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Staying Psychologically-Fit by Heather Frey

What is the best way to stay focused mentally on our journey toward health?

Ask yourself – Where do I want to be in a year? In 2 years…in 5 years? Do you want to be better or worse off? Often people don’t make a change until they have a health scare or until they hit rock bottom. Who wants to wait that long? As challenging as it is making the shift to a healthy life, maintaining unhealthy behavior is so much more difficult. Once you get moving and clean up your nutrition, its body and mind altering and THAT is motivating.

How can I create a plan that will allow me to re-set my mental focus in my workout?

First, find a fitness you enjoy. It’s not just doing it that gets you fit; it’s the keep doing it that brings true fitness. And to keep doing it, you need to enjoy it. You don’t’ have to join a gym or lift weights to get in shape, but you have to find a way to move your body with focus, intensity and purpose. Mental focus starts with a goal – I want more muscle. I want to lose layers and tighten my body. I want to run a race. Once you have the goal in mind, then you start making choices that bring you to that goal. Every choice throughout your day should feed that goal until you don’t have to think about it anymore, it’s just the way you live.

What’s the most effective method to overcome our insecurities and build confidence in my health efforts?

There’s not one most effective way to overcome insecurity, other than to just do it. Proving to yourself you can releases insecurity. You put aside your ego, your fear of feeling awkward and realize that every single fit person has started where you are – clueless. If you want the body, health and fitness, you’ll have to get over it. Learn what you need to learn and just do it. Being new and clueless is only temporary if you keep pushing. 
 
 How do I regroup after a setback in my workout?

If you’re talking about falling off your fitness wagon because of life’s challenges, again, you just have to get up and start back. Remember, working out and training is one of THE best de-stressor’s there is. It’s really like a form of Zen, blocking everything out to focus on one thing… you. By looking at fitness as a way to cope with life, it makes it easier to add it back in. It’s hard to feel badly in a fitness class with music pumping and people having a good time, and it’s nearly impossible to walk out feeling down. So even when your workout is over and it’s time to go back and face what life has thrown at you, you’ll approach challenges with a fresh and strong mindset.

How can we support fellow exercisers when we see they’re struggling with the mental aspect of getting fit?

Cheering works! Encourage, prod, urge, and rally them to get back to it! There is almost nothing more powerful than giving someone hope.

Heather Frey is the founder of SmashFit.com. She is also the Fitness expert for the TV show Miami Moms on NBC Miami Nonstop, CPT, Fitness expert for Ricki Lake’s social community “Friends of Ricki,” Writer, Artist,  Figure Competitor. Connect with Heather on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/SmashFit. www.twitter.com/#!/SmashFit