Physical Fitness: Start With Your Brain

clipped from lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk Do your fitness drives always end in failure? Perhaps the problem is in your head, not your workout. Pete Cohen, a health and wellbeing coach trained in human psychology and behaviour. "It's getting people to enjoy it and stick with it in the long term that's the real challenge." "From the very moment you think to yourself 'I've tried this before and it didn't work - why should this time be any different?' you can bet your bottom dollar it won't be," he says. Steps to mental fitness What are your reasons for exercise? Write them down, in as much detail as possible. Set challenging but achievable goals. Learn to self-talk. counter negative self-talk with positive, persuasive arguments. Don't get stuck in a rut. "Have a sense of discovery and fun about exercise," Use visualisation Post-workout, take a moment to congratulate yourself - and reflect on what you've achieved. get through those first few weeks, you'll begin to develop the neurological pathways that make exercise feel "normal".