So you believe exercise is important for good health, fitness and staying in shape, and you want to inspire other people to do it – so inform your face.
I watch people running, biking, walking and jogging and their faces look like they are in agony or feel angry, grumpy or wishing they were somewhere else. I see everything but the “WOW,” happy feelings that exercise should produce and show on your face.
If you are exercising with the thought “I have to lose weight, or “I have to burn calories,” or “I have to” exercise versus, “ I love to exercise,” it won’t be fun. It will be hard and boring; you won’t enjoy it; and you most likely won’t stick with your exercise programme.
Your attitude will determine your outcomes in all areas of your life and especially your attitude towards exercise. Start every exercise session with an attitude of thanks — thankful you can run or ride a bike or swim; you have arms and legs that work. Think about how superbly the Para Olympians train and compete and they all have challenges they have had to overcome to exercise.
During your exercise session rather than focusing on how hard it is or how soon you want it to be over, here are some suggestions from leading, elite athletes to help them train harder, faster, longer and to keep going even if their body wants to stop:
1. Smile while you are exercising. It creates powerful painkilling endorphins.
2. Think about the outcome and result of exercise; how fit and strong and happy you will feel; how your clothes will fit; how much energy you will have; how much fat you will burn at rest the fitter you are. All of these outcomes will make you smile and smiling produces painkilling endorphins.
3. Visualise and even say your goals out loud as you exercise and focus on how you will feel when you achieve them.See yourself wearing the clothes you will buy, going on holidays, driving your new car, living in your new home, the money you will give to charity, the gifts you can buy for the people you love, and the positive difference you will make in the world. The picture may make you smile and smiling produces painkilling endorphins.
4. Say positive sayings over in your head: “When the going gets tough, the tough get excited!;” “I am a winner and winners never quit;”and “ I am fit and strong and I never give up!”
When you smile and when you have a positive head space, you will have more energy, you will be producing painkilling endorphins if you need them and when people who don’t like to exercise are watching you, you may inspire them to exercise. If you are smiling, people will think exercise is fun and enjoyable instead of hard and boring and painful — the impression you give when you exercise with a grumpy face.
If you are in a sporting event or a fun run, run with a smile on your face and thank the people who are out cheering you on. Running past them with a grumpy look on you face makes you look arrogant. It is rude and it does not inspire people to exercise. Remember, your smile will help you exercise better.