of motivation is internal. It may be deep within, but with enough searching and prodding you have the ability to find it.

These “inside reasons” may stem from passion like the desire to look beautiful and fit on one’s wedding day, because it’s a significant moment in life; or fear, which could also be the desire to look beautiful and fit on one’s wedding day, but it’s due to fear of what their friends will think about their weight gain since college. 

Fear isn’t always negative. Sometimes it can supply the fuel you need to take the first step towards a healthy lifestyle change. Allow both passion and fear to drive you as long as it’s in a positive direction.

If you’re having trouble figuring out what motivates you try this exercise:

Make a list of all outside reasons: Have more energy, feel more confident in a bathing suit, etc.

Next, draw a few branches off each statement and write how it will directly affect your life. “If I feel more confident in a bathing suit I will finally book a vacation to Puerto Rico.” “If I have more energy I could help coach my kid’s soccer league next fall.” 

Then, use all 5 senses to visualize how you would feel doing those things. Make the vision as vivid as possible. See how happy your child is learning a new game with your help; imagine lying on a sunny beach and feeling good about your body.

Finally, turn those “ifs” into “when.” Congratulations, you now have a goal set. It’s time to get after it.

Be held accountable and find positive reinforcement

Research indicates that social support from a loved one is highly associated with exercise adherence. Seek out a support unit. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Once you have your goal set tell your friends, family, and even your co-workers. Let it be known that you are planning to eat healthier or start a regular exercise

program.

It’s important that you feel enthusiastic about your goals and show it when informing others about your new plan. Avoid saying things like, “Oh man, I’m going to have to eat healthier; no happy hour for me. It’s such a bummer.” This tone will cause others to match your mood and be down in the dumps with you. This creates a negative connotation. Remember, we want it to be a positive experience. Make sure you’re actually into it before you recruit others. Don’t take them down with you.

On the flip side, even the strongest flame can be extinguished by gusty cold winds. Try to surround yourself with others who are positive and supportive. Perform your workouts in an environment where you feel comfortable and can gain positive reinforcement whether it’s in the form of a motivating exercise class or simply attending a gym with a friendly staff.

When you’re excited about your new fitness goals your friends or significant other may be motivated to join you. Studies show that just observing someone else exercise can motivate them to do the same.

 Ask a friend or your spouse to join you. It’s beneficial, because it holds you both accountable. If you make plans with a close friend to meet at the gym or go grocery shopping for healthy items you are less likely to cancel. Make a pact to hold each other accountable to reach your individual goals.

Another method that influences program adherence is setting up “check in dates” with your workout buddy. Make a plan to email one another each week noting your progress and what you would like to improve upon for next week. Just knowing that you are going to have to check in with someone can strongly motivate you to adhere to your exercise and diet plan, because you will want to show improvement week after week and receive positive reinforcement.

Practice Positive Thinking

I think I can, I think I can. This short mantra goes a long ways. There will be ups and downs along the way towards your ultimate fitness goal. Don’t waste precious energy on negative or counterfactual thinking (imagining what could have been).

A study in the Sports Psychologist discovered that 79.9% of participants reported upward counterfactual thinking- focusing on how things could have been better. The results concluded that upward counterfactual thinking had a negative affective response influencing motivation, training intensity, and promoting guilt.  The bottom line is to accept the outcome, learn from the experience, appreciate the opportunity, and move on towards improvement.

There’s no question about it, we all want to increase the quality of our lives. The real question is, “where do you begin?” Remember to start at square one- shape up your mindset- how you think about your body, goals, and the process first. Your body will start to catch on.

Sources

Bandura, A. (1992) Exercise of personal agency through the self-efficacy mechanisms. In R. Schwarzer (Ed.), Self-efficacy: Thought control of action. Washington, DC: Hemisphere

Trost, S.G., et al. 2002. Correlates of adults’ participation in physical activity: Review and update. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34(12), 1996-2001.

Whaley, D.E. & Schrider, A.F. 2005. The process of adult exercise adherence: Self- perceptions and competence. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 148-63.

Dray, Katie. Uphill, Mark. A survey of athletes’ counterfactual thinking: Precursors, prevalence, and consequences. Sport & Exercise Psychology Review. Vol 5. No 1. 2009. EBSCO. Web 8 May 2010.

Santrock, John. Life-Span Development. 11th Ed. McGraw Hill. New York, New York. 2008.