1. Exercise Needs to Fit your Lifestyle
Exercise cannot be a burden or a chore. If you avoid it or dread it, you will not continue with it. If you have a very hectic lifestyle, the type of exercise you choose should fit your lifestyle. If you are highly motivated and driven, you may want to engage in high impact aerobics, spinning or running. If you are a casual, more sedentary person, yoga or palates would be a better choice. Don't go against the grain.
2. Success Through Synchronizing Mind and Body
As you participate in the exercise of your choice, stay fully present. Feel your body move instead of thinking about other things. Stay focused on the now. The connection between your mind and your body will bring about a greater experience with tangible results.
3. Perceive your Current Body Shape as Temporary, not Permanent
This is extremely important. Everything in life changes, nothing is permanent. If you see your body shape as transient you will remain open to the possibility of change, which will lead to achieving your desired weight and body shape.
4. Think Movement, not Exercise
Think of exercise as "movement". If you set a goal to "exercise", it is easy to fall into certain stereotypes and expectations that come from the connotation of exercise. If you set a goal for daily "movement", you open the door to possibilities beyond the rigid definitions of the mind.
5. Establish a Ritual
Rituals are routines that are mindful, deliberate and sacred. The care and love that goes into performing a ritual makes the result much stronger and sustainable. If you think of exercise/movement as a ritual, you will find improved results.
6. Do Not Compare Yourself to Others
Never, never, never compare yourself with others. Your body is unique and needs to be perceived as such. How you move your body for exercise is unique as well. The results are specific to you and your particular body structure and metabolism. Comparing yourself to others is a detriment to success.
7. If you Resent it, Forget it
Sustainable success is not possible when there is resentment, negativity or pessimism. It is better to skip exercising on a particular day to enjoy another activity and return to it the next day than to trudge through it with resentment. Sometimes we need to alter our plans to keep ourselves balanced.
8. Change it Up
If you jog, try bike riding; if you use the treadmill, switch to the step-master; if you do yoga, try swimming. The body thrives when it is used with balance in mind. Changing up your exercise routine will keep it fresh, use different muscle groups and prevent boredom. It needs to be fun!
9. Movement Everyday
If you set a goal to "move" for exercise every single day, you will be more likely to keep up with the routine consistently. If you miss a day here or there, it won't matter. If you set a goal to exercise 3 days per week, it is inevitable you will miss a few days which results in sporadic exercise patterns.
No comments:
Post a Comment