when you recognize a negative thought like im so uncoordinated ask yourself why you think that way if it helps to remind yourself how good youll feel post workout for example do that do you want to lower your blood pressure rewards like a massage for example provides a little added oomph to keep going and push yourself even harder in the long run it has to come from a personal deeprooted desire for change if it motivates you to daydream about your future toned tummy do that quicklist 9category title believe it and become iturltextthis rule is simple if you believe you can be in amazing shape then youll do things on a daytoday basis to accomplish it says harper 12 mental tricks to beat cravings and lose weight quicklist 2category title maximize inner motivationurltextto do this you need to be absolutely clear about why you want to get fit concentrate on exactly what you want to achieve and make every day count motivation that lasts cant come from an outside sourcelike your doctor or a loved one who wants you to slim down then he tells them to go shopping i say to people hey if you want that body then buy clothes that would fit if you had it to cultivate grit you have to commit to consistency no matter what or do you just want to feel better 15 ways exercise makes you look and feel younger quicklist 7category title eliminate excessive choicesurltextthere are a few classics like if i dont exercise at lunchtime ill do it tonight or ill have ice cream today and get my diet back on track tomorrow if you dont appreciate your successes along the way you risk becoming emotionally numb nonreactive he explains a fit person wakes up every day knowing she will do whatever it takes to stay on trackwhether that means getting up an hour earlier to make it to the gym before work or squeezing in a power walk at lunch after two months those women had lost twice as much weight as women in a control group quicklist 3category title cultivate griturltextgrit is the resolve and passion required on a daily basis to pursue a longterm goal dont give those outdated internal beliefs power harper says just let them float away like leaves that have fallen into a river harper has taken years of experience and distilled it into 10 core concepts for optimal success this article originally appeared on healthcom that mental static is your biggest obstacle he says learning to filter it by focusing on positive thinking is essential to your success his advice dont give yourself an out and stick to the path that leads to your goal quicklist 8category title yield to trafficurltextits inevitable that from time to time your healthy routine will get interrupted by forces outside your control like when your partner proposes an impromptu date night right after youve bought salad ingredients you have control over your thoughts he