You’re not exactly born with the mindset to think solely about your health. Instead, this is something that’s taught to you. It gets to the point where, sure, you like cake, but it’s not healthy to eat it every day. The road to shifting your mindset to focus more on health isn’t far from being a short road; in fact, it’s mostly when you reach adulthood is when it gets more ingrained. But of course, it still depends on multiple factors such as how you were raised (such as what you were taught), how your environment is, how others interact with health, and so on.
Sure, while exercising daily is vital, eating clean and even having semaglutide within your diet is crucial; all of these factors start with one thing; a mindset change. So, if you’re really wanting to ensure that you put your health first, creating that mindset is the way to go. So, here’s everything you can do to help you shift your mindset to focus more on health.
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Reframe Your Goals
While health tweaks here and there are great, it’s still going to come down to the mindset, as this is going to be the way to form long-lasting healthy habits. The goals we set for ourselves can have a powerful impact on our mental and physical health. But the way you frame your goals is equally important. Many people’s New Year’s resolutions are checked off from societal boxes like “get in shape,” “lose weight,” or “have the family, the house, and the picket fence.” These are great goals, but they may not actually be yours.
Mindsets are based on belief systems, and the good news is that research supports brain plasticity, meaning you can change your mindset at any stage of life. Here’s how to do it. Start with redefining your goals to reflect what you really want. For example, instead of “I want to lose weight,” frame it as “I want to be healthy.” This will help you keep your goals on track and feel empowered when you get off the wagon. Sure, while this might be considered mental gymnastics, if you reframe and reshape it, it can still help immensely.
Focus on Self Care
Creating a routine that focuses on self-care is critical, especially in these extra-stressed times. Self-care can look a lot of different ways, and it’s important to find what works for you. But it should always feel good, not like a chore. For example, mental self-care could involve paying attention to the way you talk to yourself and replacing negative messages with positive ones.
While self-care and self-love are sometimes seen as soaking in baths and eating donuts (and sometimes these can be great for the short term), you’ll still need to think about the long term as well. So be sure to focus on self-care, like nourishing your body with healthy meals, giving yourself eight or more hours of sleep, and so on.
It’s All About the Enviroment
As stated before, your environment is going to play a major role in your point of view and how you see things in general. If you’re living in an environment where healthy choices don’t necessarily matter, then this is going to affect your mindset immensely. It can be hard to change your environment, especially if you don’t live alone. But making changes is going to be one of the most important things you can do for yourself.
Surround Yourself with Positive People
Whether you realize it or not, the people you spend time with influence your own mindset and behavior. Surround yourself with people who share your happiness and are supportive of you. This can help increase your confidence and motivation to reach your goals. Negative people may drain your energy and cause you to dwell on past issues or limiting beliefs. Try not to spend too much time with them, and if necessary, set healthy boundaries.
Alternatively, positive people may be like your own personal cheerleading squad. They encourage you to be a better version of yourself and give you the confidence that you can reach your health goals. Plus, they’re always ready to celebrate your successes. Their positivity is contagious, and it will rub off on you. But this goes for health-oriented choices too. If you’re surrounding yourself with people who live a healthy lifestyle, you’re going to be far more inclined to choose this as well.
Consider Practicing Gratitude
Physical health and mental health are strongly connected; one will affect the other almost immediately. Gratitude has been linked to more positive emotions, better sleep, and improved focus. It also might make it easier to tackle a tough task or overcome a setback. To practice gratitude, start by focusing on small, everyday pleasures. For example, savoring the taste of a ripe strawberry or noticing the pleasant aroma of background music may help you shift your mindset.
Then, try to turn negative thoughts into grateful ones. For instance, if you think, “I’m so glad I went to the gym today,” then reframe it by thinking, “I am thankful that I have the ability to take care of myself through exercise and healthy eating.” It might sound a little overboard, but gratitude can physically change your brain and how it operates, which can then help you create a healthier mindset for living.
Change Your Relationship with Exercise
It’s entirely understandable if you dislike exercise; it makes you sweaty, out of breath, tired, and so on. But not every form of exercising is the same either. The benefits of exercise are numerous – it may make you feel less stressed and sleep better. It also improves your mood and helps you think more clearly. The key is to commit to a regular routine, even if it’s just 15 or 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days. This can include walking, taking the stairs, dancing to music, playing with your kids, or mowing the lawn (not on a riding mower, though).
It’s important to find an exercise that’s fun for you. Listen to music or watch TV while you work out; get a workout buddy; or take a group fitness class. Then, reward yourself for making progress toward your health goals. A few small rewards can go a long way toward building new habits. In order to change your mindset, you need to pick forms of exercise that you’re going to enjoy, like swimming or dancing, for instance. Doing what your love is going to be the fastest way to make these changes.
