Mind Trick Motivation: How to Get Your Brain in Gear

Sometimes, your big fitness goals and the enjoyment of exercising are all you need to get going with your regime; but there are other times, when your energy is lagging, that you need a little something extra. Luckily, there are many little tricks of the mind you can use to jump-start your motivation. According to sports psychologist JoAnn Dahlkoetter, PhD, the author of Your Performing Edge, ‘If you find a ritual that works for you and repeat it over time, your body will instantly respond when you need that extra push.’ So we spoke to a few world-class athletes, trainers and psychologists, and asked how they get motivated to take care of their wellbeing:

 

1. Be Inspired By the Greats: ‘One morning not long ago my motivation was at a major low point,’ confesses wellness writer Marisa Cohen. ‘I had plans to meet a friend at Zumba, but when I woke at 7am, it was raining, I had a cramp in my leg, and, frankly, staying in bed and finishing that dream about Jake Gyllenhaal seemed a thousand times more appealing than yanking off the covers and heading out into the grey gloom. But then I heard an urgent whisper in my ear: “Get up and get your workout out-of-the-way now; you can always rest later!” It was Janet Evans speaking. Yes, that Janet Evans, the Olympic swimmer who won four gold medals at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. She mentioned this mantra in an interview I watched decades ago. I stuck it in my back pocket back then, and I pull it out for the ultimate kick in the butt when I need it most.’

 

2. Do it For the Kids: Janet Evans’ past mantra inspired Cohen to go on, but how does the Olympian, who is now a 40-year-old mother of two, do it today? Evans notes, ‘When I used to swim, it was always for external goals, like scholarships or world records. Now it’s more personal. I remind myself that I’m showing my five-year-old daughter that if you set a goal and work hard for it, you can achieve anything. Yesterday she said to me, “Mommy, you smell like chlorine.” And I said, “Get used to it, girl!”’

 

3. Go for Instant Gratification: Rather than thinking of the long-term benefits of exercise (such as lowering your risk of cancer, heart disease, and a slew of other scary illnesses), jot down the benefits you’ll see today, like being more alert for your afternoon meeting or more relaxed when you spend time with your family. Michelle Segar, PhD, the associate director of the University of Michigan Sport, Health and Activity Research and Policy Centre for Women and Girls, comments, ‘Our research found that the women who stick with exercise programs are the ones who do it for benefits they can experience immediately, such as having more energy or feeling less stress.’

 

4. Star in a Mental Motivational Movie: ‘Visualization is a great tool,’ asserts celebrity trainer and holistic nutritionist Jennifer Cassetta. ‘I see myself at my healthiest, fittest, and strongest, doing different athletic endeavours. This motivates me to go the extra mile and skip the junk food.’ Kathleen Martin Ginis, PhD, a professor of health and exercise psychology at McMaster University in Canada, adds, ‘Picturing yourself accomplishing something may create a neural pathway in your brain in almost the same way as actually com­pleting the feat would. It also gives you a burst of confidence that you can succeed, which makes you more likely to continue your training.’

Categories: Benefits, evans, extra, janet, janet evans, motivation, nbsp, short-term benefits, visualisation

No-Effort Weight Loss: Five Fuss-Free Tips and Tricks

Weight loss or maintenance always seems like such an uphill battle. Sure, you want to look good and protect your wellbeing against serious health concerns, but going to the gym? Pass. Still, you don’t have to hit the machines – or even change out of your jammies – to burn more calories. All you need to do is make a few home improvements to tip the scales in your favour.

 

1. Dim the lights: While turning down the lights and listening to Adele in the gloom may seem like the sign of a mental breakdown, it’s actually a bright idea for improving your wellness. According to a recent study from Cornell University, diners who ate a meal under soft lights with relaxing music in the background consumed 133 fewer calories compared with those who ate in bright, noisy environments. When you eat dinner in a calm atmosphere, you eat more slowly which enables your brain to better register satisfaction before you’re stuffed. Even if you’re no Handy Andy, Mike Scott, the resident lighting expert for Lowe’s, asserts that even a novice can install a dimmer switch in 15 minutes or less.

 

2. Slim Shady: There’s a reason why they call Eminem “Slim Shady” – he keeps getting told to “please stand up”.  Yes, spending an extra hour in your day simply standing up can help you to burn an additional 40 calories. Barry Braun, PhD, a kinesiology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, points out that ‘not activating muscle fibres for a prolonged period of time causes negative changes in the pathways that regulate your metabolism.’ In English, this means that as well as using more energy, standing also keeps your metabolism humming. So, park yourself at the kitchen counter to send your emails, or Braun suggests taking a five-minute walking break every 30 minutes.

 

3. Stay cool: Even if you’re not doing anything apart from slobbing in front of the TV, just turning down the temperature in your house can help you to burn more fat. In the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a study details how exposing people to cold temperatures for three hours, helped them to burn an additional 250 calories. Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist and the author of Beat Overeating Now!, explains that being cold forces your body into overdrive to heat itself up again, and you end up zapping extra calories in the process. Isaacs notes that even lowering the thermostat by two or three degrees can help you get the benefits.

 

4. Treat yourself to a new wardrobe: On the rare occasion that you do attempt to exercise, doing it in stained, stretched-out clothes may impede your efforts. Body image expert Sarah Maria, the author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life, comments, ‘Worn-out clothes can hold you back and even keep you from going to the gym in the first place, while a flattering, comfortable outfit boosts your confidence and energy while you work out.’ Do a clean sweep of your workout wardrobe, and then fill the gaps with a few shiny new purchases. When replacing your sports bra (which is a good idea if you’ve had it for more than six months to a year), LA-based celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza recommends, ‘A neon sports bra or a moisture-wicking tank may be motivation enough to run an extra mile or bust out a few more reps.’

 

5. Make some noise: A good night’s sleep prevents you from overeating the next day, as well as making the most of your body’s peak fat-burning time. If you’re having trouble sleeping, the sound of an overhead fan may be all you need. Lisa Shives, MD, the founder of the Linden Center for Sleep and Weight Management in Evanston, Illinois, details, ‘It helps you tune out disruptions. If you’re in a too-quiet room, any little sound, whether it’s the house creaking or your neighbours coming home, will wake you up.’

Categories: body, burn, calories, Cooler Temperature, extra, nbsp, slim shady, sports bra, Weight Loss, White Noise

Diwali: How to Keep the Weight Off and Enjoy Yourself

During Diwali, an abundance of sweets, rich treats and fatty foods will be on offer. If you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight during this time and beyond, it can be tricky knowing how to avoid the sweeter treats and still enjoy the festival. You don’t want to appear as though you’re not taking part, but you also don’t want to gain those extra pounds that will be difficult to lose afterwards. The good news is that it is possible to combine the two and still have a great time with your loved ones – here are a few tips to help you avoid piling on the pounds during Diwali.

Eat in moderation

It may seem like an obvious way to begin, but it’s easier said than done when there are treats and sinful foods everywhere you look. During the festivities you are bound to eat more fried foods, sweeter snacks and other fatty goods which could cost you when you step on the scales. The best way to enjoy yourself and not do too much damage on the weight plan is to keep your consumption of such foods to a minimum. Eat one or two rather than an entire plateful so that you don’t gain too many calories each day.

Don’t avoid exercise

If you are going to indulge, you need to balance it out with plenty of exercise to burn off those extra few treats you enjoyed. It may seem like that last thing you’ll want to do when you’re celebrating, but making the effort to hit the gym will help you in the long run. You can enjoy that indulgent meal guilt-free if you know that you’ll be burning it off the next day. It will also keep you motivated to run an extra mile or work out for an extra half an hour.

Use low fat ingredients where possible

Where you can, try to make your food with low fat ingredients such as skimmed milk and non-fat dairy products, and use natural sugars such as honey, jaggery and dates rather than refined sugar. Diet sweets and ice creams are readily available in the supermarkets now, but this simply means that they’ve been made with substitutes instead of the real deal. So don’t be tempted to go overboard simply because it has the word ‘diet’ attached to it.

Opt for dried fruits over deep fried

If you have the option of deep fried goods and dried fruit, opt for the latter. It may not be as tasty, but it will offer you a health boost and won’t cost you when it comes to weigh-in time. Most snacks and sweets are made with refined sugars and flour, which means they hold very little nutritional value, whereas dried fruit is packed with nutrients and natural fibre.

Drink plenty of water before snacking

If you want to avoid overeating, you should drink some water before you begin eating. We often mistake thirst for being hungry, and as such we overeat. If you drink beforehand, you will lower your cravings and eat less overall. By the same token, slow down the pace that you eat. It will stop you eating more than you need, as you’ll be giving your brain time to realise when it’s eaten enough.

Avoid second helpings

On the theme of overeating, don’t be tempted to go for a second helping as this will simply double the amount of fat and calories you consume unnecessarily. Be firm with yourself and stop when you’ve eaten enough, rather than eating everything on your plate out of habit.

Categories: avoid, deep fried, diet, Diwali, dried fruit, extra, foods, time, treats, weight gain

Top Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Researchers claim that the average person gains between one and two pounds every year, but it seems that consuming just 100 calories less each day could be enough to avoid that fated weight gain. If you’re finding that you’ve already gained the weight and want to lose it, then you will need to cut your calorie intake down by 500 every day. However, you don’t need to take them all of your plate – you could cut 250 from your diet and then burn 250  calories by walking 30 to 45 minutes each day. If you were to do this each day you would be able to produce a pound of weight loss. This may not seem like a dramatic weight loss, but  small changes in your lifestyle such as this will be the key components of a healthy and effective weight loss regime. Your diet and level of exercise count, obviously, but you may not be aware of how hormones impact your weight loss too.

 

Your diet should be the first change, as this is where most people fall short in weight loss programmes. There are many changes you can make so that you don’t feel like you’re on a diet though. For example, you could start with your salad in your evening meal so that you stock up less on the carbs and fatty aspects of your meal. Research has shown that women ate 10 percent fewer calories throughout the course of the day when their salads were topped with low fat mozzarella and Italian dressing, instead of high fat salad toppers. And if you would rather keep your salad on the side, dip your fork into it before picking up your greens – this is a simple trick but could save you hundreds of calories each time. Surprisingly, you could actually save calories by visiting the vending machine. Opting for a single serving of crisps or chocolate will save you calories compared to the amount you may eat after digging into a mega-sized bag or bar. Your snacking doesn’t have to rely on the vending machine through – try a handful of nuts, which researchers claim could help people keep weight off better than any other food.

Getting yourself moving more will help you to burn off those extra calories that you’ve stacked up during the day. There are easy ways to slip a little extra movement into your day – when your mobile goes off, for example, get up and move around rather than sitting still during the conversation. If you were to do this for 10 minutes every day, at an average of 3mph, you could burn an additional 1000 calories every month – that’s three pounds a year!  You could also get off the bus a few stops early and walk the remainder of your journey, or park a little further away for the same results. The average person burns around 100 calories an hour from sitting down and 140 each hour standing up, so get on your feet for around 2 hours a day to drop an extra six pounds every year. If you want to help your body in its bid to lose weight, get some shut-eye. Studies show that a lack of sleep can increase the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps us regulate our appetite. If you get more sleep, your hunger pangs will be regulated and you’ll be less likely to store fat as a result of overeating. The same can be said of staying calm – stress will lead to overeating and the storage of fat, so take time to rest and relax for a healthier body and mind.

Categories: average person, calories, diet, exercise, extra, Fat, loss, researchers claim, vending machine, weight, Weight Loss