Exercise will seem easier when you cut out the negative self-talk Feeling unmotivated to exercise? If you repeatedly tell yourself how much you hate to do it, your workout may suffer from your bad attitude. Turning negative self-talk around allows you to not only feel better, but also to exercise harder and for longer periods of time, studies show. More intense exercise for longer periods burns more calories and may eventually help speed weight loss when done consistently. Cyclists who repeated motivational phrases to themselves, such as, “I got this,” pedaled for an average of two minutes longer and reported easier effort than when compared to a baseline ride, according to a study published in the journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. In short, what you say can and will be used against you (or for you!) during your workout. To transform negative thoughts into motivating ones, start by drawing a line down the middle of a piece of paper, says Jonathan Alpert, New York-based psychotherapist and author of Be Fearless: Change Your Life In 28 Days. “On the left, write the negative, self-defeating thought (the act of recognizing them is huge). On the right side, re-frame the thought,” Alpert says. Here are seven ways to fill out the right side of your paper with phrases to get you going: Instead of thinking: “I’m too old.” Change to: “I can make progress no matter what my age.” Age doesn’t discriminate, Alpert says. “A body is a body and it functions best when it is in shape, regardless of the age,” he notes. Also, exercise performs functions far beyond just making you look toned. Weight training, in particular, helps you maintain muscle that would otherwise diminish with aging (called sarcopenia)...
