How does your day go determines how well your training session will go?
Hate the idea of hitting the gym, running 5 miles, or doing your workout at home?
Do you have to get out of bed every morning ‘kicking (weakly) and screaming’?
If these statements sound like you, it’s time to train your brain!
The goal is to strengthen your mind so that you can improve your concentration, feel less anxious and stressed, and send your body to its maximum level of energy and efficiency. Master this and you will also start:
• to control your attention to things instead of having a ‘loose gun’ approach
• appreciate the little things in life and have an ‘attitude of gratitude’
• learn to prioritize and focus on what really matters
So, without further delay, let’s get started …
And what better place to start than in the morning!
As soon as the alarm goes off, your brain starts thinking!
It moves between everything and anything it can, and is often very difficult to redirect once a thought pattern is established!
The argument with your partner, the defeat of your team, the unhealthy weekend you just had, the nightmare work week in front of you …
These thoughts may not seem like the problem, but they can be extremely mentally draining!
So the key is to eliminate as many distractions as possible and stay focused and focused. By doing this, you will be much calmer, which in turn will help you make healthier choices in your diet, training, and many other aspects of your life.
There are so many benefits to being focused and calm that it’s scary!
For example, if you feel anxious and stressed, you will start to breathe incorrectly – shallow and fast instead of deep! This stops your body from getting all the oxygen it could be getting. This then inhibits its performance and functionality!
There has been a lot of research on this topic, particularly with regards to military personnel, where having the mental toughness and the edge can be the difference between life and death.
It is often referred to as MINDFULNESS!
Mindfulness training also has strong links to help improve mental health. People with depression and anxiety can reduce unhelpful thoughts and improve overall well-being with mindfulness.
Mindfulness training: how to get started!
Improving your thinking, like most things, is not something that happens overnight.
It requires practice, study and routine. The more you practice it, the better you will become!
Here are my tips on how you can start mindfulness training today and start focusing your mind the right way:
• Download a mindfulness application on your mobile (there are many free)
• Meditate for 5 minutes each day.
• Take a yoga or pilates class
• Enroll in an online mindfulness training class
• Write a list of 5 things at the beginning of each week that you will focus on and prioritize.
FINAL THOUGHT:
There is no question that your eating and exercise plans play an important role in your fitness and health, but so does your mind!
Your brain is the boss of your whole body, therefore if you don’t take care of your brain, the health of your whole body will suffer!
