I’m so out of shape.
I’m so inflexible.
I can’t do that!
You’ve said these things to yourself about working out, I know. I know because I hear them all the time, from clients, from friends, from random people after they’ve asked what I do for a living. In fact, I’ve said them to myself. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never found that saying something negative or defeatist before a workout has ever made me perform better. I’ve never lined up at the beginning of a race, thinking that saying to myself, “There’s no way I can finish this,” will ensure I not only finish, but I also PR. Negative self-talk can become a self-fulfilling prophecy – if you tell yourself you’re likely to fail, you probably will. So, if you really want to get more out of your workout, it’s time to say goodbye to the negative self-talk and stop sabotaging your workout.
When someone pays you a compliment, don’t tell them they’re wrong.
It’s not making you seem humble to reject a compliment. Instead, you’re actually telling them their opinion is worthless. Whether you believe the compliment or not, just smile and thank the person. It’s hard to do at first, but sooner or later, it will become a habit.
Ask yourself what your negativity is achieving.
You’re not improving your confidence. It doesn’t make you feel good. It’s certainly not going to make your workout fun. So what is the point of being negative? Answer: there isn’t a point. All that negativity is just doing negative things, so stop sabotaging your workout by setting yourself up for failure.
Think about how you’re affecting other people.
Negative energy has a way of making everyone in its vicinity feel awful. Nobody enjoys being around those who seem negative or down on themselves. Think about the people in your life whose company you enjoy – are they positive people? Or do you prefer hanging out with people who constantly complain and put themselves or others down? Start making an effort to act like a person with whom you would want to spend time with.
Keep a fitness journal.
This is helpful not only for getting the most out of your workouts, it can also be something you read and reflect upon whenever you’re about to start with the negative self-talk. If you’re telling yourself you’re not getting anywhere, or you’re not ready for a new challenge, looking back over the progress you’ve made with your workouts can be a great way to counter your own negativity.
Remember a time you felt strong or a time you accomplished something amazing.
Don’t beat yourself up if you couldn’t make it all the way through a boot camp. Take a deep breath and think back to when you tried an exercise and nailed it. Just starting out getting fit? Use a memory of a positive experience in your professional or personal life to remind yourself of what you are capable of.
Don’t dwell on your self talk.
Whenever you feel the urge to say or think something derogatory about yourself, just realize it, recognize that’s not how you want to treat yourself, and move on.
Find a practical way to counteract negative thoughts.
Try this technique – for every negative thought you have, come up with three counter arguments. For example, if you say to yourself, “I suck at running, I can’t even make it a quarter of a mile without stopping to walk,” then your three arguments against that thought might be, “Walk breaks make me ready to tackle each quarter of a mile of my workout. Every time I go out for a run, I make it a little bit further before I need to walk. Whether I’m walking or running, I’m doing something positive for my mind and body.”
Something I often tell clients, or anyone looking for advice on how to get the most of their workout is, you need to really focus. Focus on your form. Focus on all the small steps of a movement. Make sure you have the technique nailed before you start increasing weight. It’s difficult to be able to follow this advice if you’re consumed with thinking about why you think you can’t do something.
If you’re struggling with this, maybe it will help to remember that failure is how we learn and get better, when it comes to strength training, running, yoga – nearly every way of moving our body. Not being able to maintain a pace, not being able to lift a weight, not being able to hold a pose…every time this happens, your body repairs itself while it’s resting and gets stronger. Keep trying, so you don’t miss the time you surprise yourself and do that one thing you thought you couldn’t.
Do you catch yourself thinking negatively when you work out?
What are your ways of getting out of that habit?
Some other posts you might enjoy:
Breaking Out of the SHOULD Trap
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A year ago, I lost 10kg. A year after, I gained that 10kg again. The thing is, when I got fit, I would still see myself as someone fat. I would refuse when people tell me how thin i’ve got. I would rub my belly and call myself fat. Now here I am, back to my old self. I agree with what you wrote here. I hope others realize these things early.