Change Your Thinking - Change Your Shape -

Daily Motivation Tips - Sprinting Slowly

Many people target a specific day to start their fitness regime and plan. This may be their pre Christmas, post Christmas, pre holiday campaigns etc. Regardless of when you start (or have already started) the key is to commit and actually do something!

There are two routes you can go down, my favoured one is 100% commitment, end of excuses, do what it takes, make no apologies to other people and if it is tough or difficult at times then front up and battle through it until your goal arrives! Great!

For the majority of people however, this just does not work. That is because it is based on using strong will power. For this you will need a clear driver – this could be a holiday, party, wedding etc. Likewise it could be driven by competition with someone else, a sport/fitness challenge or even a hatred of your body. The common theme is the motivation comes from some external challenge. The problem is that when this has gone, you will have lost your motivation. This is not a bad thing but it just shows it is not an option for long term success, e.g. it will work for the next ten weeks but what about in 1,2, 3 years time?

You can only really go full out when your goal clearly brings great benefits with little negatives, e.g. the perceived ‘suffering’ is worth the reward. For those taking this option the key for long term success is to smash it up now and while developing longer term behaviour patterns and strategies.

The second option is to play the game of moderation. In this approach you are trying to raise the level of your behaviours from where they are now to the point that begins to produce results. This means you try to make modifications instead of drastic changes. You may cut wheat out at lunch, only drink on weekends etc. Most people find this more manageable. It is less effective of course because your results are directly proportional to the number of correct actions you do for your body, so going 100% always wins through. However the general increase in your health and fitness behaviours lends itself to creating longer term behaviours.

You can see this principle in action with things like ‘healthy cake’, ‘healthy chocolate’. Under the 100% approach you wouldn't do anything like this but using the moderation approach it may be an option because you have reduced some of the problems associated with certain foods. The problem is that there are many factors to nutrition which means ‘sneaking around the rules’ may not produce results, e.g. if healthy cake just means low fat when your body actually needs fat it will not help. Alternatively, this approach may work for you. There is only one thing that matters………..GETTING RESULTS. 

When you reach the day to start your fitness and health regime how are you going to play the game?

You can of course play it both ways, go 100% in one area and with moderation in the other. If you want results ensure your 100% is in your weakest area, e.g. if you already go to the gym 5 times a week then your eating is what requires your greatest efforts not exercise!

Mind – Body change exercise

• What are the benefits of going 100% all out?
• What are the benefits of going softly and gradually in your approach?
• Which one is more likely to get your results 1, 2, 3 years down the line?
• Start today using one of these approaches

Helping you Change your thinking and change your shape...

Ben Wilson

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