If you are sick and tired of the start/stop cycle when it comes to your health and fitness, this one's for you.

You already know how important health and fitness are, but for some reason you just cannot stick with it.

You have probably even had these thoughts before:

“What is wrong with me?”
“Why can’t I just stick to this?”

If so, you are certainly not alone, but the reason you keep failing is not what you think.

Think for a moment about the last time you tried to lose weight, get out of pain, or start a fitness routine.

You were excited and ready to go...this would be the time that you stick with it!

But then, as always, you fell off.

You ate too much one night and thought, “What’s the point?” and then gave up on your diet.

You missed a workout (or 3) and then thought, “This isn’t working anyway”.

Or...the real killer...you did everything “right” and you didn’t lose weight, have less pain, have more energy, or whatever it was that you were looking for.

So you quit.

And now you are wishing you hadn’t. Or you are thinking about getting started again. But this time will be different.

“I just need to try harder.”
“I just need to have better discipline.”
“I just need more willpower.”
“I just need to be better.”

Well, I am here to tell you that you do NOT need to be better. This type of thinking is exactly what will lead to you failing again.

What you need is to give yourself a break.

It’s time to better understand what the real reason is behind your struggle with health and fitness.

Here it is: you have built a habit of failing.

Let me explain.

Have you ever noticed how the thoughts you have before, during, and after your previous (or current) attempts to get fit are all very similar?

These thoughts (as with all thoughts) are habits. We don’t usually control them, they just come.

And the biggest difference between you and someone who has been successful in their attempts to “get fit” are your thoughts.

It’s your thoughts that drive your actions and it’s your thoughts that determine your ability to succeed or fail when you start a new program.

If thoughts are so important, let’s talk about which thoughts will help and which will hurt!

Destructive Thought: What is wrong with me?

Here is a great example of a thought that comes up any time someone “fails” or struggles to reach a goal. 

If you have ever “gone off” your diet and then mentally beat yourself up for doing it, this is what I am talking about!

Constructive Thought: Wow! I really went crazy last night. Time to get back to it! 

This is just one version of this type of thought, but here is what makes this thought powerful: non-judgement and non-attachment.

You are not judging what you did nor are you attached to the meaning behind what you did. It happened and it’s time to move on.

Destructive Thought: I just need to be better.

Another common thought that is guaranteed to lead to failure. Why?

1. You are tying your ability to stick to a plan with your “goodness”. You are saying that if you cannot do this, then you were not better, therefore you are a failure.

2. When you say “be better” what you really mean is, be perfect. Zero missed workouts, zero cheat meals, 100% discipline.

You have rigged the game against yourself and you will never satisfy your expectation to “be better”.

Constructive Thought: I am ready for a change, but I am okay if I’m not perfect.

Here is why this type of thought is powerful: focusing on the process, not the outcome. Not requiring perfection.

If you want to lose weight, and you place your focus on the outcome (i.e. your weight) then two things will happen:

1. You will stress yourself out and make yourself miserable.

2. If and when you lose weight, you will not be happy about it.

If you want to be fit and happy, you need to focus on the process. And not just focus on it...enjoy it!

Because I’ll let you in on a little secret about the fitness industry...most people who are “really fit” are not happy.

The reason they are in such great shape is because they use exercise the way you use ice cream. It’s a way to fill a void! And so they “binge” on exercise and restrictive eating and detox plans.

But they are not happy.

The only people who are fit AND happy are those who have learned to love the process.

They see exercise as a way of helping them to move and feel better, so they don’t kill themselves in the gym and only do what feels right.

They enjoy eating healthy food because it leaves them feeling energized and clear headed.

And they love practicing the habit of constructive thinking, because it leaves them feeling happy, relaxed, and at peace.

And this is what I will be talking about in my next article: how to become the person who actually likes being fit!

Until then, I want to let you know that we are running a very special 28-day program right now that has been designed specifically to help you to create constructive thoughts and actions.

It’s called our 28-Day MintFit Challenge and I would love for you to join!

This program includes:

• Full fitness and goals evaluation
• Weekly 1-on-1 mindset coaching calls
• Simple meal plan and nutrition coaching
• 2-3x week of personal training

Click here to learn more and sign up today!

Mint Condition Fitness empowers purpose-driven men and women to lose weight, get out of pain, and do more of the things that make life meaningful.