#45: Tricking the Mind and Body

Admit it. There are times we have to trick ourselves into exercising. Times when the mind is ready but the body says no. Times when the body is energized but the brain asks "why bother?"

When these times hit you, how do you respond? What tricks are up your sleeve?

One to use when you jog on a track is the "half-way marker" trick. At whatever stage of the run you are at, if you reach the track's half-way line then you must finish that lap with a jog. Even if it is only shuffling your feet, do not allow yourself to walk that last half lap.

Added to that is when you get to the marker for the last quarter of the lap, then make yourself sprint. It might be a slow sprint, but whatever energy is left inside you is put into that sprint.

So you need to determine before you get there what you're going to do.

Often, an amazing thing will happen. When you begin the sprint, you will feel an energy that carries you past the ending marker. When this happens, then you know you could have run that last half lap faster, because there was still energy left.

A little way to trick the mind and body.

On days you don't feel like going to the gym for a workout, tell yourself that you will only go for 10 minutes, that's all. What gets done in that time is all you'll do. More often than not you'll end up completing the entire workout.

Another way to trick the mind and body.

On those days where your mind and body truly have nothing to give, don't worry about it. Fatigue sometimes does set in. Do five push ups or crunches, whatever you can do. You'll be training your mind and body to know that even though you're physically tired and mentally worn out, there is still a little bit of gas left in the tank.

One more trick.

Which ones do you use?