The most important muscle to work when you’re starting an exercise program may surprise you. It’s not your abdominal group. It’s not your arms. It’s not even the much-praised “core” everyone seems obsessed with strengthening.
It’s actually something a little more hidden. (Okay, in fact, you can’t even see it.) Do I have you stumped yet? It’s your brain.
If you don’t have your brain on your side, you’re not going to be consistent or successful in your fitness endeavors. It’s incredibly important to practice positive self-talk for positive fitness results.
Let me share an analogy that I learned in a book that I’m reading by Dr. Daniel G. Amen called Unleash the Power of the Female Brain. In his book he talks about how men and women’s brains work, as well as other topics like diet and exercise.
What captured my attention is his simple, but very practical tip on how to be kinder to yourself, and how that affects other areas in your life like health and well-being. He says that when you make a mistake, you should not resort to self-loathing or talking down on yourself, but instead, focus on finding solutions on how you can get back on track, much like a GPS would when you make a wrong turn. Your GPS doesn’t start yelling and cussing at you when you go the wrong way, instead, it provides you a way to get you back to your destination in a kind and gentle manner.
This is a wonderful piece of advice to follow. As a trainer, I hear a lot of people talk down on themselves, not knowing that their health is compromised by doing so. Talking down on yourself causes your body to think that you are in distress. In response to this, your body craves for a ton of food which includes sugar and carbs. Your body does this as part of its survival instinct. It doesn’t know that you’re just beating yourself up. For all it knows, you could be running away from a hungry bear, or protecting yourself from an ambush. Your body is acting on its primal response to stress, which is to store up as much energy as possible.
This stress-eating can be prevented by talking to yourself more kindly. If you beat yourself up, you are actually setting yourself up for more failure as you find yourself consuming more and more junk food and unhealthy drinks in response to your self-deprecation. The important thing to remember is to shift your focus from the past, and focus on the steps you can take in the future. We’re always taught to be kind to others, but let’s not forget to be kind to ourselves as well.
A GPS finds a solution, and doesn’t dwell on the past. When you find yourself not waking up to your alarm, you can opt to set more alarms. If you find yourself binge-eating at a party, eat something healthy to fill your stomach first before going to the next party. Much like your GPS, think about the things you can do to recalibrate your steps. Stay on top of your game by working the important muscles of your brain through positive self-talk. Just remember– be kind to yourself.
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