Cultivating a Success Mindset

Keeping a positive attitude can make all the difference when it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals, and a Fitness Together® studio is here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re just getting started with working out or you’re working to take your fitness to the next level, harnessing the power of mindset can help you stay motivated and focused on your goals, no matter what life throws at you.

Here, we’ll explore how getting your mind right can lead you to success, how to help overcome common stumbling blocks that can occur during fitness journeys, some mental tips and tricks that you can use to stay on track, and how scheduling sessions with a personal trainer can help you get the support you need to become your healthiest self.

The Psychology of Success: Why Mindset Matters

Cultivating the right mindset can be a key step in moving toward your fitness goals. Research shows that we have more than 6,000 thoughts every day, and using tools to keep your mind positive, growth-focused, and encouraging can make all the difference when it comes to staying on track.

Creating a positive mindset is often more easily said than done, however. Research also shows that about 80% of our thoughts are negative, creating an internal environment that can be tough to overcome.

The good news: If you’re stuck in a pattern of negative thinking, you don’t have to stay there. While it can take some practice, you can begin to change the voice in your head to that of a good friend, rather than an enemy. Changing your thinking doesn’t just make it easier to achieve your fitness goals—it can also increase your lifespan, give your immune system a boost, improve your heart health, and help you create better coping skills to manage stressful life events.

Creating a Positive Mindset

Ready to start cultivating a positive mindset? Try these tips to start making the shift:

• Observe without judgment. Often, the inner critic has been on the job for decades, and it can take some time to get them to simmer down. Take a day or two to simply notice negative thinking when it comes up. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you’ll be better able to work toward positive change.
• Practice positive thinking. When you begin to change your negative thoughts to positive ones, it can feel disingenuous—and that’s ok! Be gentle and patient as you work to transition to a more positive mindset.
• Surround yourself with uplifting voices. While it’s not usually possible to cut all of the negativity out of your life, cultivating a positive environment when possible can work wonders for your mindset. Consider friendships, podcasts, social media follows, and don’t be afraid to remove yourself from people or things that bring more negativity than positivity into your life.
• Celebrate the good. Spending a few moments each day reflecting on what you did well and the progress you’ve made can make it easier to get into the habit of creating a positive mindset. While it can be important to identify areas that require change, it’s also important to notice small successes so you can continue to build momentum.

Overcoming Common Roadblocks

There are bumps in the road along any journey worth taking, and your path to health is no exception. Let’s take a look at some of the most common roadblocks that come up on the path to wellness.

Roadblock #1: Procrastination

“I’ll start on Monday.”

Been there? You’re not alone. When we stumble and go off plan for a bit, it’s easy to get sucked into the idea of needing a “fresh start” to get back on track. Doing so, however, only delays your success. There’s no need to wait for the next morning—or even the next meal—to get back into the habits that help you feel your best.

“I’ll start when things die down at work.”

Hectic schedules can present challenges that are tough to overcome, but you can fit wellness into even the most jam-packed weeks. Finding small ways to fit wellness into your routine—like going for a 10 minute walk during lunch, practicing meditation for a few minutes after you get home from work, or enjoying an extra serving of produce with dinner can make a difference.

“I’ll double up tomorrow.”

If you’ve ever tried to make up for a missed workout by doubling up the next day, or tried to make up for a day of off-plan eating by being super-diligent in the days following, you likely know that this plan doesn’t typically work well. If you lose focus, there’s no need to try to make up for it—instead, simply get back to your normal movement and eating habits as soon as you can.

Roadblock #2: Self-Doubt

It’s not always physical limitations or a lack of motivation that can cause stumbles on a fitness journey—self-doubt can seriously impede your progress. Fear of failure, fear of judgment, and fear of success (really!) can all make it hard to get started on your journey, much less keep going.

Self-doubt is a feeling, not an indicator of who you are as a person. Building up trust in yourself is one of the most surefire ways to crush self-doubt when it comes to health and fitness. Keeping small promises that you make to yourself can help build up your confidence, one action at a time.

For example:

• When you make an appointment with your personal trainer, put it on your calendar and treat it like you would any other can’t-miss event.
• When you plan to work out in the morning, lay out your clothes, water bottle, and anything else you need to get started quickly.
• Set yourself up for success when it comes to nutrition. Pack enough healthy food to get you through the day if you work away from home (instead of packing an amount you know will leave you heading to the vending machine).
• Have a plan for times when you want to stay on track—but may be tempted to do otherwise. For example, if you’re committed to sticking to your plan but are going to attend a work happy hour, make a commitment to yourself to stick to soda water with lemon and leave in time to get a good night’s sleep.

Roadblock #3: Distractions

It’s easy to get to the gym, take a look at your phone while you’re stretching… and suddenly realize that half an hour has passed. Reducing distractions can help you keep your eye on the prize both in the gym and in the kitchen.

Working with a personal trainer or pre-planning your workout can help you stay focused on moving your fitness forward. Keeping foods that don’t make you feel your best out of sight can help stop mindless munching. Setting a time that you stop watching TV or looking at your phone can help you stay focused on getting the rest you need, rather than scrolling through social media or binge-watching the latest Netflix show.

If you’re unsure of what distractions you’re dealing with as you work toward your goals, try taking note of what's happening when you struggle to keep a positive mindset and stick to your plan. There’s no need to judge yourself—understanding what’s pulling your attention away from your goals is the first step in making the adjustments necessary to move forward.

Tools to Stay the Course

In addition to being prepared for the roadblocks you may encounter as you work toward your goals, it’s also important to take proactive steps that can help you cultivate a mindset that moves you forward.

Visualization

Stick with us here—taking a few minutes a day to visualize your ideal fitness journey can go a long way in helping your mind get on board with the changes you’re making in your body. To begin the process, find a comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes and visualize the outcome you want in your life. You can do this on a micro (visualizing the progress you want to make in your workout that day) or macro (visualizing where you want to be a year from now) level. If your thoughts drift, no worries—simply return to your focal point until the end of your visualization session.

Affirmations

If you’re trying to break a pattern of negative self-talk, daily affirmations can be a helpful way to set your inner monologue on a more positive path. Use affirmations in a way that works for you, whether that means saying them out loud to yourself in the morning, putting them on post-its on your bathroom mirror, or repeating them to yourself as you move through your workout.

Try these affirmations to begin guiding your thoughts in the right direction:

• Every obstacle is an opportunity to become stronger.
• I am relentless in the pursuit of my goals.
• I am stronger than my excuses.
• I nourish my body with clean food and clean thoughts.
• I radiate health and well-being.
• My energy levels are consistently high.
• My mind and body are in perfect harmony.

Even if your affirmations don’t feel fully true (yet), it’s OK to fake it til you make it. As you practice affirmations that offer positivity, confidence, and inner strength, your mind will eventually follow suit.

Time-Blocking

In today’s hectic world, it’s all too easy to wonder when the time went when you finally have an hour to yourself. Setting aside time to work out, meal prep, meditate, grocery shop, and care for your mental health can seem overwhelming, and time blocking can help.

Dividing your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks can help you stay focused, avoid distractions, and stick to one task at a time. You’ll likely find that time blocking makes you more efficient. For example, blocking one hour each Saturday to meal plan for the week allows you to prepare efficiently, lessening the likelihood that you’ll waste precious weeknight time deciding what to have for dinner. Blocking off an hour a few days each week for personal training sessions can help to ensure that you’re making exercise a priority, no matter what the week throws your way.

How Working With a Personal Trainer Can Help You Keep Moving Forward

When you work with a personal trainer, you get the support that you need to keep your eye on the prize, one session at a time. Many personal trainers have supported countless clients over the course of their careers and will be able to offer you advice, support, and mindset tips that can keep you moving forward when you’re struggling. Another bonus: when you sign up for a session with a personal trainer, you’re making a commitment to work toward optimal health. If you’re ready to get started, reach out to your local Fitness Together studio today.

We’re In This Together.

When you work out at a Fitness Together studio you’ll get the support and motivation that you need to stay on track as you work toward your goals. Your local Fitness Together studio is there to cheer you on when you encounter rough spots on your fitness journey, as well as to celebrate with you as you achieve one milestone after another. If you’re ready to get started, stay on track, and make positive changes, your Fitness Together studio is there to support you. Reach out to your local Fitness Together studio to learn more and schedule your first session.