iFit Workouts to Strengthen Your Mind

Have you ever heard that sports are 90% mental and only 10% physical? Well, it turns out that there is more truth to that than people might believe. In fact, many studies have shown that with visualization, your mind can shape everything in your life, including your body and your happiness. Visualization is a proven technique that involves focusing on positive mental images of what we want in our lives and how to make that happen. Along with focusing and believing in ourselves, visualization becomes a powerful, creative tool that can help us accomplish any goal in life. Visualization works by activating the same neural networks that physically performing a task does. This strengthens the connection between brain and body. If you’re a runner, for example, you might imagine yourself conquering a huge hill. To do this, you need to think deeply about it. What are you wearing? What are you seeing and hearing? How do you feel? The more detailed and real your visualization is, the better it will work and the sooner you will be crushing your goals! Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision.–Muhammad Ali In addition to visualization helping us get into better shape, it can help us overcome fear and build self-confidence. This is because the brain doesn’t differentiate between real memory and a visualized one, so if we visualize ourselves being fearless and self-confident, our brains will believe that it’s real. We can also develop skills faster through visualization. Studies have shown that practicing skills mentally can be as effective at improving them as real practice is. This is because when we visualize an action, the same region in the brain is stimulated as when we perform the skill, and the same neural networks are also created. Visualization can also help us do things like reduce our anxiety, eat healthier, and improve focus. In fact, when we put our minds to it, anything is possible! Here are some visualization tips to get you started: Go somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed.Relax, close your eyes, and take several deep breaths.Mentally say to yourself what you want to achieve.Visualize the situation you desire in your mind as clearly and with as much detail as you can by adding your senses and positive emotions.Practice it at least twice a day for about 10 minutes each time.Maintain positive thoughts and a good attitude throughout.Believe that you can do it!Persevere until you succeed.

Learning to truly love and accept your body—flaws and all—can be a challenging journey. Nowadays, Photoshop, filters, and social media seem to rule the universe. We sometimes live in a distorted version of reality, as we’re constantly subject to everyone’s pretty pictures and highlight reels. Now more than ever, people are saying no to society’s unrealistic standards. At last, people are realizing you can be healthy without a six-pack. You can look good and not kill yourself at the gym. You can have stretch marks and still be beautiful. Slowly but surely, we’re learning to separate our appearances from our worth and recognize that our differences are what make us unique. This may be easier for some and more difficult for others. If you’re in the boat of this being a difficult issue for you, don’t worry. The practice of loving who you are doesn’t happen overnight, but working through the five steps below can help you take a step in the right direction. Instead of always noticing the things you don’t like about yourself, make an effort to call out the things you do like. If it helps, keep a notepad by your bed and write down three things you like about yourself every night. In the morning, read those three things to yourself. Easier said than done, but just remember that everyone is on a different path and in a different place on their journey. Even someone you admire and think is the perfect person probably has their fair share of insecurities, too. Even Cindy Crawford once said, "I wish I looked like Cindy Crawford." Exercising and eating well are two things commonly associated with changing your physical appearance, but both are so much more than that. When paired together, they can truly heal your mind and body. Nothing gets those endorphins (your body’s all-natural happy drug!) fired up faster than moving your body. Then when you couple it with wholesome foods that nourish and energize your body, it can only lead to good things. This applies to yourself and others. In the long run, what we say and think about ourselves tends to become our reality. Every time a negative thought enters your mind, replace it with two positive thoughts. In the words of Karen Marie Moning, “Who and what we surround ourselves with is who and what we become.” Find those who uplift and encourage you, and you’re sure to find yourself in a more positive place. At the end of the day, it’s more than just being comfortable in your skin and feeling good about yourself. It’s about truly accepting and loving yourself exactly the way you are.

Fitness enthusiasts focus on bettering themselves by staying active, whether that is running to lose weight, lifting to build muscle strength, conditioning to advance athletic skills, etc. Another great way to stay active is by practicing mindfulness. This includes activities such as yoga, meditation, and stretching. With full-time work schedules, workout routines, social lives, and all other responsibilities, the average person only really gets to relax for about 43 minutes a day. By being able to incorporate mindful activities into your workout routine, not only will you improve your physical health and abilities, but you will also see an improvement in your psychological health. According to the American Institute of Stress, 77 percent of people suffer from physical health issues, and 73 percent suffer from mental health issues, due to stress. Physical problems, such as headaches, high blood pressure, and muscle tension or pain can stem from stress and decrease your desire to exercise. In addition, high levels of stress can lead to anxiety and depression. By making time for active recovery, both your body and mind will be significantly healthier. To start becoming more mindful, join iFit’s Mindfulness & Self-Compassion Series with iFit Guide Dr. Shauna Shapiro, who will provide tips on how to sleep better, manage stress, and stay positive! Practicing meditation is the best way to calm the mind and bring your awareness fully into the present. Try iFit’s audio Strengthen the Mind Meditation Series with iFit Guide Kevin Courtney for more tips on how to start. Meditation can reduce feelings of negativity, like anger and sadness. As a fitness advocate, you can also benefit from an improvement in focus and an increase in motivation! You can start with as little as one minute of practice daily, and the long-term benefits make it worthwhile. Having a healthier mindset will boost your immune system, increase your pain tolerance, and decrease your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. You can also participate in physical activity during meditation when doing yoga. Yoga is a combination of physical postures, breathing control, and mindful-based meditation. The practice not only brings your mind into full consciousness, which can decrease mental health issues, like panic disorder, it also improves flexibility and mobility, enhances strength, and betters heart and lung function. The constant stretching allows your body to become more elastic, which can decrease your overall pain level. You can practice yoga in places such as the studio, your backyard, at the summit of a mountain, or even at the beach! To start your yoga journey, try iFit’s Heartward Yoga Series to get started! Yoga is an active way to stretch out your muscles, which is important to do after any workout. Taking time to stretch reduces your risk of injury, as well as improving your performance and the range of motion of your joints. You know you have a solid lower-body workout when you can barely walk afterward, but it is crucial to spend 5 to 10 minutes to stretch and relieve your sore muscles. To improve your mind, body, and soul, participate in iFit’s September Challenge, which includes a mix of audio workouts to get you started on your journey to mindfulness!