mind over matter

Have you ever seen the show Brain Games? The show is a short program which features on each episode some crazy way the brain functions. The episode I most recently watched focused on how our brain processes color. The results were crazy!
 Our Brain is truly amazing, if we really stop and see how much it does and how it processes events, things, conversations, activities and people.
  The reason I share this is because when it comes to exercising, our brain plays a big part.

It becomes mind over matter.

People ask me how it is that I get up at 4 am every day to exercise/train.
  My answer is that a lot of it boils down to mind over matter.

 When the alarm beeps at 4, the first thing I have to do is decide if I truly am going to get up and not lie in bed. Mind over matter. I will feel better for doing it.

   When it's 21 degrees and I really want to stay curled under the blanket: mind over matter. I will get to experience weather and learn to appreciate it more than another might, simply by going out.

When I am tired a couple miles in and I really want to walk (but haven't hit my walk break point) it becomes mind over matter. I tell myself just take another step, and another….

   I hate (really and truly do not like) speed workouts and stair runs. That especially becomes mind over matter. I have to convince my brain that I need to do those exercises. But once I do, that mind over matter translates into better times, muscles worked, body feeling good.
   And weight training….I am not the strongest individual. And weight lifting (or strength training) is not easy. It's probably why I've let it slide for well over 2 years now. However, I am back at it 2 days a week and when I decide to increase the poundage on a certain exercise, it is mind over matter for sure. My face crunches, my breathing is hard and I probably even grunt as I push through it. However, that mind over matter translates into a smile as I feel good by crossing another obstacle.

   The hardest mind over matter for me when it comes to training??? My eating habits. I love food. I especially love sweets and chips.  It is not until just recently that I have put mind over matter into practice with this. I work in a coffee shop/kitchen and it is SO hard to avoid eating the brownies, cookies, pizzas and fresh goodies that come through my doorway every day. But I have found recently that as I made one choice to say no to the junk, it led to another choice, to another good choice, and so on. And the more good choices I've made, the better I feel. However, it is truly a mindset. I convince myself I will not eat the hot brownie. I will choose the vegetables over the pizza. It doesn't mean I never indulge; however, those choices have been limited. And it feels good. Mind over matter. Trust me, I don't like  vegetables. But…. mind over matter. And I like the results much better.

  So, that's what I share today about my training journey this year.  It often boils down to mind over matter.
  I tell all the people I talk with about this: if I, a working  mom with a lot of things on the plate, can get up at 4 to train…..so can you.
  Mind over matter…..one day at a time!