How To Get Into A Healthy Fitness Mindset

Summer is just around the corner and the excitement for sunshine and BBQs is almost tangible in the air. Just audible beneath this buzz, is the hum of the collective realisation that we are already in May and our ideal Summer body is still not quite within reach. All but the most hardcore gym addicts among us, are guilty of making grand commitments to our health in January and letting them quietly slip by the wayside in February’s miserable weather. Well the good news is that with warmer days and lighter evenings here, there are a few things you can do to get into the right mindset for the coming months to be shredded for the beach in time for summer.

Take it Easy at First

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As any attempt to workout at the beginning of the year will be testament to, the initial stages of getting fit are challenging. You’ll only be able to manage short bursts of exercise and the aches afterwards will most likely be overwhelming. At the beginning, it’s important to start by walking before you can run. This means going to the gym a maximum of three times a week and sticking to easy exercises and lower weights. If you try to go every day as well as going in hard, you’re at risk not only of injuring yourself but also of putting yourself off exercising entirely. By easing in slowly you will ensure that you maintain your enthusiasm about getting fit, making your workout routine more sustainable.

Get Out in Nature

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A lot of getting into a positive fitness mindset, is about reaching the point where the prospect of enjoying post-work out endorphins outweighs the effort of exercising. A simple way to speed this process up is to train outside, as research has shown that spending time in the fresh made people 50 percent happier than being at the gym.

Your endorphin levels increase when you are outdoors, but arguably so is the effort to get there. To give yourself the extra push necessary to venture out, invest in the right gear for the terrain. If sailing is right up your street for example, investing in a jacket from the Musto range should quell any fears about getting cold or wet. Or if hiking is more your thing, but you are dreading the blisters purchasing a pair of Lowa Renegade hiking boots will make climbing a mountain a walk in the park. Whether it be forests and grass or oceans and beaches, exercising in nature boosts our mood and increases the likelihood of going again and again.

Do Something You Love

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You can try as hard as you like to stick at something you don’t enjoy, but you are just making it harder for yourself and increasing your chances of failure. If you don’t like going to the gym by yourself at 6am and feel bored just using machines, then try going to an exercise class with music and people – and if you’re not a morning person, go in the evening!

Doing something you love will put you in the mindset of looking forward to exercising, which is the strongest position you can be in to ensure you continue with your regime. It may take a little trial and error, but it will 100 percent be worth the effort when you get to July and you’re still stoked to work out five or six times a week.

Make Eating Right Simple

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According to Shawn M. Talbott, PhD, ‘weight loss is generally 75 percent diet and 25 percent exercise’. Working out is great for your body and mind, but if your goal is to get trim, it will take a lot longer if you don’t watch your diet too. The most valuable tool to staying in a positive state of mind towards food, is preparation and lots of it. When you have a healthy option in front of you, it will be much easier to resist temptation during the week. So, prep your meals on Sunday and make sure you have something on hand for when cravings strike. Cracking healthy eating essentially comes down to making it easier for yourself to eat wholesome food instead of leaving it down to your hungry self who, let’s be honest, cannot be trusted.

Now that Summer is almost upon us and the time for sunbathing approaching, it’s time to get serious about fitness. It can be difficult finding the motivation, but by following these tips you can cultivate a positive mindset that will help you to reach your goals.