Your Health And Your Mind:

“If you don’t think you can do it, your body won’t either. The mind always fails before the body,” Arnold Schwarzenegger

I would not describe myself as a fitness fanatic; however, a few years back, I had some minor health issues that forced me to change how I viewed my body. With age, your body starts to lose some flexibility and muscle tone. Your immune system becomes slower to respond in its defence of your body against various germs and infections. Most people who age well choose to eat well and engage in various forms of exercise to mitigate some of the issues they might encounter as they age. If you are in poor health, you become more susceptible to illness and have a longer recovery time. Lack of regular body movements can retard your energy levels and overall fitness. I was that woman I have just described.

Three years ago, I had a surgical procedure to remove an internal growth. After the surgery, I started to experience some periodic lower back pain. If I stood up too quickly or moved suddenly, I had sharp shooting pain down my lower back. This situation was compounded by the fact that I was falling sick on a regular basis and my body was taking longer to recover from common colds and allergy-induced ailments. My lifestyle had to change, and my mindset towards fitness needed a reset.

I Joined Gyms I Barely Used

We all have our own frame of reference and experience with fitness. When I reflect on the Arnold Schwarzenegger quote, I circle back to the stumbling blocks in my efforts to establish a regular exercise routine. You see, I have always been a gym membership chaser, but I lacked the commitment to be a regular attendee.

I have joined and paid for three gym memberships, all of which are now cancelled.
In the beginning, my mental resolve was always strong, but with time, I found myself wavering until I stopped attending all sessions.
Then I tried to align myself with friends who were more committed and consistent, but when they stopped, I stopped.
In the past, I prioritised work over my health, leading to frequent cancellations.
Gyms are intimidating – there are too many large machines to navigate and use safely.
It is also overwhelming to see the number of toned bodies wandering around, flexing, pulling, and lifting different heavy weights.
Stepping into the world of the so-called professionals as a novice takes courage and a willingness to leave your comfort zone.
I understand that it is important to have a trainer guide you through effective workouts tailored to your body’s needs. But not every person can afford such luxuries.

So how did things change? How did I train my mind to prioritise movement and exercise above other things?

It started with small baby steps.
First, I had numerous conversations with a friend who was a fitness enthusiast. She was methodical in her training and understood the importance of regular exercise and movement. She gave me a realistic outlook on exercising. To help me start the process, she told me my first step was to choose a fitness plan I enjoyed, and my second step was to decide which areas I wanted my movements to target (toning legs, staying fit or being active). Then I had to make a realistic schedule of how much time I was willing to allocate to regular gym sessions. Finally, it was important for me to prioritise rest days so my body could fully recover from my regular workouts.
Starting the process became a mind-over-matter type of situation. Armed with her guidelines, I did my research.
In our modern era, YouTube, Google, and ChatGPT are great sources of information for anyone wanting to start a gym routine. Fitness experts and trainers create various sets of workout videos to help you achieve your goals.
I started following a few favourites, mostly because they were either at my level of challenge or targeted the skills I wanted to see developed in my body.
I read about how to create routines and started building my own program.
With my newfound goals, my gym routines were well mapped out; they may seem basic to an outside observer, but this works for me.
I try to get to the gym at least four times a week; if I can’t make it, I do a few stretching exercises at home.
At my best during a workout, I can stay at the gym for 40 to 50 minutes. At my worst, when my mind feels resistance to any movement, I stay for thirty minutes, and then I leave. My deal with myself is to keep moving, no matter what!
Before I go to the gym, I make it my duty to watch new workouts and develop a program to follow during my time there. When I get bored with an exercise program, I start looking up new workouts that focus on my body’s needs. My routine is simple: I do three sets per session. Each set consists of three different workouts that target the same muscle group. I repeat each set three times and take a one-minute break before beginning the next session. I might not love the gym, but I am enjoying the results I see in my body.
Finally, I feel fortunate enough to work at a school with free gym access, and the close proximity to my apartment is a bonus.
My consistency in following this routine has been paying off. My body feels stronger as I lift more weight.
I figured out that my best time to exercise is early mornings, which fits my schedule.

When I compare my gym journey now to when I first started, I celebrate my small achievements. I went from the girl who almost fell over trying to lift 6kg (about 13lb) dumbbells to the girl who picks up 10kg (about 20lb) weights as though they were nothing. There have been some skipped gym days, but I never prolong my absence. I celebrate my small successes and notice how much stronger my body is becoming, all thanks to my levelled-up consistency. A positive aspect of this process is the increased confidence and better mental framework. I am more focused on achieving small goals and growing in my pursuits of success. A great workout makes my body feel refreshed and energised.

Our mind is the compass from which our lives grow and develop. We can never dismiss its capacity to overshadow our plans and our dreams for the future. What you aim to achieve can happen when you choose to meditate on those things that add to your personal growth and development. Below are links to fitness “gurus” I follow. There is Juice and Toya and Sydney Cummings. Take the first step to your own personal fitness journey. If you have already started on this journey, leave me a comment and share what you did and what is your preference for moving your body towards better health.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FBIaqr7TjQ&t=730s