Exercise: Think Good Thoughts

Start your exercise routine with a positive mindset.

Making your exercise routine more effective, and supercharging the benefits, can be achieved by thinking positively about it.  According to researchers at the University of Freiburg, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the improvements can be seen and measured.

When people believe that exercise will be good for them, then it will be.  The University tested their theory that the belief amplifies health benefits on 76 volunteers (aged 18-32).  They were shown either a positive or negative film about cycling before their workout of 30 minutes on a gym bike.

Less anxiety and more benefits to the nervous system were found on those volunteers who had seen the positive film first.

The lead researcher, Hendrik Mothes, was reported as saying “The results demonstrate that our belief in how much we will benefit from physical activity has a considerable effect on our well-being in the manner of a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

We know from our studies in beliefs, that both positive and negative have an impact on our daily life.  And, as Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right”.

So, even if you aren’t feeling that positive initially, try to change your thinking before you start.  Consider all the benefits you will have from doing it, remember the buzz you get from the feel-good hormones running round your body, visualise the fitter you that will be getting results.  

Once you start to look at the positives, more positives will come and you also now know you get added benefits from your exercise.

Source: What Doctors Don’t Tell You November 2016