STORY TIME
Mind Over Matter: The Psychology of Workout Motivation
Perfectionism often leads to unrealistic expectations and excessive self-criticism.
Embarking on a fitness journey isn’t merely a physical endeavor; it’s a mental and emotional challenge. The decision to work out, to push your body, to sweat, and sometimes to endure discomfort, all relies heavily on your mindset. This intricate relationship between the mind and body is at the core of workout motivation, often described as “mind over matter.” In this blog, we will unravel the fascinating psychology behind workout motivation, exploring the intricacies of mental determination and its profound impact on physical performance.
Understanding the Power of Mindset
1. Belief Systems and Self-Efficacy
Your beliefs about your abilities, also known as self-efficacy, play a pivotal role in motivation. If you believe you can achieve your fitness goals, you’re more likely to stay committed and put in the effort required. Positive self-belief strengthens your resolve, making it easier to overcome obstacles and setbacks.
2. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation, derived from internal desires and rewards, often leads to long-term commitment. It’s when you work out because you genuinely enjoy the activity or find it personally rewarding. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, involves external rewards like praise or prizes. While these can be initial motivators, long-term adherence usually comes from intrinsic motivation, rooted in personal satisfaction and fulfillment.
3. Goal Setting and Progress Tracking
Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals provides a clear direction for your fitness journey. Accomplishing these goals, even small ones, triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Regularly tracking your progress reinforces positive behaviors, creating a cycle of motivation and achievement.
The Role of Mental Techniques
1. Visualization
Visualization, or mental imagery, involves creating vivid mental pictures of successfully completing a workout or achieving a fitness goal. Athletes often use this technique to enhance performance. By visualizing your success, you familiarize your mind with the desired outcome, making it feel more attainable and real.
2. Self-Talk and Positive Affirmations
The way you talk to yourself matters. Positive self-talk and affirmations replace self-doubt and negative thoughts with empowering statements. For instance, replacing “I can’t do this” with “I am capable, I am strong” can significantly boost confidence and motivation during workouts.
3. Mindfulness and Presence
Practicing mindfulness during workouts involves being fully present in the moment, focusing on sensations, breathing, and movements. By cultivating awareness, you reduce distractions and enhance your connection with your body. Mindful workouts not only improve performance but also increase enjoyment and motivation.
Overcoming Mental Barriers
1. Fear of Failure
The fear of failure can be paralyzing. Embracing failures as opportunities for growth, reframing them as learning experiences, helps diminish the fear. Understanding that setbacks are a natural part of any journey enables you to approach challenges with resilience and determination.
2. Perfectionism
Perfectionism often leads to unrealistic expectations and excessive self-criticism. Embracing imperfections and understanding that progress is more important than perfection fosters a healthier mindset. Celebrate your efforts, no matter how small, and acknowledge your achievements along the way.
The mind is a potent force that can propel you toward your fitness goals or hinder your progress. By understanding the psychology of workout motivation, you gain valuable insights into your thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Cultivating a positive mindset, setting realistic goals, using mental techniques, and overcoming mental barriers are essential steps in harnessing the power of “mind over matter.” With a resilient and determined mind, you can transform your fitness journey from a physical endeavor into a deeply enriching and empowering mental and emotional experience. Remember, your mind is your greatest ally; nurture it, empower it, and witness how it transforms your body and your life.
The Biggest Lesson I've Learned
There are ZERO shortcuts when it comes to being healthy. There is NO quick fix that will give you permanent results. There is NO magic pill 💊 that will transform you.
This is the biggest thing I’ve learned in over 10 years in the fitness industry:
✔️ this is only going to work if YOU work.
There are ZERO shortcuts when it comes to being healthy. There is NO quick fix that will give you permanent results. There is NO magic pill 💊 that will transform you.
YOU have to show up. Consistently.
On the days you want to push yourself and especially on the days you don’t.
⬆️ Do that and not only will you get the results you want, you’ll KEEP THEM.
If you’re new to this, here’s how you start:
✔️ Find something you like. Do that. If it doesn’t inherently appeal to you, there’s no way you’re going to show up for it.
✔️ Look at your calendar. Figure out how many days it would realistically work with your schedule for you to workout. Schedule workouts on those days.
✔️ Have an accountability buddy. Someone to go to workouts with you, cheer you on, and support you. It’s always easier with a friend!
Don't Be Nervous
When I started coaching, I trained out of this one spot where I would get a complaint nearly every class I taught. To be clear, the complaints weren’t about ME, they were about my programming (the class was too hard).
I get nervous before every training session.
I hear that at least once a day from a client. I call it the “Tummy of Trepidation”. Even as you’re putting on your workout pants, you feel…nervous.
Butterflies in your tummy. You know you NEED to do it, you know you CAN do it, but…you have sweaty palms. And you need a potty.
But I feel strong AF when I’m done. And that’s why I keep coming back.
I also hear that every day.
When I started coaching, I trained out of this one spot where I would get a complaint nearly every class I taught. To be clear, the complaints weren’t about ME, they were about my programming (the class was too hard).
I took it SO personally at first, even when my management said that complaints about the classes being too hard weren’t anything she necessarily cared about. To her, that was a reflection of people not going to the class that was the best for them - but that’s a blog for another time.
I was told to NOT stop how I programmed my classes because clients would either level up or level out.
Ultimately, the clients who became my regular clients learned:
Ya it was hard. But HELL YES are you stronger when you leave.
Kinda makes the sweaty palms worth it…
Intrinsically we know when we’re pushing ourselves and when we’re selling ourselves short. We also know that when we sell ourselves short, we don’t feel as accomplished as we do when those workouts are absolute bears.
It’s that sense of accomplishment that ultimately makes the trepidation worth it.
Do the Work
The people who SEE change are the ones who consistently put their health back on their priority list.
If you don’t do the work, this isn’t going to work for you.
Let me be clear: I don’t train idiots.
We all know the power behind eating healthy and working out consistently. We know the positive impact it has not just on our immediate future but also the longevity of our lives.
We know working out needs to be a priority, and yet it’s the first thing to fall down the list of our priorities.
We also know it’s the thing that no one else can do FOR you.
After over 10 years of training people from ALL different backgrounds and with all different goals, this is what I know for sure:
The people who SEE change are the ones who consistently put their health back on their priority list.
They’re the people who get creative with the type of workout they’re doing so they can continue to workout regularly.
They’re also the type of people who are flexible with their workouts. The time, the type, even the day because they know that working out needs to be a regular aspect of their routine.
Ultimately, they know if they don’t do the work, the work isn’t going to happen and then the work won’t work for them.
Rage Away Girl
When really even when it’s the exercise you HATE (cough, cough burpees for me girl), you gotta take advantage of every second you have to get strong.
You’re either internally crying or raging in your workout.
You know I’m right.
When really even when it’s the exercise you HATE (cough, cough burpees for me girl), you gotta take advantage of every second you have to get strong.
That doesn’t mean that you don’t eye roll when your hated exercise comes up.
Shoot, I’ve been doing this the majority of my adult life and I STILL cringe whenever someone says I have to do man makers.
But then I remind myself that whatever I’m getting into won’t last forever and maybe ONE day I won’t dread those exercises as much.
Not that I’ll ever enjoy them…
How do you conquer the exercises that make you cringe?
Progress into it. Every complex movement is composed of simpler exercises. Master the simpler ones and the complex one won’t feel as hard.
Use some HIIT. It goes by fast, you get breaks, and you know that burn is worth it.
Throw on your fave playlist. That rally song, that throwback jam, whatever it is that gets you going, use it for some extra motivation.
Take What You Need
Self care is the time you deserve to have in your day to let go of whatever isn’t serving you IN that day so you can get through your day.
Take what you need from you workout today.
Workouts don’t always need to be these insane pushes that leave you feeling like you’re going to fall over when you’re done.
Sometimes your workout needs to show up for you more than you show up for it.
So you can move the stress and all the BS out of your body.
I don’t know how you slept, if your toddler had a tantrum, if work is blowing up, or if you’re just exhausted.
Please know that your workout does not always have to be what you think it should be or what you originally set out for it TO be.
It’s ok for your workout to be a way to get rid of stress, to rid yourself of the BS of the day, or to just have a minute to yourself.
Remember: self care is NOT selfish.
Self care is sacred.
Self care is the time you deserve to have in your day to let go of whatever isn’t serving you IN that day so you can get through your day.
Today’s challenge: when you start feeling guilty about taking time in your day to give to yourself, remind yourself that when you’re done, not only will you feel better but your day will feel better too.
The Strongest Version of You
I’ve been in the fitness industry long enough to know that the mirror results you’re looking for aren’t what matter the most.
I don’t want you to be the strongest person in the world.
I want you to be the strongest version of yourself.
I’ve been in the fitness industry long enough to know that the mirror results you’re looking for aren’t what matter the most.
I know you think they do. I know they give you your initial motivation to show up because who doesn’t want to feel amazing in a bikini?
But I also know that those mirror results won’t be what keep you coming back. You need more than that after your mirror results are achieved.
I know it’s what you want, I know the frustration of NOT having it is what’s driving you to FINALLY make the change you’ve been thinking about for years.
But I also know, with complete certainty, that the mirror result you want won’t be what keeps you going once you get it.
✔️ strength
✔️ power
✔️ confidence
feeling like a bada$$…that’s what’ll keep you going long after the novelty of the mirror results wear off.
Nervous About Your Workout?
It’s totally normal to feel nervous because you don’t know how it’s going to go or what’s going to happen.
It’s ok to be a little scared of your workout.
It’s totally normal to feel nervous because you don’t know how it’s going to go or what’s going to happen.
The trepidation makes the success worth it.
When the workout is over, you know no one else earned that finish line except you.
I tease my clients all the time that the process of working out comes in phases:
(For them) debating whether or not to click the button to register for the group class I teach because they know it’ll be hard work BUT they know from past experience they can do it, and it’ll be worth it.
Happiness for getting in to the class and joy at seeing their friends once they get there.
When that hard part of the workout kicks in a little bit of anger with me.
Utter and complete confidence once the workout is done because they got through it.
Today’s challenge: use the fear as fuel to get through the workout.
You know it’ll be worth it.
Where's Your Head At?
Think about it from a practical standpoint: who would willingly want to put themselves in a vulnerable position? Not me. And yet here we are.
The mental gymnastics of working out is a real thing.
I’m going to be real with you: the only time you EVER want to hear me talk anything mindset is when I’m being motivational af.
Otherwise, you want NO part of it.
No I’m serious. I see my insights on IG and whenever I talk about how negative thoughts impact the success of your workout, I see a rapid decline in engagement.
I get it. No one wants to talk about how much of a literal mind f-ck it is to put your body intentionally into a place of stress.
Think about it from a practical standpoint: who would willingly want to put themselves in a vulnerable position? Not me. And yet here we are.
We wanna talk even LESS about what happens to our brains when we put ourselves in that place of stress and then…we…FAIL.
Here’s your challenge for today: let your thoughts be what they may when you workout. But take notice of them.
Are they negative?
Tomorrow when you get into your workout, push those negative thoughts aside by getting distracted by your music or your podcast or your instructor.
Keep doing that and then next week, take that distraction and start telling yourself something positive, even if it’s just: this will be done soon.
See how much it makes a difference in the success of your workout.
Peace Out A$$hole
It’s like as soon as the hard part of a workout kicks in, we immediately start beating ourselves up. Sure, sometimes we go to the “this sucks” line of thinking but more often than not, we go to the “I can’t do this” line of thinking.
I’m gonna sweat out my inner critic today.
Wanna join me?
It’s amazing to me, not just as a trainer but as an athlete as well, how hard we can be on ourselves.
It’s like as soon as the hard part of a workout kicks in, we immediately start beating ourselves up. Sure, sometimes we go to the “this sucks” line of thinking but more often than not, we go to the “I can’t do this” line of thinking.
I’ve been training people for over 10 years, and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, as soon as that thought creeps in, your body won’t be able to do whatever you’re telling it to do.
When your head goes to that spot, it becomes super easy to get discouraged and then it becomes even easier to just not show up.
I mean, why show up if it’s not going to go well in the first place right?
Some days though, the last person I want to deal with is that negative voice. Sometimes I just want to bust through a workout and not worry about my opinion of it.
I’m determined to shut that noise out today. To show myself that MY best is more than enough and my strength is not just some dream but my reality.
Save this Workout
5 rounds
10 reps each round
10 swings
8 single arm push press
8 single arm cleans
