Health is your most precious gift. Fitness is the best medicine around. Do you have the right attitude about it?
Here are a few examples of attitudes that might backfire in your long-term pursuit of fitness.
Attitude #1: All or nothing attitude. You avoid all your favorite food. Depriving yourself of your favorite foods is a surefire way to resent fitness and increase your chance of binge eating. Healthier choices might be needed; you don’t have to give up your favorite foods completely or let yourself be hungry. When it comes to nutrition, focus on the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time you eat really well, and 20% of the time, you indulge a little. The amazing thing is that the healthy eating will seem to taste better and better as you progress. You may get to the 90/10 rule without realizing it.
Attitude #2: You take calorie counting too far. Never let yourself be hungry, but never overeat. Your body is a wonderful machine which lets you know when you need to eat or drink, and lets you know when you are full. Listen to your body and it will automatically adjust your calorie intake based on your exercises.
Attitude #3: You force yourself to do activities you hate.The beauty about fitness is that there isn’t only one way to go about exercising. Allow yourself to explore, discover and experiment with different types of exercises or methods of eating until you find one that works for you. Try new activities, taste new healthy food and see what you like. Just because you are not in a gym or at the pool, it doesn’t mean you can’t improve your fitness. The only requirement is that you stay active and enjoy yourself.
Attitude #4: You tend to avoid social interactions for fear of ruining your diet, or because you need to exercise. Social interactions are an integral part of being happy and leading a fulfilled life. Isolating yourself will not lead to fitness and/or a perfect body. Go out and have a drink or two with no shame. Just keep the big picture in mind. It is only thru social interactions that you will have the support needed to stay on track.
Attitude #5: You want immediate gratification and you quit when it gets tough. It is important to accept that there are going to be obstacles, challenges or perceived failures along the way to any goal. Those who succeed learn from the challenges and get right back on the exercise track. There is always a way to justify a lack of discipline. Don’t make excuses. Often, discipline and will-power are perceived as deprivation: we are sacrificing or losing something. But for a moment,can you imagine it the other way around: every time you work out, do not indulge in a less healthy choice, you are giving yourself something (spiritually, emotionally and physically). Think of that the next time you notice yourself indulging a little too often. Push it away, let go of your excuses. Pick yourself up, stay positive and keep marching on.You are actually giving something to yourself rather than taking something away.
To finish, here are a few motivational quotes which might help you in your pursuit of health, fitness and happiness.
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Winston S Churchill
“We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that certain people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is to play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.And so it is with you… . We are in charge of our ATTITUDES.” Charles Swindoll
“A great attitude becomes a great day which becomes a great month which becomes a great year which becomes a great life.” Mandy Hale