Just Have Fun With It (November Health and Fitness)

*I have been inspired to share some personal insights and mindsets one can introduce to their own fitness goals and overall health. I came to the conclusion that blogging would be a lot easier if I stuck to one subject at a time. This is why for the entire month of November, I will be focusing on fitness alone. I dedicate this entire month to my friends and family who need that extra "mind" push to help them get a head start on their New Year's resolution.

Just Have Fun With It

It may seem like a chore when one is approached with the idea of working out, but it doesn't have to be that way. By understanding the neuro-associations we create in our minds, we can get into shape just by simply enjoying our workouts. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger once compared getting a good pump from the gym to having the same type of pleasure that sex may offer. (Hmmm... So buff people are just people not getting some?)

Unconsciously, we tie pain and pleasure when it comes to becoming fit. So all we need to do is take a step back and sort out whether this action will bring us good or bad feelings. 

So you need to ask yourself.. Will working out bring you more pleasure or pain?

Personally, I associate pain to not working out. I visualize  myself carrying around a beer belly and drowning in my own self-loathing. I imagine living a mediocre life tied to having a body that isn't up to par. I think about all the diseases linked to being obese which could have been easily prevented. It hurts me more to not work out. 

There are more pleasures to living healthy than I imagined. I enjoy feeling comfortable in my clothes. I like having the energy and positivity that comes along with fitness. I love the feeling I get when I see progress; which is a result of discipline. 

Some Tips:

Make sure you tie pleasurable feelings when it comes to your fitness goals.

Look into activities that you might have fun with; like swimming, kayaking, bowling, or power walk on the beach.

When I work out, I tell myself, "I love this.. I love this.." in between breaths. It helps serve as a strong affirmation and after I say it enough. Eventually, I'll start to feel the love running on the treadmill.

I also like pretending I'm batman training in the batcave when I'm working out in my garage... And dancing between sets. (It's just good times)

Never beat yourself up. Talk to yourself kindly. 

This past weekend, I was such a bad boy.. in a sense that I cheated on my healthy diet choices. I ate heavily and drank excessively. But I made sure I didn't beat myself up. If becoming fit means that I punish myself for letting lose then that would mean I tied pain to achieving my health goals. Instead, I told myself that it's going to be alright and I'll just work a little harder to burn off the excess calories during the week. 

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So get moving, get grooving and just have fun with it.