Mindset and mentality

Mindset: The established set of attitudes set by someone.

Mentality: A person’s particular way of thinking about things.

Every single human being has a mindset and a mentality. Every single human being’s one of the above will be different than the others. That is what sets us apart as individuals.

Some people are strong minded and strong willed, some people start out strong minded but can’t apply the willpower to keep strong, some people are not as strong minded as others and don’t have the drive or confidence to push to become so.

Everybody is different.

So how does this relate to a fitness blog?

Well…the gym/health and fitness means something different to everyone. It can be a release at the end of a hard day, it can be an escape for whatever troubles in life you have, it can be your sanity for 30mins of the day, it can be your hour of a catch up with a friend, it can be something that you and partner enjoy to do and spend time together, it can be the place you want to work on your goals, wether that be beginner goals, a personal goal, or a physique goal.

All of the above is your mentality. The gym is the way you think about either that release, or that time together, or that goal you are working towards.

So, speaking of goals….

You need mindset to get there.

It’s takes a lot of mental toughness to push yourself towards a goal.

You might be a beginner who has never set foot in a gym. So your mindset is the toughness you need to get you through those doors with confidence. You might not know what the hell you are doing in there, but that you can learn…and that right there is the mentality you need to start.

You might be a regular gym goer but want to progress onto learning different techniques, different ways of training and different ways of altering your physique. Mindset, it’s the attitude you apply to do the above. It’s the grit and the want to do something new and not stop until you’ve cracked it. The mentality is that you are determined to do it.

You may be working towards a physique goal. You may be aiming to stand on stage and show off all your hard work. The mindset is that you want to do it, that you want it so badly, that you will do anything it takes. The mentality is knowing what it takes and not giving in or giving up at any point when temptation kicks in or it starts to get tough. The mentality is to not cheat yourself.

This week I was into week 3 of my own bootcamp, the first time I have followed a nutrition plan or done regular exercise in over 14 months due to personal health reasons 😨. And I won’t lie it has been absolute hell.

I’ve been used to shovelling calories in my mouth, pretty much eating whatever I fancied, having chocolate and crisps on a regular basis and not being mindful of the intake I was having. It went hand in hand with not being able to physically exercise. Im not condoning it. I’m not proud of it. My mindset and my mentality was shot.

But finally and thankfully being back into some sort of action meant that this week my body was a little bit shot… and a little bit shocked. I’ve been hungry, I’ve craved foods, I’ve had a headache, I’ve been a bit miserable and my body has physically hurt. I’ve also had to make my son’s lunch box for school, he requests things like Nutella sandwiches, ham wraps, tomato pasta, crisps, Kit Kats, and apple juice… and a surprise of two cookies hidden in tin foil 🙈. Cookies. I’ve had to handle cookies, and I could have quite easily buried him under the shed for even asking me to take them out of the biscuit box.

I DON’T EVEN LIKE COOKIES! They wouldn’t be my first choice of biscuit anyway. But I could have quite easily shovelled them in my mouth at 7.15am several times this week.

The reality is that when you know you can’t do or have something, you want it. And that is what happens naturally when you are restricted during a process.

Do you give in?

Hell. No.

You suck it up, you CAN the fact that you can’t have it, and you get on with your day.

That’s mental toughness right there.

That one little cookie wouldn’t have done me any harm, not this far in now, but that little bite could become a regular occurrence. You’ve had the taste. You’ve broken the willpower. You gave in.

Same with missing a session in the gym.

It becomes a cycle. ‘Oh it won’t hurt this once’. ‘Oh it’s only one more lick it won’t hurt’. ‘I’ll just have one more then I’ll get back on it’. ‘I’ve messed up today I’ll sack it off and carry on fresh tomorrow’. ‘I’ll start again Monday’. ‘I’ll leave my workout today and go tomorrow’ ‘Oh another day won’t hurt I’ll make it up’. Sound familiar?

Do you know what… you wouldn’t have to start again if you didn’t give in.

I’m not saying it’s not tough to have strong mindset and mentality, it is tough. Really really tough. But it is there. It’s inside of everyone. You have to find the fire in your belly to apply it. And you sure as hell have to want the goal enough.

I know damn well in 5 weeks time when Kev takes my photos that if they are no different than my start photos it’s completely my own fault. And that is embarrassing as hell. And that feeling right there is what I focus on to keep me in the right mindset. The mindset of wanting to achieve. The mentality to be strong enough to do that. I will battle my own negative thoughts daily, I will argue with the devil in my head that wants ripple or ready salted crisps. I won’t give into the tiredness and aches/pains. I will keep pushing.

Whatever you are aiming towards, keep strong. Think about why you want it, think about what it takes to get there, apply it and keep your head down until you achieve it. Don’t be afraid to say no. Missing a night out with friends won’t hurt, they will still be there the next day. Saying no to crisps won’t hurt either, they will be in supermarkets forever. Going home late or getting up an extra hour early to get a workout in won’t hinder your whole day. Asking people for help isn’t embarrassing. It’s achieving. And achieving is amazing. And it feels amazing too.

Dig deep. Find that mentality. Apply the mindset and go smash your goals.

It’s definitely in you….go let it free 💪🏼.

Happy Sunday guys ❤