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Tell me if you’ve ever been in this predicament: you just started a new fitness challenge or program, and you. are. stoked. You purchase the necessary tools you’ll need to complete. Have your eyes set on the prize – your fitness and health goals, and feel like nothing could stop you!

Day 1 goes great. Man, it is tough, but it’s the good kind of tough, ya know?

Then week 3 comes around. Work is busy, you had friends in town visiting, and there was a wee bit much of pizza, chips, and happy hours. Come the follow Monday, you’re not so sure if this hard work is worth the effort.

When our motivation is high, the sky’s the limit. It’s easy to stay on track when we have endless motivation! But here’s the thing: motivation is not an unlimited resource. It waivers and it fades.

I believe that it’s truly what you decide in the moments of wavering motivation that can make or break how much success you have in your efforts. Not the amount of equipment you have, how fancy your gym (or not) is, not your workout clothes, nor your schedule.

Your mindset has SO much power on your progress.

How a Positive Mindset Can Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals

It’s been reported that how happy we are is 10% circumstance, 20% genetic, and 70% attitude, but I also think that’s also probably true as to how successful we are in achieving our goals.

Think about it: you make a goal that instead of going home and lounging on the couch, you’re going to go to the gym for 1 hour. That’s just what it is. It’s neither good, nor bad, until you assign an emotion to it. An attitude to it. You can either have a positive mindset about this healthy exchange, or a negative one. I’d wager to say that if you intend on actually going through with said goal, you’d better try and make it a positive experience.

On the same token, you make another goal of changing out your fast food dinner or happy hour + apps for baked salmon and rutabaga mash (or something else healthy and tasty.) If you want to increase your rate of success at eating healthier, it’s extremely important to assign a positive mindset with this swap.

All it is is a switch. You’re not adding anything. You’re switching out happy hour for a different kind of bar.

Instead of saying, “Ugh, I have to go to the gym. It’s going to be hard and it’s going to suck,” say “I get to go to gym. I’m healthy. I’m not injured, and I have the chance to better my health and get a dose of endorphins!”

Instead of saying, “I have to eating this gross salmon,” think “I have the chance and the ability to buy and prepare foods that sustain my health. I’m not only bettering my physique, but I’m paving the way for good health in my future!”

And guess what? If any of your “insteads” make you truly unhappy, you have the power to change them? Is your body builder style workout program making you miserable? You don’t have to have an arms/shoulders/abs/legs/glutes/wrists (heh) split. Dread going to a certain group fitness class? Try a couple others, or some yoga. There are unlimited options!

Don’t like salmon? Simple: don’t eat it. Just because you don’t like something that’s been touted as a superfood or “required” doesn’t necessarily mean you HAVE to eat it. I’m not a huge fan of raw veggies, except a certain few. Instead of forcing them down my throat, I cook them first!

Other Ways to Increase Motivation When it Starts to Waiver:

Remember your why. I’ve said this before multiple times, but it’s also very important to keep your WHY in the forefront of your mind. I ask my clients to keep their top three goals in plain sight so it’s one of the first things they see in the morning. It’s easier to be motivated to do what it takes to achieve your goals when you’re constantly reminded of why you began this journey in the first place.

Create an alter-ego. OK, this one might seem a little woo-woo, but I swear it works. I actually do this whenever I’m teaching a group fitness class. I hone in on my alter-ego who is more outgoing, commanding, and motivating than I am in my every day conversations. Whether you just think about the characteristics that you need to achieve your goal or complete the task at hand, or you think about someone who you look up to, thinking about that alter-ego when you need to do what’s necessary to continue your journey can be a big help!

Create a fresh start right now. A lot of the time, we’ll get off track from our goals on a Friday, and then say, “ok. Fresh start tomorrow!” or “Fresh start on Monday!” Instead, say “fresh start right now!” I tell my clients all of the time that you’re just one meal, workout, or healthy decision from being back on track to your goals. Why wait until Monday?

Forgive yourself. Really, really forgive yourself when you “slip up.” That serving of ice cream turn into an entire pint? Don’t beat yourself up. Take a moment to realize that that particular behavior isn’t in line with your goals (nor does it likely make you feel very good.) Then forgive yourself, and move on to your fresh start.

Visualize yourself at your goal. Think about how you’ll feel/look/be once you get to your goal – or at least make some good progress toward it. This helps your goal feel more tangible, and not like some abstract concept floating out there that will never be seen. On the same token, picture yourself performing the tasks necessary to get to your goal – with a positive mindset, of course. Whether it’s cooking dinner, or kicking ass on your workout that day, picture yourself doing it positively and confidently.

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 How do you keep a positive mindset when tackling your goals?