Not only does exercise change your body, it also changes your mind, attitude and mood.
It can be hard to get motivated when Netflix and your warm bed are calling, but shifting your mindset is all it takes when it comes to making the most out of your workouts and exercise.
The owner of Flow Athletic Ben Lucas shares his top tips on how to shift the way you think about exercise and why mindset matters when it comes to working out.
Do what you love:
Whilst motivation is what gets you started, often it’s a habit that keeps you going. Finding an exercise that works for you, be it HIIT, Pilates or yoga will make habit building so much easier and for all the right reasons.
Consider trying out a range of classes when you are first getting into the swing of things as our bodies and ideas of what we think is fun tend to change over time. When you find what works for you, stick to it but be careful not to overdo it.
For example whilst HIIT can be quite addictive and is one of the best ways to work out the whole body in a comparatively short amount of time, it does demand a lot of the body physically. After all it is called high intensity interval training for a reason.
Too much HIIT can lead to burn out so try to limit yourself to a few classes per week and mix it up with yoga or walks in between.
Connect with others:
Humans are social creatures and social connection is an important determinant of health. In a time when so many of us are bearing the brunt of Covid social distancing and lockdowns, connection is imperative and online group workouts or tag team drills outside is one way to make it happen.
Group workouts can also be a big source of motivation as the collective energy tends to motivate participants to push themselves more than if they were doing the same workout solo.
Ditch Perfectionism:
Perfection is the enemy of progress when it comes to working out. Even if your 10 km run turned into 5 with walking breaks in between, progress is progress and endurance, and stamina builds up with practice.
Channel progress when it comes to working out and not perfection. Set achievable SMART fitness goals, that is goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and anchored within a Time Frame.
Celebrate the small stuff:
Whether you have just mastered a Bulgarian deadlift or you ran around the block without stopping, celebrating the small stuff is the key when it comes to staying motivated and keeping on keeping on.
Embrace the mood boost:
It’s amazing how a morning run can change your day for the better.
When we exercise, not only do we boost the heart rate which increases the rate that blood is pumped around our body, we also reduce our production of stress hormones and release endorphins.
Moving your body is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. Regularly working out often leaves one feeling more focused, motivated and with a sense of accomplishment that you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
Mindset matters when it comes to working out and the more you frame exercise as a positive and active step towards greater fulfillment, confidence and strength the better.