Self-Motivation for Fitness Success!

Have you ever heard the saying that if you believe, you can achieve? Many of our clients have accomplished extraordinary things based on this simple principle. A vivid example of this principle was caught on tape during an interview that took place backstage at a body building competition. A reporter asks a successful young body builder about the possibility of his competitor stealing his long held title. The tanned athlete laughed at the question as he rubbed oil on his sculpted muscles. Then he looked up and said evenly, “There is no such thing.”

The year was 1975 and the athlete was Arnold Schwarzenegger. He did, of course, go on to beat his competition—but then, he hadn’t left himself any other option.

Do you have a fitness or weight loss goal that you want to achieve? Do you want to lose 10 pounds or lower your cholesterol? Somewhere between believing and achieving you need a heaping dose of will power. In light of recent studies that have shown that less than half of Santa Monica adults have a healthy weight, it seems that will power has become rather hard to come by.

Will Power is best described as the ability to control impulse, to overcome laziness, and to persevere toward your fitness program. It is the strength that keeps you from going back for seconds after a delicious meal. It convinces you to choose a salad instead of fries with your sandwich. And it propels you off of your buttocks and to the gym after a long day at work.

As of late, the art of exercising will power has been given a bad name. People naturally associate it with giving up something they are crazy about, or with forcing themselves to do something that they aren’t so crazy about. This perspective misses the point. The fact is that it is only when you master the art of will power that you achieve inner strength.

So how does one master the art of will power?

Focus on one thing at a time.Don’t attempt to implement will power over every bad habit in one shot. If your fitness goal is to lose 10 pounds, then start by breaking just one of your unhealthy habits that contributed to the weight gain. Linda Johnson, Santa Monica lost 12 pounds in 4 months by breaking one simple habit—her morning blended mocha!

Gradually work toward a goal. They say that Rome wasn’t built in a day—and neither was the perfect body. It takes time to, build muscle, lose fat and to increase your metabolism. Consider every time that you implement will power as taking one step toward your fitness goals, if you keep taking step after step you will eventually arrive at your destination.

Change your unhealthy surroundings. If your fitness goal is to lower your cholesterol, then don’t stock your fridge with bacon! If you want to lose 10 pounds and know that you have a weakness for chocolate—don’t buy that candy bar! Transform your environment into one that supports the lifestyle needed to achieve your goal. This will make your progress much easier.

Find healthier alternatives. If you have an unquenchable craving for a burger—don’t panic! Try a lean turkey burger or veggie burger. Instead of ice cream, stick with non-fat frozen yogurt. Trade in your greasy potato chips for the low-fat baked brand. There are numerous alternatives to your unhealthy favorite foods; all you need to do is find them. Take a trip to your local Santa Monica food co-op or health food store and browse around. You may be surprised to find that the healthy version tastes even better than the original!

If You Believe, You Can Achieve!

Build a support group. When you are in the throes of exercising will power, the last thing you want is for your friends and family to surround you with everything you can’t have. So tell them about your goal. Let them know the things that you can’t eat and those that you can. Build a Santa Monica support group out of those closest to you, and who knows—you may end up helping them achieve better fitness as well! One of the main reasons that TigerFit Boot Camp is so successful is that it thrives on an atmosphere of support.