Empowering Self-Talk

Henry Ford said: "Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way you're right." Beware of self-imposed limitations, and don't underestimate the power of the mind.

It's tragic that so many people talk themselves out of achieving a better body, better health, and a more fulfilling life. Some of my personal training clients in London come to me with misconceptions of what they're capable of - they vastly underestimate their ability to reach their goals. Most people do this without even realising they're doing it. Here are some examples of negative self-talk, followed by empowering self-talk on the exact same issue. See the difference for yourself.

No Time?

Disempowering: "I want to get in shape but I've no time to exercise." 

Empowering: "I choose to make time to exercise regularly, because I really want to get fit and look good."

Everyone can make time to exercise. How many hours a week do you watch TV? Solution: you can exercise in front of the TV. How much time do you spend commuting? Solution: You can get off a couple of stops early and walk the rest. How much time do you spend waiting for the lift to arrive, or stand on the escalators? Solution: take the stairs and walk up and down the escalators. No time to travel to the gym? Buy a set of dumbbells and a fitness mat and a swiss-ball and train at home. Often it's simply a case of organising your day in such a way that you create time for exercise.

No Money?

Disempowering: "I can't afford the gym, or a personal trainer, or fitness equipment, or healthy food."

Empowering: "There are many ways to get fit and eat healthily that don't cost much, and I'll take advantage of all of these ways so that I achieve the body I want."

The 'no money' excuse is very common. That's all it is, an excuse. How much does it cost to do a session of bodyweight exercises in your lounge? Nothing. How much does it cost to jog round the local park? Nothing. How much does it cost you to ask for fitness equipment for birthdays/Christmas? Nothing. How much does it cost to buy a big bag of brown rice, a big bag of lentils, baked beans, fruit and veg from any one of the hundreds of street stalls that sell a bowl of fruit/veg for £1? Next to nothing.

Too Boring?

Disempowering: "Exercise and healthy eating are just too boring."

Empowering: "Exercise and healthy eating don't have to be boring. I'll find ways of making it fun. And the results I'll achieve are worth a bit of effort."

If you find exercising alone boring, find a Fitness Buddy for free. And if you can't think of any ways to liven up an exercise routine with lots of variety, this website is full of ideas and suggestions for exercise routines. And healthy eating can be delicious if you know how to prepare healthy food in an appetising way. Check out This Week's Recipe and see the Nutrition page for more ideas. For healthy snacks, see the nuts & seeds page.

Tried Already and it Didn't Work?

Disempowering: "I tried exercise and healthy eating, and it didn't work. I'm still fat/too thin/no muscle/unfit. Nothing I do seems to work."

Empowering: "I'm determined to lose weight/gain weight/build muscle/get fit, and I'll keep trying new methods until I achieve my goal."

When you try and fail, that's not a reason to give up. It's a reason to try harder, persist longer, try new methods. Be honest with yourself - what exactly did you do when you tried? You'll probably find that you slipped up somewhere. Once you've identified where you slipped up, that's valuable information to use in your next attempt. People often give up too soon, and don't give themselves a chance to succeed. Or they just use the wrong methods, and falsely conclude that they've tried everything. If you set goals, you're more likely to succeed.

If you're looking for a personal trainer in London to kick-start your motivation, click the link.