I feel like cake...i’ll start tomorrow. it won’t matter!
By Natika Leanne
...it’s raining, its pouring the old man is snoring…And I guess that means I can lay here for a few more hours and sip on my caramel latte…aaaand I might just reach for that baby muffin (I can work it off later?) it looks so cute just sitting there. Rain always makes me want sweets! My partner just won’t get out of bed and get ready, god it’s frustrating, it’s his fault! So I guess I just have to lay here and wait…and wait…and wait…and wait…..and
YEA RIGHT. That is not going to happen. Not if you want it bad enough!
Too many times people I hear people say “I feel like cake...i’ll start tomorrow. it won’t matter!....oh I’ve run out of supplements and I just can’t train without them! My training partner didn’t want to train so I didn’t either... I just didn’t feel like it…
Excuse after excuse. I’m often a sounding board to a lot of my girlfriends who come to me complaining they want this, they want that, all they want to do is binge but yes of course they still want to loose 5kg…I want it all! Can’t I have my cake eat it too they say…I can start tomorrow right?
Everyone says they'll start TOMORROW. Do they?
9.9 times of 10 they don’t. They won’t and they never will. Deep down, they know this is true.
This happens to everybody. A lack of focus and the buildup of bad habits can all be boiled down to one thing, a lack of MOTIVATION. But there are ways to keep yourself motivated when that pesky little devil flirts on your shoulder. But rather than list them all here as I’m sure you’re all aware of them, I’m going to tell you about the one thing that will set you apart from coming out with triumphs, or falling short of a spade.
To succeed in anything in life, you need a goal. We know this. You also need direction and discipline; a burning desire, constant visualization and continual repetition of your goals so you don’t lose focus.
TOMORROW NEVER COMES. IT ALWAYS STARTS TODAY.
It‘s one thing to just go through the motions, day in and day out, sure you may get there eventually. But there is a whole lot more to the game of life, and to really achieving your goals (in any aspect) than simply floating aimlessly in the wind wish a wish.
Something that I believe in very strongly is in the power of our mind. The trick to breaking bad habits, to walking out that door and getting to the gym instead of flicking on the tv, begins inside your head. The power of the mind is an incredible thing. It is our most valuable weapon!
As fellow Miss Nutrition Athlete Em-J recently wrote “Most competitive athletes and fitness enthusiasts, who play sport, partake in exercise regimes or lift weights will know that when it comes to ‘crunch time’ it’s not only pure physical strength they use to lift the weight but also their mental strength.” Most of us will have heard of ‘mind – muscle connection’. Sometimes it takes more than pure brute force to break boundaries, or get that last rep. “Top competitive athletes are successful because of this, their determination, psychological strengths and commitment to their training”.
Everything starts with a thought. Make it a strong one.
Mentally prepare yourself to win, to make that last rep. To even just STEP FOOT IN THE GYM before every training session (cuz once your there you ain’t turning back!). A strong mind makes a strong body. THAT is your number one supplement.
The mind can have a powerful effect on our behavior, moods, emotions, actions and also towards our physical strength and capabilities. A strong mind and strong body can have extremely advantageous results in the gym, especially over somebody that may be able to press ridiculous amount of weight but possess a weak mentality. They’ll cave and give up, where you will solider on. “When used collectively both mental and physical strength are advantageous in regards to an exercise regime and producing immense amounts of strength, endurance, determination and motivation to lift that heavy weight, push out those extra reps or run those extra kilometers” it even goes as far as excelling further in your career, friendships love, it can have a profound positive impact on your whole life.
So, set your mind on the right path, mediate, clear it of all negativity and doubt and do some positive reinforcement. Used correctly, your mind can become like a steal fortress safe from temptations and will form your inner pillar of strength to keep you strong and moving towards your goals.
Something that I tell myself - “Don’t be a slave to your weakness. Be the master of your strength”. I don’t want to fall victim to my own weakness! That works for me, find what works for you – steal my quote, make up your own, find photos, create a vision board (or an entire wall!)…visualize everywhere! I am constantly reminded of my goals everywhere I go – work rest or play. Every time I want to cheat or could not be bothered training, like autopilot this saying and of the many photos and pictures I have around my works space smashes into my headspace and always makes me think twice. Sometimes I find myself daydreaming staring at my vision wall, visualizing what I want for minutes on end to shake off whatever was bothering me and keep me on track.
It’s said to take between 20 – 70 days to transform a bad habit, into a good one, or to change bad thoughts, into positive ones. There is no quick fix and it’s not always easy. You’ll need to be motivated to make the change. How badly do you want it? Why did you commit to making this change, working towards your goal in the first? It will require patience, perseverance, discipline, determination… Motivation.
Desire should be in your 5am alarm clock. Your passion, streams out in your sweat. Persistence and Dedication are the days when you are the only one in the gym on a rainy day. And damn good will you feel afterwards!
Everyone falls of the bandwagon. Just pick yourself up, have a laugh, shake it off and get straight back on it. But don’t make a habit of it. It is by challenging yourself to change, to keep going, looking forward never backwards, and to form new habits and a strong mind, that you will learn more about yourself that you could ever think possible. You will grow in the knowledge of how to change, improve and morph into the strong bodied, strong minded, healthy, successful person you are capable of becoming. And you’ll smash out those PB’s!
Motivation is driven by intrinsic values (your motivation to do something simply for the love of it –I don’t mean eating cake!) and extrinsic values (the motivation to work because you need the money). So instead of thinking "I should stop eating take away and I should stop drinking too much," think back to why you wanted to progress in your fitness (or whatever) in the first place, visualise the new fit, happy, active you and make sure every step you take is leading you in the right direction. Soon enough your bad habits and negative thoughts will be replaced by positive reinforcement, almost as second nature.
Think positive, not negative. Change I can’t into I can. And yes, YOU CAN. Remind yourself of why and you will. You’ll soon discover that I can, will become I DID! J
STRONG MIND = STRONG BODY...BELIEVE IT!
FIND YOUR FIRE. GET MOTIVATED.
GET SEXY…. ;)