Mental Toughness Exercise for Life & Fitness: Positive Thinking

“Positive Thinking”

 

Yeah yeah. We have heard about positive thinking over and over and over. How much good can it do?

Remember Mind-to-Muscle Connection to focus on while lifting? The quote I always post, “the body achieves what the mind believes?”. How swimming is 80% mental & 20% physical?

How come every aspect of our lives comes back to our minds, and not our physical bodies, and yet it is still shrugged off and tucked away in a “to-read” file.

The mind is vastly over looked when it comes to achieving goals and fitness. The vast majority of people you witness who start their own fitness journey will be achieving more goals they set for themselves, have better relationships, and have gained more self-confidence & self-esteem because of their fitness journey and the hard work they have put in by staying out late, waking up early, or training while on vacation and not mainly because of the “outside” progress they have made. Our bodies cannot make us wake up at 5am, our minds wake us up at 5am. Our bodies don’t tell us to run 3 miles before heading to the beach for a day filled with sun, friends, and sand. Our minds lace up our sneakers and head us out to a sunrise run. These are the people who will continue to grow inside and out.

So! Back to “Positive Thinking”. It seems as though every Monday there is always a “Series of Unfortunate Events”. ALWAYS without fail. EVERY Monday.

Last week I woke up late for the gym so my workout had to be cut short, then I was out running errands and forgot to pack a snack (hello hangry), and then I had to rush through my errands to finish them to be back home to relieve my husband of Wes so he could go to work. Whew. I was feeling stressed, getting a headache, and I was unhappy. If I just took two deep breaths and said to myself something like, “It’s ok, I can get a long workout in tomorrow” or “once this is over we can sit and watch TV during Wesley’s nap time” I could of turned my entire day around. I would of pushed myself harder during my workout in the morning AND I would of enjoyed my husband’s company when he arrived home after a long day.

I am going to practice this Mental Toughness Exercise, “Positive Thinking”, every day this week…

Stay tuned….And I will report back on how well the exercise worked for me this week! (August 1-7th)

Mental Toughness Exercise for Life & Fitness : Get Uncomfortable!!

“Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable”

     Why should we focus on our “Mental Toughness”? Our mental toughness is what is going to carry us through the ups, downs, the wins, the losses, the obstacles, and the victories throughout our fitness journey. Without mental toughness we wouldn’t make fitness an intricated part of our life, a never ending journey. We would quit and give up quickly. Mental toughness also is what will push you through those early morning workouts, those late night workouts, and is what will allow you to never hit the snooze button on your alarm!

     If you read my last blog post (  Beginning Mental Toughness Training  ) and implemented it this past week then you are ready to start practicing and training on your mental toughness!

     This week’s exercise is going to be about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Always wanted to try the Squat Rack? Too nervous to try it out for the first time? First say to yourself: time to become comfortable being uncomfortable! Walk confidently over and act like you know what your doing.  Act like the regular gym-goer who acts like they have grown up in a gym. Same thing applies if you want to be more outgoing or positive, just act like someone you know or aspire to be like that is personable or positive. Like the saying goes, “Fake it till you make it!”.

     Do you hate doing Bicep curls because they are too uncomfortable? Complete 6 sets to failure with 15 seconds rest in-between. Stay in the moment and focus on each rep. Give yourself praise and positivity! The next time you will feel more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

     Everyday this week, July 18-24th 2016, I will be implementing this Mental Toughness exercise of becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable in the gym:

Day 1:

 I HATE barbell squats 🙅🏼 and I usually stick to 30-35 pounds (on each side of the barbell) because that is where I am “comfortable”.
Today at 5am I walked into the gym and went straight to the squat rack ✔️
I looked at it and said I’m ready to get uncomfortable!!
My Personal Record is 45 pounds for 4 reps. Today I went 55 pounds for 3 reps!!!!

Day 2: 

Today I was completing a descending rep set (12-15 reps, 8-10 reps, 6-8 reps, 4-6 reps) and I was at the 8-10 reps portion of the set completing Barbell Deadlifts.
I was at rep 6 and starting to feel uncomfortable and this is where I would usually stop and wait to complete the next set.
BUT
I said to myself “Get Comfortable BEING Uncomfortable” and I pushed myself to complete the next two reps!!!
SO
I stressed and challenged both my BODY and MIND this morning (all before leaving at 9am for my flight!

Day 3:

I wanted to finish out my arm workout with 3 sets of 30 seconds on those big braided ropes.
BUT
I am at a gym where I know NO ONE, in another state, and the ropes are in the middle of the gym.
I felt insecure and self conscious but I said to myself, let’s get “Comfortable Being Uncomfortable!”.
AND
I completed all 3 sets surrounded by a sea of people

Day 4:

It stays light here in Ohio until past 9:30pm so I have been going to bed way later than normal. I woke up at 5am to get my workout in and it was a rough awakening….
BUT
I said “Get Comfortable With Being Comfortable” !
It took me awhile to get out the door but I made it!!!

Day 5:

Day 1 I focused on Barbell Squats and reached my PR of 55 pounds (on each side)! Today, I walked over to the squat rack and immediately placed 55 pounds on each side of the barbell and completed 6-8 reps for 5 sets!

Day 6:

Rest Day! 

We all know how hard it is to make our bodies and minds relax for an ENTIRE day.

Day 7:

Conditioning Workout! 

I only complete my HIIT workout if I go to my boot camp class but since I am away this weekend I told myself to get comfortable with being comfortable and I completed my own HIIT workout
     I have been holding myself back from various things in the gym and that is partly due to being in offseason and no longer working hard towards the goal of competing in a show. I do not have to follow any rules or coaching and this has allowed me to slack off from challenging myself these past few weeks. Having this small goal of completing the Mental Toughness exercise everyday gave me drive, determination, and motivation to challenge my mind and body for these past 7 days. 

I am overcoming my un-comfortability with heavy Barbell Squats! Try to do something each day this week that is uncomfortable for you! What will you become comfortable doing this week? 

Motivational Journey Part 2

“After The Crowd Leaves ….”

My last blog post was about my motivational journey from competing in one bodybuilding competition and trying to find my instrinic motivation to compete in a second show 3 weeks later. I never have backed down from a goal I set for myself whether it be a personal best time in swimming or completing a half marathon. It took a lot of self pride and reflection to say no to the second show. At first I felt guilty and disappointed in myself because I couldn’t find the intrinsic motivation to continue to the second show but sometimes saying no is just as a true test of strength as saying yes. The other areas in my life have become neglected, like an overgrown lawn, and I couldn’t be my best self with a manicured front lawn but an overgrown backyard 😉

Now I have an entire year stretching out in front of me and your probably thinking how will you stay focused?! Having a coach keeps me accountable, if I miss a workout I have to email my coach to change my entire chart. My charts to me feel like they are written in stone!  I never miss a workout or fall off my macro chart when I am working with my coach but my mental state needs a little break & relaxtion before I have to go back under a guided fitness and nutrition plan. Without someone keeping me accountable sometimes it does get easy to miss a workout especially when I am near the beach everyday.

Being in atheltics by the time I could walk instilled a deeply ingrained intrinsic motivation into the make-up of who I am, It has become a part of me, like my toes or hair. Even without a small goal insight or coach its hard to keep myself from not being active! But one of the other ways I help myself head to the gym easier is by keeping it interesting and fun. Every week is a different workout plan, change of reps or exercise, I complete a long run outside on the beach, and I see all my teammate’s at our coach’s boot camp class. Being in charge of my own fitness and nutrition plan will also help me be able to be independent and do it on my own. It also uncovers unhealthy habits that peak back up, over exercising, which allows me to really work on those habits and kick them back to the curb!

 

I look forward to part 3 coming this fall 🙂 

Conditioning Workout

“At-Home Conditioning Workout”

150 Cardio Cals (run/bike/swim outside)
30 second rest interval (in-between each):
1 min Jump Rope

30 Goblet Squats

1 min Bentover Rows

45 Mountain Climbers

30 Dumbbell Deadlifts

1 min Side Lateral Raises

1 min Dumbbell Lunges

30 Straight Leg Dumbbell Deadlifts

1 min Dumbbell Military Press

18 Burpees

15 Tricep Push-ups

1 min Overhead Tricep Extension

30 Laying Leg Lifts

1 min Bicep Curls

1 min Jump Rope
Repeat 3x
150 Cardio Cals (run/bike/swim outside)

 

 

At-Home Conditioning Workout

100 Cardio Cals

10 second rest interval (in-between each):

15 Burpees

30 Front Raises

20 Pushups

15 Jump Squats

30 Standing Shoulder Press

20 Incline Push-ups

15 Jump Lunges

30 Goblet Squats

20 Burpees

30 Bent-over Rows

20 Side Lunges

15 Hammer Curls

30 Seated Russian Twists

20 Tricep Kick-backs

15 Bicep Curls
Repeat 3x

100 Cardio Cals

Feel NOT Look

Mental Toughness Exercise for Fitness

When I ask clients and friends that message me for advice what their top fitness goal is their number one response is, “I want to lose weight”. It is such a vague, surface level answer that I always try to dive a little bit deeper and some of the responses I then receive are “I want to feel good wearing a bikini”. THERE! Emotions and feelings have finally come into play. If you change your fitness journey to be one where you want to feel more confident, be happier, and engage in social events you will not only succeed in obtaining your goal, but it will filter out into all areas of your life. That is what will carry you years down the road to making fitness a part of you, a habit, and something you will enjoy & love doing. I workout not to obtain leaner legs or a set of six pack abs. I workout because I come home energized to play with my toddler and devote time to my family. I leave the gym happier, rejuvenated, and ready to obtain my personal and professional goals.

For this week’s exercise I want you to wake up and even better you get out of bed I want you to think and visualize how you want to feel in the next couple of weeks and what would that look like.

If your goal was to lose 10 pounds or have abs, how would you reword your goal? 

Snack Time!

Snack of the Day

Fage Greek Yogurt! 

I love these portion sized Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt cups that come with a side of fruit or honey. They make a perfect on the go pre- or post-workout snack!  I had mine after a 6 mile run on the beach this afternoon 🙂

Macros: 

120 Calories

0g fat, 18g carbs, 13g protein 

At-Home Conditioning Workout

100 Cardio Cals 

10 second rest interval (in-between each):

 

15 Burpees

30 Front Raises

20 Pushups

15 Jump Squats

30 Standing Shoulder Press

20 Incline Push-ups

15 Jump Lunges

30 Goblet Squats

20 Burpees

30 Bent-over Rows

20 Side Lunges

15 Hammer Curls

30 Seated Russian Twists

20 Tricep Kick-backs

15 Bicep Curls

 

Repeat 3x

100 Cardio Cals 

Crockpot Recipe for 5 Dinners This Week!

“Slow Cooker Balsamic-Ginger Chicken Lettuce Cups”

• In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker combine: 1/4 cupsugar, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs grated ginger, 2 cloves garlic (or 2 tbs minced garlic), and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (if you prefer more spice, use 1/2 tsp here).
• Add to the crockpot 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs and turn to coat. Cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
• Before serving heat in the microwave Minute Rice or Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice. Also cut away the peel and white pith of 1 orange & cut the orange into thin half-moons and place in a medium bowl. Fold in the scallions.
• When the chicken is done cooking: using two forks, gently shred the chicken into medium pieces and stir into the cooking liquid. Fill the lettuce leaves with the rice and top with the chicken and the orange mixture.

 

Recipe found here: http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a32878/balsamic-ginger-chicken-lettuce-cups-recipe/

Snack of the Day

 

A new dessert/snack find! These mint creams found at Trader Joes are a more delicious version of York peppermint pattys. They will satisfy your sweet tooth and you can enjoy 6 of them for only 5g of fat!

Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Mint Creams

1 serving, 6 pieces:

5g fat, 31g carbs, & 0g protein