Mindset the best weapon in your fitness arsenal

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This article was published 10/05/2021 (1932 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

How important is your mindset when it comes to achieving your fitness and nutrition goals?

In my experience as a coach, it’s the greatest weapon in your arsenal. Whether you’re a beginner, a recreational fitness enthusiast or an elite competitive athlete, your mindset can elevate your performance and health or it can become a barrier to success. 

Below are my suggestions for getting out of your own way. Master your mindset with some simple but very effective strategies and unleash your potential. The best part is that once you hone these skills, you can apply them to many different areas of your life.

Improve your inner monologue

Have you ever observed your innermost thoughts at times of stress? What are you saying to yourself? Is it positive? Negative? If you’re always very self-critical, you’re hurting yourself. In the middle of a tough set of squats, a long run or even a bad day that’s tempting you with pizza and chicken wings, you can choose to support yourself instead of beating yourself up. 

Build a library of helpful, positive thoughts to call on and use them when things get tough or you doubt yourself. Over time, these thoughts will become your new default response.Instead of berating yourself and quitting, you’ll be your own biggest cheerleader.

Some examples: “I can do this”; “It’s not that bad – I’ve got this”; and “It’s worth it and I’m going to feel great afterward.” 

Prepare to overcome setbacks

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try or how well prepared you are, things don’t go your way. You might not qualify for that marathon. You might not lose the exact amount of weight you desired. You can choose to wallow in despair or you can focus on what went well, learn from the experience and get better. 

If you adopt the mindset that allows you to move past setbacks and perceived failures, the sky’s the limit. You will never be stuck and will always grow. This, too, takes practise.

Set a time limit on how long you allow yourself to sit with any disappointment, then get to work on your plan to improve. Instead of defeat, you will feel determination. In the end, moving past failures will lead to greater success.

Find small wins

Too often, people focus on one thing to the exclusion of everything else. An example: someone who set a goal of losing 15 pounds and is upset because he or she only lost 10. What a shame it is when someone misses opportunities to celebrate. 

Whenever you feel disheartened or down, take a closer look at everything and search for wins. Are you being a perfectionist and ignoring progress? Are you seeing things in black and white and ignoring everything in between? Are you so focused on one thing that you can’t see anything else?Being positive is an attitude.

Find a reason to feel good about yourself.Whether you’re trying to make some general positive changes or chasing specific goals in the gym and the kitchen, your mindset matters. Improve your mental game and you’ll win more often.

Crystal Kirby-Peloquin is the owner of 204 Lifestyle and CrossFit 204. Email her at crystal@crossfit204.com

Crystal Kirby-Peloquin

Crystal Kirby-Peloquin was a fitness columnist for the Free Press Community Review.

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