Forget resolutions. Intentions matter more.
Jan 3, 2024
3 min read
0
1
0
The new year has arrived! Happy New Year 🥳. There is most likely a flurry of New Year’s Resolutions about getting fit, losing weight or achieving other fitness related goals so I thought I would post something useful about exercise.
Intentions vs resolutions. I thought about this during my last training session and decided that intentions really do matter when exercising.
What do you think about when you are exercising? How many times during a session has your whole focus been to go hard because you want or need to see results as soon as you finish? You push through those squats or burpees, sweating like you have never sweated before hoping that this session is the one that will make all the difference. Hoping that when you finish, your body will look different. Then you look in the mirror and are disappointed because you can’t see the results – thinking to yourself ‘what do I need to do!’. This sort of mindset, the mindset during a session that hopes that ‘this is the session that will change me’, will always lead to disappointment. Not only that, but the lack of perceived results will also squash your motivation to keep going.
It is natural for us to want instant results; we are wired that way. Although you may not see the results you want – like seeing the new improved you – you will gain something more important. The instant result you will get is the satisfaction that you did it. The act of doing that one session will give you a sense of achievement and that is something that will keep you motivated. It is this change of mindset (the mindset that knows this one session is part of the plan, the bigger picture), not the exercise, that will get you the results you are looking for because you will be motivated to go back and do it again.
Changes to the body and the mind take time. Each time you decide to exercise, ask yourself what your intentions are for that individual, in the moment session. Are you training as part of your plan to make small incremental changes (which lead to big changes over time) and celebrating the time you are spending on yourself moving closer toward your goals or are you training because you want instant results from that one session by smashing your body to smithereens!
When I enter a workout, my intention is to feel good, to work on my strength, and to have comfort in knowing I am looking after my body. Each workout can be very different. Some sessions feel really powerful, and I go for it, while others feel like a struggle. During those sessions I am kind to myself. At the end of those sessions especially, I give myself a pat on the back and say to myself ‘in the bank!’ meaning that every bit of effort counts. Every single time you move, exercise or train (however you want to frame it), as long as it is part of a consistent effort, the results will compound over time and you will see the results you want.
So next time you enter the gym, go for a ride, swim or any other activity you decide to undertake to reach your exercise goals, remember to embrace the process. Be present in your workout. If your mind is on the workout itself and not on the results, your body and mind will thank you for it. Remember – that one session is part of the big picture. Enjoy it, move your body and be proud after each and every session you give to yourself.
Go for it!
