Steps to achieving the right mindset for success
Theoretically, I could give the ‘perfect’ diet setup to someone but the chances are they won’t stick to it.
1. Life gets in the way
2. Mindset
And unfortunately it’s this subjective psychology that often underpins success.
You can have all the information in the world but without the motivation, direction, accountability and support it’s going to be tough.
So.
Steps to achieving the right mindset for success.
1. Understand why you really doing this?
When you start any fitness or diet regime motivation is high and you’re ready to take on anything! Which is great, but I’ll be honest and say this won’t last. You are going to have moments that will cause you to question your dedication, which is when you need to look for your inner motivation.
When it’s for sport or competition then motivation comes naturally.
I want to win
I want to reach Regionals
However, more general goals can be a problem if they’re not personal. Everyone knows it’s good to be healthier, fitter or lose a few pounds, but it doesn’t make you want to do it anymore. Why does it matter to you? The deeper you dig, often the greater the motivation.
2. Find your cost of getting lean
What sacrifices are you willing to make to get the results you want? We don’t always know what it takes to get in shape or perform the way we want, which can create a false sense of realism that can affect our motivation going forward.
The second step is to identify what it really takes to reach your goals. Obviously to lose a few pounds and feel healthier is going to take less dedication and time than a chiseled set of abs and perform at your best. Knowing your cost of getting lean will also enable you to become more at ease with what you have to do.
3. Drop the quick fix mentality
Do you know the story of the hare and the tortoise? Yep, the same is true here, the tortoise ALWAYS wins the race. The choices we make over time, not one day or one hour, dictate the way that our bodies will look and feel.
Looking for diet pills (juice plus, weight loss pills), crash diets (Cambridge, Dukan) and jumping headlong into an excessive exercise regime inevitably leads to failure. A drastic drop in kcals is not sustainable, will affect your metabolism, decrease muscle and negatively affect performance. Don’t let quick fix thinking distract you from the hard work of changing the unhealthy behaviors.
3. You’re not on a “Diet”
It’s not a diet, but a lifestyle change. Cheesy but true.
4. No foods are banned
There are no bad foods only bad habits. The best diet in the world is one that you can stick to.
5. You don’t stop and start your diet when you go ‘off plan’
Just because you have a bad day, it does not mean you need to wait until Monday to get back on the horse. Building a new diet that becomes a lifestyle takes time and will evolve over time. If you have a bad day, accept it and move on.
6. More is not better
Starving yourself, removing all foods that you enjoy will end in failure. Lower the bar initially by slowly building in habits over time. Increasing your benchmarks gradually is what will lead to long-term success.
7. Use a support network
Rely on friends or join a group (Get access to our Facebook group when you join our FREE nutrition course - see below.) This group of people will become your “inner circle,” that will help you when you’re not sure or need more direction. For it to work you must use it. Ask questions, say when you’re finding things tough and remember to support everyone else too. You’re all in the same boat.
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