Normally, when we embark on a fitness journey the initial focus is physical, the results we see are on the outside, be it losing weight, running a faster 5km, winning a hurling match or dead lifting 140kg.
These accolades are noted by the people around us, and we take them on board, storing them away as a positive memory and we experience for a short period of time a warm fuzzy feeling of happiness and a little pride. Then our minds begin to think and we decide we want more, very rarely are we happy to stay in this place of comfort as we know that with a little more work and sacrifice we definitely could run a little faster, weigh a little less and lift a little more.
The distance between wanting things and actually doing things is one of the biggest barriers for people. We all know we should eat better, exercise more and be more driven; however thinking about things and doing things are two very different animals. This is where a strong mindset and focus will see you stop thinking and start doing!
Don't fret if you are in the thinking group, the group that is constantly saying, "I'll start on Monday", "I just don't have time", "Sure I would be no good at that anyway", "I don't know anyone in that training group", "I need to get new training clothes before I begin", "Well I have loads of things on this month, two weddings, a staff night out and a birthday party so really there is no point starting this month". I could go on all night!
Then Monday rolls around, your trusty black pants don't fit any more although they have an elasticated waistband and you feel constantly tired and cannot wait to get home on these cold winter nights to watch the soaps and eat your dinner, drink tea/wine and just a square (48) of chocolate - it was a rough Monday. This cycle continues and every time you have an event you swear to yourself after it you are going to start to make the change because you are sick of wearing that same style dress as it's the only one that really fits.
Great news, the change, the trigger and the power is within you. Remember this, if you want anything in this life, you are the only one who can get it- So how do you get it, you work, you work and you work even harder until you get it.
It is now 2015 and after a conversation with a truly inspirational friend of mine (who has lost seven stone) on Saturday, John Q said "Lisa, 2014 is over, we have to look forward and everything starts from now." Imagine that, a clean slate - how often does that happen?
I don't want to talk about squats, lunges or kettlebell swings here, I want to talk about the positive effects of exercise on you on the inside. If you want to be the best version of yourself, then stop looking at being healthy and training as being a bore and a sacrifice. Start looking at it through more positive eyes.
Often exercise and being healthy is portrayed through our language as something we have to do and then things like drinking wine and eating chips is seen as fun and being adventurous. And yet if we look at the after affects of both, exercise leaves you feeling energised, happy and buzzed whilst the other two leave you with a headache and with your jeans feeling that bit tighter!
Endorphins should be the new buzz word for 2015. That is what exercise does for you and they are free. Endorphins boost your mood, leave you feeling happy and give you that feeling of really being alive. Stop looking at training in that uuugggghhhh mind frame and remember that feeling you get after the session is over and you have busted a gut and achieved something for yourself.
Be that power lifted 50kg, getting your 5km to under 24 minutes or managed to get a box jump- these are all personal feats, things you did for yourself on a Monday after a really bad day at work, burning your dinner and opening your post which saw six bills that needed to be paid by the month end. Training was your one win that day and everything that went wrong didn't seem all the bad as you head home from the session where you just killed it!
#Endorphins
