More mental than it will ever be physical

Big Flex Now
5 min readMay 20, 2024

The general belief is that physical ability and appropriate exercise are the main factors that determine one’s level of fitness. Those who have studied fitness extensively, however, will tell you that the mental side of exercising is just as important as the physical side. The road to reaching your fitness objectives involves more mental toughness, perseverance, and self-control than actual physical labor. Whether someone fulfills their physical potential or falls short is frequently determined by this mental factor(BigFlexNow).

The Significance of Mental Sturdiness in Health
Maintaining a fitness routine requires mental toughness, which is crucial. It entails the capacity to remain driven, conquer obstacles, and preserve self-control even in the face of stagnant or nonexistent growth. Since physical changes take time to manifest, mental fortitude is essential. Many people find it difficult to maintain the prolonged effort needed for it.

Pushing through discomfort is one of the most important components of mental strength in fitness. Exercises often need a lot of physical effort, which can be uncomfortable or even painful, especially as one advances to increasingly difficult levels. What differentiates the successful from the unsuccessful is the mental toughness to bear this pain and keep going.

The cornerstone of success is consistency.
In any fitness quest, consistency is maybe the most important component. Showing up every day, week after week, is more important than trying to have the ideal workout on any given day. Gradually, strength, endurance, and general fitness develop significantly as a result of this persistent work.

Think about the strength training notion of progressive overload, which is progressively raising the tension the body experiences while exercising. Only with regular exercise can this approach be implemented effectively. Even with extreme intensity, sporadic training sessions won’t produce the same outcomes as a regular, well-organized program (BigFlexNow).

Additionally, consistency aids in the formation of habits. The mental barrier to exercising decreases as it gets ingrained in your regular practice. Exercise becomes an essential part of your day, much like showering or brushing your teeth.

Maintaining Focus Requires Discipline.
Consistency and discipline go hand in hand, but discipline goes deeper into the mental and emotional commitment to a purpose. The key is to choose to exercise even on days when you don’t feel like it. Maintaining your fitness goals requires discipline, which guarantees that you will do so in spite of internal or external obstacles.

When faced with obstacles, this discipline is especially crucial. On their journey to fitness, everyone faces challenges, be it an injury, a hectic schedule, or just a lack of drive. The person who practices discipline will be able to adjust and stick to their routine, making sure that little setbacks don’t turn into long-term obstacles.

The Psychological Obstacles to Physical Fitness
Many lose up mentally, which prevents them from ever realizing their full physical potential. Common mental obstacles consist of:

Self-Doubt: Having self-doubt about your ability to reach your fitness objectives can be very restrictive. You might be unable to go past your imagined boundaries or even try difficult workouts because of this doubt.
Absence of Quick Results: Improvements in fitness frequently take time to show. A lack of motivation may arise from the inability to see results right away.
Fear of Failure: People sometimes hesitate to begin an exercise program because they are afraid they won’t be able to finish it or won’t see any progress (BigFlexNow).
Comparisons with Other Persons: Feelings of inadequacy might arise from constantly comparing oneself to others. Every person has a distinct fitness journey, and drawing parallels can be harmful to one’s development and emotional well-being.
Ways to Get Past Mental Obstacles
It is crucial to have a solid mental framework in order to go through these mental obstacles. The following tactics may be of assistance:

Establish Realistic Goals: Achieving short-term goals that are doable can boost your motivation and give you a sense of success. These objectives must to be precise, quantifiable, and time-bound.
Track Your success: Monitoring your success with fitness applications or a workout journal will help you stay motivated by pointing out even the smallest gains.
Meditation and mindfulness are two techniques that can help manage stress and improve focus, which makes it easier to stick to fitness objectives.
Positive Self-Talk: It is possible to increase self-confidence and decrease self-doubt by substituting positive affirmations for negative ideas.
Getting a Support Network: Joining a group of people who share your interests can offer accountability and motivation. You can do this through online communities, fitness classes, or workout partners.
The Function of Expert Counseling
It can occasionally be too much to handle the mental side of exercise on your own. Expert coaches and trainers are able to offer both the necessary psychological support and the necessary physical assistance. They can support the development of a regular and disciplined attitude to fitness as well as the formulation and maintenance of realistic goals and motivation.

The Thought of Starring in Your Own Film
Imagine yourself as the lead actor in your own film, and everyone else as the supporting cast. This is a good way of thinking. This viewpoint, which puts the emphasis squarely on your path and personal development, may be empowering and inspiring. It highlights the value of independence and motivation from inside, reiterating the notion that you are in charge of your own achievement (BigFlexNow).

You can lessen the influence of outside comparisons and views by adopting this mentality. Building a strong internal motivation is beneficial for preserving discipline and consistency. “What you eat don’t make me shit,” which means that your personal path is unaffected by the opinions and acts of other people. Keep this in mind.

In conclusion
In summary, discipline, consistency, and mental toughness all have a significant impact on the path to physical fitness. Exercise and regimens on the physical side are important, but whether you attain your maximum potential is typically determined by your mental state. You can make great strides in your fitness quest by breaking through mental obstacles, establishing reasonable objectives, and sticking to a rigorous and regular schedule. Recall that your perseverance is what will propel you to success — you are the star of your own film.

I list below these books that helped me through my journey. I hope that they help you as much as they helped me (Bigflexnow.com)

#1 Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

#2 The Little Black Book of Workout Motivation

#3 100 No-Equipment Workouts Vol.

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Transitioning from military service to civilian life was a challenging journey for me. Like many veterans, I grappled with the shift in environment, routines.