Mind Over Matter
"WHETHER YOU THINK YOU CAN OR YOU THINK YOU CAN'T; YOU'RE RIGHT."
- HENRY FORD
When it comes to starting a fitness journey, mindset is EVERYTHING. It is your make or break when it comes to success. The way in which you set yourself up will determine whether you will stick to your journey, or whether you'll quit 2 weeks in.
The mistake that most people make when starting a fitness journey is jumping in with an all or nothing mindset. They go in, guns blazing, and speed from 0 to 100. But then they fall off the wagon - because 100% is not sustainable for very long.
Going in at 100% is setting yourself up for failure. That's because you'll find yourself overwhelmed quite quickly. Once you get overwhelmed, you're likely to give it up all together. Taking small steps and focusing on a long-term journey rather than losing 20lbs in one month is way more realistic, and likely to result in overall success.
Here are 3 tips to help you start:
START SMALL:
Rather than coming in with the all-or-nothing mindset, start small. Instead of cutting your calories to 1,200 or tracking macros right away, start by downloading MyFitnessPal and tracking your food for a week. Don't change what you eat and don't leave anything out (sauces and drinks included). This will show you what you are currently putting into your body. Once you do this, you'll be able to recognize patterns, deficiencies, and excesses. If you notice that you're over-consuming sugar, opt for an iced coffee with caramel instead of a caramel frappuccino the next time that you are at Starbucks.
PROTEIN:
If you're looking to improve your nutrition, start by focusing on your protein intake rather than all three macronutrients at once. Most people are at least moderately lacking in their protein intake, which is a big reason they see less progress than they'd like. Calculate your protein goal, and try to hit it consistently for 2 weeks. Once you do this, you can start gearing your focus on tracking another macronutrient (fats or carbs) in addition to protein. Do this for 2 weeks as well. Then add in the last macronutrient for full macro tracking.
HAVE PATIENCE:
One of the biggest reasons that people give up on their fitness journey is a lack of patience. These days, diet culture makes us think that it's possible to lose 15 lbs in one month. But truth is - it's not. Results take time and progress is not always linear.
One of the biggest factors in ensuring you will be successful is to work on building patience. Even if you don't see results for a few weeks or even a few months, KEEP GOING. Results will come eventually - and possibly in different ways than you may think.
