Are These 6 Limiting Beliefs Keeping You From Your Fitness Goals?

My first fitness guru, Tony Horton (of P90x fame) often says, "It's time to get your mind right." 

He's right. I don't know about you, but my mind can be a dangerous neighborhood. Anyone feel me on this?  

The stories we tell ourselves can have a significant impact on our lives. Limiting beliefs convince us that something is the absolute truth (even when there is evidence to the contrary).    

It’s surprising what beliefs we carry around with us from day-to-day. Sometimes we're not even aware of them. Maybe we didn't even consciously choose some of them. Maybe they are things we've grown up hearing our parents say... "Money is bad"... "It's hard to lose weight", etc. 

These beliefs, whether consciously created or subconsciously adopted, can influence our thoughts, actions, and ultimately, our success or failure in a particular area. Limiting beliefs can block us from the positive changes we want to make in our lives. 

Here Are 6 Limiting Beliefs about health and fitness to ditch:

1. Cardio Is The Only Way I Can Lose Weight

Preaching the importance of weight training for women is the hill I will die on. Among it’s numerous benefits, it is also a vital strategy for body composition change and fat loss. 

Yes, cardio is important as deserves a place in your fitness routine – but it needs to be the right type of cardio in the right amounts (hint: it ain’t jogging).

So many women believe cardio (and lots of it) is the path to weight loss. So they rack up hours on a treadmill, elliptical, jogging… meanwhile, burning off precious muscle in the process.

Lifting weights stimulates hormones that enhance fat burning. Muscle is our most metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have, the more responsive your metabolism will be, meaning you’ll burn more calories, even at rest. 

Strength training will also positively change your body composition and make you feel strong, and confident!

2. If I Eat Less, I'll Lose Weight Faster

You might. But you’ll also lose muscle and trash your metabolism along the way. 

Being in an extreme calorie deficit for too long isn’t sustainable and will ultimately back fire by down regulating your metabolism.

Besides, a life of deprivation, food obsession, excessive hunger, and off the chain cravings is not at all fun. Not to mention, you’ll be tired, cranky, moody, and a total suck-fest to be around.

The key focus when trying to lose weight is not eating less, but eating well. You want to eat as much as possible while being in a caloric deficit… not as little as possible. 

Focus on nutrient dense whole foods, plenty of protein, veggies, fiber and healthy fat. This will keep your energy, mood, and blood sugar stable, increase satiety, and create an environment for your body to burn fat stores.

3. I’ve Tried Everything. Nothing Seems to Work for Me.

If you’ve tried numerous things and didn't get results, maybe it was the approach. Or the application. Or poor habits. Or inconsistency.

Consider that maybe you didn’t get results because you were:

 - Doing the wrong kinds of exercise in the wrong amounts                                                                       - Not eating an optimal diet for you, based on your body and activity level                                           - Doing too much at once or going so extreme that it wasn’t sustainable                                                 - You simply weren’t patient or consistent

4.  I’m Busy. I Don’t Have An Hour Every Day to Exercise.

Quite possibly the most common excuse people make, especially when considering a major lifestyle change like changing their diet, exercising more, etc.

You’re a busy woman. Maybe you’re juggling a career, raising kids, taking care of aging parents… doing all the things for all the people. Your time, especially when it comes to taking care of you, is limited. 

However, when something is truly important, you’ll find a way to make time for it. And here’s where I hold your feet to the fire… you don’t need an hour a day to exercise! Even 10-15 minute “exercise snacks” are effective. Break up a longer workout into a few bite size pieces on your busiest days. Your body, health, and mood will all benefit. 

5. Lifting Heavy Weights Will Make Me Look Bulky. I Just Want To Look Toned. 

This is the other hill I will die on... reassuring women that heavier weights will not make them bulk. Women, especially over 40 or so, simply do not have the hormones for this. Your workouts don't determine if you look lean and toned, or bulky... your nutrition does. If you have a layer of fat covering your muscles, you're gonna look thick and fluffy. Lifting challenging weights will actually give you the lean, toned look you're after. 

6.  This is Just What Happens in Menopause/As We Age. 

Yes, things change. And we need to have some level of acceptance, self-compassion, and grace. But we DON'T have to accept that it's all downhill from here. Or that we are powerless to change.

The beliefs that our metabolism slows as we age, AND that menopause itself causes weight gain have been disproven in recent scientific studies. Yes, it's more challenging to gain muscle and lose weight in menopause, but it is ABSOLUTLEY possible. You just need to change your approach to fitness and nutrition, as your hormones, and body composition are different now. You can look and feel amazing at any age. My entire brand is build on the motto: AGE IS NO EXCUSE. 

So, how to we ditch these LB's?

Start by becoming aware of your thoughts. The next time you catch yourself thinking or saying something polarizing or limiting – consider that it may not be true. Ask yourself: Is this actually true? Try to challenge that thought and replace it with a more empowering one. Believe that it is possible. Believe that you can change. And, most of all, believe you are worth it!

To learn more about how my Bolder STRONG programs can help you, CLICK HERE.