But what if you hate exercise..?

If you hate exercise, according to online Pt’s, you need to build a positive mindset !

Having chatted to a few (too many ) people, here are some strategies you will be sold to help you develop a positive exercise mindset:

1. Set realistic goals: Start with small, achievable goals that align with your fitness level and interests. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts as you progress.

2. Find enjoyable activities: Explore different types of exercises to find activities that you genuinely enjoy. It could be dancing, hiking, swimming, or any other physical activity that brings you pleasure.

3. Focus on the benefits: Remind yourself of the numerous benefits exercise offers, such as improved mood, increased energy levels, better sleep, and overall health. Concentrating on these positive outcomes can help motivate you.

4. Create a routine: Establish a consistent exercise routine that fits into your schedule. Consistency is key to developing a positive mindset and making exercise a habit.

5. Find a workout buddy or support system: Exercising with a friend or joining a fitness community can provide accountability, motivation, and make the experience more enjoyable.

6. Celebrate small victories: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Recognizing your achievements can boost your confidence and reinforce a positive mindset.

7. Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself and avoid self-criticism. Understand that everyone has different fitness levels and progress at their own pace. Focus on your own journey rather than comparing yourself to others.

Remember, building a positive mindset takes time and effort. By incorporating these strategies into your routine, you can gradually develop a more positive attitude towards exercise.

The problem with these totally worthy, helpful, handy hints, is they don’t really take into account the core of your objection.

You don’t like exercise.

So, if you don’t like exercise, why would you even embark on any of these things?

There is a massive and diverse list of things I don’t like. They have one thing in common. I don’t do them. Nor do I spend any time thinking about doing them.

To give a concrete example, I don’t want to eat poo. Guess how much time I spend creating a poo-eating routine.

Go on, I dare you. I double dare you
Gosh. You are psychic. Zero!

I also don’t: set any sort of poo-eating goals, nor do I celebrate any poo-eating I may accidentally do, nor do I “forgive myself” for not liking poo-eating.

I do however have a big list of stuff that I know I should do and will have to do, but don’t really like or relish. My tax return is a good example.

So, to begin to build a positive mindset, to do the thing you don’t really want to, you need to know or believe that there is a compulsion to the activity. You must exercise “or else”

If you are struggling with the idea of exercise, your very 1st step is, not to make schedules, or think happy thoughts, it is to put exercise (or activity) on your agenda and accept it as something you ought to do, “or else”.

Without this stage, everything else you will do will probably fail!

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Will power. Muscle not brain.

Willpower: Unveiling its Muscle-like Nature
In our pursuit of personal growth and success, willpower often plays a crucial role. It is commonly believed that willpower is a skill that can be honed through practice and discipline. However, recent research suggests that willpower is more akin to a muscle that can be strengthened and fatigued. This blog post aims to explore the concept of willpower as a muscle, supported by academic references.

Understanding Willpower as a Muscle:
Willpower can be defined as the ability to resist short-term temptations in order to achieve long-term goals. Just like a muscle, it can be trained, depleted, and strengthened over time. This muscle analogy provides a useful framework for understanding the dynamics of willpower.

1. Baumeister and Heatherton (1996):
Baumeister and Heatherton conducted a seminal study that compared willpower to a muscle. They found that individuals who exerted self-control in one task experienced a subsequent decrease in self-control in a subsequent task. This depletion effect suggests that willpower, like a muscle, can become fatigued with use.

2. Muraven, Baumeister, and Tice (1999):
In another study, Muraven, Baumeister, and Tice explored the concept of willpower depletion further. They found that participants who resisted eating tempting chocolates performed worse on subsequent cognitive tasks compared to those who did not exert self-control. This study provides evidence that willpower depletion can extend beyond the specific domain of self-control.

3. Job, Dweck, and Walton (2010):
Job, Dweck, and Walton investigated the malleability of willpower through a series of experiments. They found that individuals who believed willpower was a limited resource experienced more self-control failures compared to those who believed it was a flexible and trainable trait. This study highlights the importance of mindset in developing and maintaining willpower.

Building Willpower Muscle:
Similar to building physical muscles, there are strategies to enhance and strengthen our willpower:

1. Gradual Progression:
Start with small, manageable challenges and gradually increase the difficulty. This approach allows the willpower muscle to adapt and grow stronger over time.

2. Rest and Recovery:
Just as muscles need rest to recover and grow, willpower also requires adequate rest. Engaging in activities that replenish mental energy, such as relaxation techniques or hobbies, can help restore willpower.

3. Mindfulness and Self-awareness:
Developing mindfulness and self-awareness can help individuals recognize their triggers for self-control depletion. By identifying these triggers, individuals can proactively manage their willpower resources.

Conclusion:
Willpower, often considered a skill, is better understood as a muscle that can be trained and strengthened. Academic research supports the notion that willpower can be depleted and restored, similar to the dynamics of a muscle. By adopting strategies to build and maintain this muscle, individuals can enhance their self-control and achieve their long-term goals.

References:
1. Baumeister, R. F., & Heatherton, T. F. (1996). Self-regulation failure: An overview. Psychological Inquiry, 7(1), 1-15.
2. Muraven, M., Baumeister, R. F., & Tice, D. M. (1999). Longitudinal improvement of self-regulation through practice: Building self-control strength through repeated exercise. Journal of Social Psychology, 139(4), 446-457.
3. Job, V., Dweck, C. S., & Walton, G. M. (2010). Ego depletion—Is it all in your head? Implicit theories about willpower affect self-regulation. Psychological Science, 21(11), 1686-1693.

Interesting questions to change the way you think

Read more: Interesting questions to change the way you think

What could the acronym “FEED” stand for? Its a mnemonic device to help
you remember the steps to change the way you think.

What do you think it stand for?
a. Feel good, Exhale, Excite, and Dictate
b. Focus, Effort, Effortlessness, and Determination
c. Fail, Engage, Encourage, and Describe
d. Freedom, Effortlessness, Entertainment, and Doing little 

If you need help getting your mind or body right, do drop me an email andrew@andrewstemler.com or you can join my mailing list

To keep up to date with fitness, physical therapy and mindfulness tips join my mailing list here:

DWF: A lovely workout, too much curry and a nose job.

A cute little workout: 10 dumbbell snatches left, 10 right, 1 turkish get up L, 1 turkish get up R, 10 toes to bar. Amrap 12 minutes. I discovered I could use the door frame of the security gate. which added a few interesting challenges. The square shape gave my fingers and hand a “novel grip experience” and because there are bars coming off it, you have to control where your fingers go, otherwise you can smash them up.

Read More

DWF: A Cajun chicken dinner and morning burpees

Well its Saturday, and day 2 out of this training block of 3 days.

Todays workout is 12 minutes of :

10 burpees, 5 dumbbell push press L, 5 dumbbell push press R

This is nastily crafted as yesterday you had the push up grind. Today you will really want to drive your hips on the push press and you’ll probably want more of a sprawl on the burpee.

Still, super compensation, aside, it was surprisingly yuk!

Enjoy.

sorry for the dirty forearm. Car park dirt

Todays Healthy Food Option

To add more variety to this blog, I’m inviting guests into share their favourite meals. First up is a Cajun chicken dish from Fresh Fitness foods.

Chicken –  P: 27.83 | C: 0.73 | F: 3 | Kcal: 141.24
Broccoli – [ P: 2.52 | C: 3.2 | F: 2.42 | Kcal: 35.66 
Rice – [ P: 2.8 | C: 26.5 | F: 0.75 | Kcal: 123.5 ]


Cajun Chicken Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 15g cajun seasoning
  • 5g honey

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c
  2. Mix all of the ingredients together, making sure the chicken is completely coated. 
  3. Place the chicken onto a tray, place the tray into the preheated oven. 
  4. Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked the whole way through leave to rest for 5-10 minutes then slice into thin 0.5cm slices.

Roasted Broccoli  Ingredients

  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • splash of olive oil

Method

  1. Take the florets off the broccoli, slice the bottom off the stalk, cut into 1/4’s lengthwise then slice into 1/2 – 1 inch cubes. 
  2. Mix all ingredients together then place onto a tray and cook in an oven for 15 minutes at 200c.

Zesty Rice Ingredients

  1. 100g white rice
  2. 300g water
  3. 2 limes, zested and juiced
  4. small bunch of coriander sliced.

Method

  1. Place the rice into a pan and pour over the water. 
  2. Bring up to the boil, leave to boil for 2-3 minutes then cover the pan with a lid and turn off the heat. 
  3. After 10 minutes, fluff up the rice with a fork and mix through the lime and coriander.

If you want to try Fresh Fitness Food go here https://www.freshfitnessfood.com/ then use the discounts GABDOU10 for 10% off and GABDOU for £50 off your first order.

Have a great weekend, stay active, eat healthily, see you tomorrow, and join the mailing list

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DWF: disappointing beef dinner and a workout

Well, it looked ok, but may I introduce you to a bit of tasteless beef.

Looked great before it went in the oven

So, its 4 block of tasteless beef ( lovingly slow roasted for 3 hours: that was a waste of electricity), 3 blocks of potatoes at 150g, and some nice cabbage with a block of extra butter (between the 2 of us) chucked in, otherwise Kate won’t eat it.

looked ok, tasted of nothing.

looked ok, totally tasteless

TODAYS WORKOUT

This mornings workout was 20 box jumps (or step ups) 20 push ups, 400m run . As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes.

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