In the Fat Loss Lifestyle, there is a huge importance around creating an environment that is conducive to attaining your physique goals–prepping your clean meals, packing food into tupperwares, making sure your laundry is done, laying out your workout clothes for the morning, minimizing chances to be caught off guard with no food, so being sure to pack protein bars, nuts and fruit in every purse, bag and desk drawer. You get the picture. We are prepped, ready and rolling.
But when was the last time you took time to prep your mind? I like to do this on Sunday afternoons or Monday mornings, on a weekly basis because it helps clear out last week, and get ready for the upcoming week.
Here are 5 quick rituals I follow to get my mind right for the week ahead, to prep my mental state for a positive, effective and productive week living the fat loss lifestyle:
1) Acknowledge last week. Take a mental inventory of the good, the bad and the ugly. Don’t just sweep all the mess-ups under the rug (but don’t beat yourself up about them either). I love messing up because they always present opportunities for growth and learning. I am big into introspection and trying to understand my quirks. Why did I opt for take-out last Wednesday night when I had perfectly good chicken and broccoli waiting for me in the fridge? Why did I skip my Friday workout when I had the time to do it? These are mental challenges, not physical ones. I had the food, and I had the time. So what else is there? My brain :) So, I take time to delve into what I had going on, where I need to focus and how I can mentally understand it to do better this week.
2) Choose positivity. Yes, it is a choice :) You literally get to decide how you see the world. I experience negative emotions just like anyone else, I do negative self-talk and I occasionally get the Sunday Blues. So, I always find that Sundays are a good time to check my mental attitude. I list out all the things I am excited for in the upcoming week, whether it’s a training, a seminar, talking to my coaching clients or building a new program. Whatever it is–list out AT LEAST 3 things you are looking forward to in the upcoming week. It can literally be, I am looking forward to a going to bed at 8pm on Monday night lol.
3) Get grateful. Gratitude is one of the quickest and most effective ways to get your mind right. Every morning, I write out one thing I am grateful for. I have a notebook next to my bed and I write out, literally, “I am grateful for my gym membership that is allowing me to get in great shape” or “I am grateful for this bed that helped me get 8 solid hours of sleep last night” or “I am grateful for the other JillFit coaches who make what I do so much easier and more fun” etc etc. It can be anything–there is no right and wrong way to do this. Doing it as a daily affirmation is incredibly powerful, and it takes 20 seconds. (And it’s also fun to look back on previous days’ appreciations) and you can even write the same thing every day–it’s all good!
4) Create a positive “action step.” I was at a seminar with Dr. John Berardi about a month ago, and he mentioned that with his clients, he encourages them to notice when they are using negative motivation (i.e. I suck at this, I will never lose weight, it’s so hard!), and then acknowledge it and then perform 1 positive action to move yourself from it, and move yourself forward. He does 5 push-ups. I think this is a very cool mechanism for getting yourself de-funked, if you will. Do 1 minute of burpees, or write “I am awesome and can do anything” in your journal, or go for a walk, call a friend or family member or read a book. It is key in those critical moments not to give any more credence over to the negative (and this is hard because sometimes we just want to be negative lol grrrrr!!). Pick one thing and then practice it. Notice and name the negativity, then choose a positive action step, and move on forward.
5) Give yourself permission to be human. You are going to mess up, fall down, and make mistakes. But try anyway. Do your best, be kind to yourself and remember the big picture, which is, there is nothing inspired about perfection, and will-power will always give out in the end. Allow yourself the freedom to be human and be you. Just because you have a bite of your husband’s ice cream does not make you an epic failure. You can get great results and do it without remorse and guilt for any and every tiny slip up. Remember, the all-or-nothing mindset leads to disappointment and failure-based thinking (I suck!), while the balanced mindset encourages you to focus on becoming the best YOU you can be, all the while learning, growing and being gentle on yourself. It’s so much more enjoyable :)
There you have it. My favorite tips to get your mental prep on board for the week. If you do nothing else, simply reading this blog is a step in the positive mind frame direction :) Have a great week! ox Jill
