Why do some people find it so easy to exercise and eat a healthy diet while so many others struggle? One of the reasons is a difference is having a mindful mindset.
If you view yourself as someone who can’t follow a diet, you’ll find it very challenging to eat well. Do you see yourself as a person who doesn’t go to the gym? If so, you probably won’t be able to find your way to the gym with any regularity.
Someone who eats well doesn’t view food, or himself, an unhealthy, overweight person views those things in the same way.
Many do not have the mindset to be mindful of our health and wellness, and it shows. Among African-American adults, nearly 48 percent are clinically obese (including 37.1 percent of men and 56.6 percent of women, compared to 32.6 percent of whites (including 32.4 percent of men and 32.8 percent of women). Statistics like these should be alarming in the black community, considering obesity leads to so many other health risks and chronic illnesses.
What is mindful eating? In a nutshell, mindful eating is eating only when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full. It is also putting your full attention on the eating experience.
Most people don’t eat mindfully. They’re watching TV, talking, playing on their phone, or thinking about something else while they eat. These are habits that lead to overeating and weight gain.
With the appropriate mindset, you can do anything!
Having a mindful mindset of these habits will help turn you into someone who’s naturally fit and healthy:
- Make healthy choices and recognize them as such. The best way to think of yourself as someone that makes healthy choices is to make them regularly. Whenever you make a healthy choice, notice it and announce to yourself, “I’m the kind of person that chooses healthy food over unhealthy food.” Or, “I’m one of those people that goes to the gym even if it’s raining.
When you view health and fitness as part of your identity, the behaviors that support that belief occur naturally.
- Consider how each decision impacts your health and fitness. Most people never consider the impact a decision has on their health. They choose food based on what they happen to feel like eating at that moment. Or, they search for a parking spot as close to the store’s door as possible out of convenience.
- When faced with options, ask yourself, “Which option best supports my health and fitness?”. When you begin asking this question, you’ll start the process of changing your mindset.
- When faced with options, ask yourself, “Which option best supports my health and fitness?”. When you begin asking this question, you’ll start the process of changing your mindset.
- Do your grocery shopping the way a healthy person would. Before you head to the grocery store, make a list of everything you want to buy. Review that list and ensure that you’re making healthy choices. Remove any items that aren’t healthy and replace them with healthier options.
- Stick to your list. The only reason to stray from your list is if you remember something that you need. Avoid the temptation to pick up anything that fails to support your health.
- Stick to your list. The only reason to stray from your list is if you remember something that you need. Avoid the temptation to pick up anything that fails to support your health.
- Make time for exercise. Avoid the mindset of, “I’ll exercise today if I have time.” Make time in your regular schedule for exercise. Plan out your week and decide when and where you’re going to work out. You can certainly arrange for 30 minutes of exercise a few times each week.
- Use affirmations. Write five affirmations that affirm your commitment to health and spend a few minutes each day reciting them. Here are a few examples:
- I consider the impact every decision I make has on my health.
- I make my health a priority.
- I find it easy to stick to a healthy diet.
- I love to exercise and keep my body fit and healthy.
- My mind and body want to be healthy.
Possessing a mindful mindset that supports your goals is a critical part of becoming a healthier person. We consistently live up to our expectations and beliefs about ourselves. If you believe you’re one of those, who eat poorly and can’t stick to an exercise routine, any effort to change this reality will be a tremendous struggle.
If you can develop the mindset of a healthy and fit person, you’ll become healthier and fitter. You couldn’t stop yourself from making progress even if you tried. Change your mindset, and your life will change, too.
