“Train The Mind: Crushing Fitness Part 3”

Did you know your mind is a crucial part of your fitness journey?

I think I created this quote, if not, I’m going to say I did and be proud of myself for it: “train the mind and the body will follow.” That was what I shared with the participants for my May Fitness Program. Fitness can really be a mental challenge as well as a physical challenge. Making the decision to get out of the bed in the morning to make it to the gym is sometimes the hardest part of our fitness journeys. And then when we are finished with our workouts, we feel liberated and we have more mental clarity. That’s why I really liked the aforementioned quote. It was so fitting, relevant, and true!

Earlier this year, I shared 7 key tips for crushing our fitness journeys. They are:

1. Know and commit to your “why,”

2. Choose a workout or fitness routine that you enjoy,

3. Schedule your workouts into your daily routine,

4. Don’t choose a workout time that just isn’t realistic to who you are,

5. Choose a weekly workout schedule that is manageable with your life and responsibilities,

6. Get an accountability partner or group,

7. Stay hyrdated, and as a bonus,

8. Get some rest!

When I wrote that post, I didn’t know how big of a role our mental state played in establishing a successful fitness routine. But now I know. And I also know how important it is to have a healthy mental state in general.

Confession: Lately, I have been trading in my morning workouts for an extra 90 minutes of sleep. My goal is to get back to those 6am workouts, but right now, my mind and body aren’t there. BUT, instead of feeling guilty or beating myself up for it, I make sure I “make up for it” by eating right (fitness is 20% workouts and 80% nutrition), and keeping a positive mindset! Think about it (pun intended) — when you’re in a positive mental state, literally EVERYTHING around you gets better. Your interactions with other people. The things you say to yourself. The thoughts you have about yourself. Your outlook on life. Your ambition. You’re simply more motivated. Train the mind and the body will follow. That goes for getting up out the bed so you can make it to the gym, AND for having a healthy mind that will lead to a healthy physical body!

Because I am still choosing more sleep over waking up early, I haven’t established a morning routine where I’m up and doing yoga, meditation, or stretching. But, I have been more mindful of what energy I am attracting throughout the day. I created some daily affirmations that I recite out loud daily. I make sure to read and meditate on the daily Bible verse. And, for the purpose of this post, I pay more attention to those positive posts on Instagram that remind us how worthy we are and how it’s okay to choose ourselves over other people/situations.

I am going to stop talking now, and share 4 recent Instagram posts that can help us train our minds and create a healthy mental space that will inevitably help us crush our fitness:

You know I love a bonus:

Your mental health comes first, always.

“Train the mind and the body will follow.”

Go crush that fitness!

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” II Corinthians 4:16, ESV.

Moni Jay, Off the Record