Get your head in gear son!!
I wanted to talk about what I consider to be the MOST important aspect of training and nutrition. I believe that MINDSET is crucial to achieving any goal you set yourself.
Over the years I have witnessed some awesome achievements with my clients, myself, gym members and the like. One thing all these people had in common was a clear goal and vision in their mind of how they wanted to look and feel.
Before I begin any weight loss program or muscle gaining program with a client, I always encourage clients to try to visualize how they want to be in the long run. I want them to see themselves in their minds eye, just as they envisage their best selves. I want them to think about how it will feel once they achieve this, how they will look, how others will perceive them, what people will say about them, how they will feel walking down the beach on holiday etc etc.
I want them to try and feel this way every day, its something that takes a bit of practice, but its a very powerful tool to use. You can almost see peoples faces light up when they imagine how they will look and feel.
Its important so set a clear goal from the start. Some of the best results I have had with clients over the years are from women who are set to be married, or who are going away on holiday and will be in a bikini on the beach. Different things motivate different folks, so you have to find what it is that motivates you personally. If you are motivated by money, get a bet placed with someone who doesn’t believe you can achieve your goal.
Lets say you are going to a party in a couple of months and you haven’t seen some of the people who will be there for a while and you want to look your best. You decide you want to lose a dress size to fit in something you have had your eye on for a while. Go buy that dress, hang it on the back of your door, try it on once a week, make it your motivating factor, until it fits you nicely.
Your goals should be within your reach. For instance, wanting to lose 5 stone in 10 week isn’t realistic and its not attainable so you are setting yourself up for a fall. Make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-framed. Once your goal is set, shut your mouth, get your head down, graft, slowly chip away at it until it is done. Remember that this is your goal and nobody elses, so no one else needs to know about it. The more people know about the fact you are trying to lose weight, the more people are going to try and scupper your progress. Even if they don’t know they are doing it, they will still try.
I’ve seen this countless times with clients, and you would be surprised where it comes from. Family members, close friends and relatives, work colleagues etc. Once people know you are on a diet (or just eating healthy), they start bringing the cakes out for you, and they try to tempt you with nights out, putting chocolate in your face and so on. So keep this information to yourself, after all its for you!
Steven Covey wrote the book ‘the 7 habits of highly effective people’ and in the book he describes these goals and keeping them to yourself as‘private victories’. These are the little victories that you achieved for yourself and no one else, and when you achieve them you can give yourself a pat on the back for doing so. You set out to hit the gym 4 times this week and you did it, shut up, give yourself a pat on the back and crack on. You wanted to lose 2 lbs this week, you did it, shut up, give yourself a pat on the back. Funnily enough, people are going to notice your results and start complimenting you, this only adds to your little victories, which then actually become ‘public victories’.
Staying positive throughout your journey to your goal isn’t easy, its going to be tough, you are going to have to avoid certain foods, get more sleep, train hard, avoid certain people ha ha. One technique I like to use and have used every day since I read the book ‘the secret’, is to start every day by thinking about all the things I am truly grateful for. For a few years I had a list of 10 things I was truly grateful for, it was stuck on the back of my bedroom door, here it is………….
To be alive
My family and friends
A roof over my head
A job that I love
A car that gets me to the job I love
Food on the table
You know whats just occurred to me as I was writing this just now, is that my list of 10 things is now narrowed down to just 6 things ha ha. Turns out some of the stuff on my old list wasn’t really that important to me!!
One of the great things about gym life and leading a ‘dynamicfitnesslife’ is that you are surrounded by like minded people, the minute you walk through the door. Everyone has a common goal, and its usually to look and feel better. So everyone in there is in the same boat, whether you are 6 percent body fat or 20 percent, you are all in the same place for the same reason, remember this it’s important!
In my line of work I believe I am blessed to be surrounded by positive like minded people on a daily basis, and this helps a lot, so do the same. Be aware that some people will try to bring you down with negativity, but know that it is a reflection of that person and not a reflection on you. I like to imagine I have a little ninja in my brain, and when people speak negatively to me about my goals, my diet, my plans for the future etc, my little ninja flying kicks the words away from my brain. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it works for me. Find what works for YOU!!
Don’t actually become a ninja though and start attacking people who speak negatively to you, that’s not what I’m saying, although sometimes I think it would be thoroughly enjoyable to do so ;0)
So in a nutshell
1 set yourself a goal
2 make sure its realistic and attainable
3 give yourself a time frame
4 shut up and keep it to yourself
5 give yourself a pat on the back along the way
I really hope this hits home with some of you, and I hope you find it an interesting read and it helps you in some way.
I would really appreciate any feedback, that would be awesome, but if its negative my ninja will be taking care of it!!
