While there’s nothing wrong with training to look better, focusing solely on achieving a certain physique can be a frustrating fitness journey. However, changing your mindset even slightly about your physique goals and why you exercise can help you to stay motivated. Below are 5 signs that you’ve got the right mindset towards training if improving your physique is one of your main goals.
1. You don’t have too high expectations
Setting goals is great, but setting unattainable goals may result in disappointment. If your genetics want to store fat around your stomach chances are you probably won’t be able to achieve a six-pack you can maintain without going into a very low body fat percentage. Achieving a healthy body fat percentage and a healthy weight you can maintain while enjoying your diet should be a priority over superficial signs of looking fit.
Similarly, your genetics define how you put on muscle. For example, if you’re an ectomorph it’s going to be harder to put on muscle. Being realistic about what you can achieve with your specific body type is an important ingredient for long term success.
2. You don’t want to achieve someone else’s body
I often see women commenting on Instagram posts of very fit influencers saying” I wish I had your abs”, “how can I get your abs”, “your physique is goals”. On one hand, there is nothing wrong with getting inspiration to exercise from athletic-looking people. However, picturing someone else’s body as your physique goal is not the healthiest approach.
The truth is, most people don’t have the genetics to look like fitness models. You can’t choose your genetics and trying to attain someone else’s physique to no avail can be very disheartening. What you can do is choose to be the healthiest, strongest and fittest version of yourself.
3. You want to learn a new skill
For a lot of us exercising is just repeating a workout we find online or do in fitness class without giving too much thought to the movements we do. However, being able to move your body in various patterns especially when loaded with additional weight is a skill.
Treating exercise as an opportunity to continuously learn new skills, new exercises, improve your technique will add more meaning to your routine. Focus on learning and understanding the movements you perform and progress to more advanced variations when your body is ready.
4. You don’t beat yourself up or compare to others
There is always going to be someone who is leaner than you, has more muscle than you, lifts heavier than you, can perform more advanced exercises than you. Just because someone else is making impressive progress doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong or not working hard. All it means is that your journey is different from other people and this is what you should focus on. Most importantly, don’t compare yourself to when you were leaner and in your opinion looked better in the past.
As long as you have a healthy body weight/body fat, and have some muscle on, it really doesn’t matter if you don’t look the way you did before your wedding on a strict diet.
5. You understand the health benefits of exercise
Exercise is not about who can achieve the most impressive “transformation” in 8/12/however many weeks. Exercise is not a means to an end to achieve your desired body weight. It’s something that should be a part of our lives in whatever capacity it works best for the individual. If you understand the value that exercise creates for your health and well-being you won’t need to keep looking for external motivation.
Your mind is a powerful tool and you can make your fitness journey more enjoyable and successful if you adopt the right attitude.