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Regular exercising, ability to cross borders, monitoring calorie intake and proper diet selection – this all require discipline. However, not everyone is able to control their decisions, and most of us tend to make excuses of weak will. So, how do we achieve healthy self-control that will keep you on track to your fitness goal? Try these 6 simple steps to obtain a self-discipline like iron!
At the heart of every successful person is self-discipline. Whether it is a professional or private life, there is a profound self-control behind all achievements and joys. To achieve your goals, but also right emotions, decisions, thoughts, behaviours and habits, you have to keep under control. [1]
Sometimes it is easier to start with easier resolutions, small, long-term tasks that you have long desired to accomplish and want to remove it from your list. Do you want to start running in the morning? Do you want to exercise regularly and eat healthier, but you never stick with it? The solution is to develop your self-discipline and make your personality stronger out of it. It is important to have the motivation and effort to change something. [2]
6 tips for self-discipline
What are the rules for the formation of self-discipline? Why is it possible that one person can take full control of himself and the other cannot change his routine and accomplish his goals? The answer to these questions lies in our habits. As much as 40% of our behavior results from routine and habits. [11] Therefore, if you want to be disciplined, you have to start checking your habits. How to do it?
Read the following 6 steps to help you to gain better self-control in building discipline. [6]
1. Get to know yourself
All successful men and women know their goals, weaknesses and limits. Before you begin to fulfill your desires, ask yourself, “Who am I?”. If you don’t know the answer, you should think about it. In order to successfully overcome all obstacles, you must be balanced with your strengths and weaknesses. Do you want to exercise regularly? There must be nothing to discourage you.
Write a list of your properties. Sometimes it is better to see the facts in black and white. So, take the paper and pen and answer the questions – “What do I want to achieve physically and mentally? Do I want to have a better figure, be healthier and more successful?” Carry on exploring your interior and write down all thoughts and dreams on paper. Finally, read them and keep the list saved. How will you use it later? [9]
Imagine it’s Monday night. You had a hard day at work and you don’t want to do anything. In this situation, how do you force yourself to go to the gym? It’s simple. Yet you said a few days ago that you would be a healthier version of yourself. You defined yourself. You even have it in writing! Just in this situation, take your goal plan from the drawer and do not be discouraged by fatigue, mood or laziness. Get up and go exercising. You must not allow yourself that anything would prevent you from achieving your goals and resolutions.
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2. Draw a plan and measurable goals
If you want to achieve something in life, you need a plan. Your daily and weekly schedule can be very time-consuming or physically demanding. So, adjust your schedule based on your new goals. It doesn’t matter if you want to lose 5 or 50 kilos or run 10 or 30 kilometers. You need to set a clearly defined plan to achieve all your goals.
What to do if you have more resolutions? Set priorities and set short and long term goals. The short-term goal is achievable in a shorter time. Examples include “I will exercise three times a week” or “I will eat 3 servings of vegetables a day”. The long-term goal is the base you want to achieve in the end. For example, “I want to lose 10 kilograms”. However, before you reach the long-term goal, you need to manage a number of short-term goals. A challenging journey awaits for you, but don’t be discouraged. The results will surely be worth it!
Setting measurable goals is also a key to maintaining motivation and discipline. It makes no difference whether you include a vague plan on your schedule, such as “going for run more often” or a clearly defined activity that you can evaluate at the end of the week. In our case, for example, “I will run 3 times a week for 30 minutes, always on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays”.
3. Use the routine to your advantage
As mentioned above, much of your behaviour and decisions are based on your habits. The daily routine that you consider to be an integral part of life can become your new self. Activities that you do automatically and unconsciously many times are a great opportunity to incorporate new habits into your life. [10]
The key to instilling healthy habits is to tie them to your routine. For example, if you regularly travel by car, park it further away from the entrance to your work or home. This simple trick will help you get used to more movement. Over time, you may replace your car with a bicycle.
Don’t you like to train in the morning? Prepare fitness clothing and sneakers next to your bed. It will be the first thing you will see when you wake up, giving you a better chance of getting up and going to practice. If you can’t imagine a day without a sweet drink, replace it with fresh fruit juice. During the day you will get a taste for sweet, refreshing and its preparation takes a minimum of time. Include this activity in your dinner routine and kill two birds with one stone.
4. Get rid of temptation
No success was possible without sacrifice. To deny something that is part of you is often unimaginable, but it goes. It is important to think about your goals. Do you want to get in shape, lose weight, feel better and healthier? Get rid of all temptations. [7]
Do you love sweet and unhealthy foods? Replace them with a fitness alternative. Exercising and a healthy diet go hand in hand, so try replacing unhealthy foods in the refrigerator with more nutritious foods. Cut carrots instead of chips and try hazelnut butter. You will not only have more power to exercise, but also a lot of energy for all activities that await you.
5. Have fun
You may not believe that fun can be hidden behind hard work. It may sound stupid, but a good mood is essential to be able to follow your new habits. Because you should enjoy everything you do. How to do it? Turn your activities into fun. [8]
Today, the world of sport and fitness offers a wide range of physical activities. That’s because we’ve written some examples to help you stay in shape, and at the same time, they’re super fun. These are:
- jumping
- walks and hikes
- dance
- yoga
- group run
- cycling
- roller skating
- pole dance
- group exercises such as tabata, zumba and aerobics
Remember that every move counts! Run up the stairs, jump on a stationary bike while watching TV, or walk to the store. You do something for your body, health and, at the same time, burn a few extra calories.
In today’s innovative era, even a gym exercise can become a game. Use fitness apps to compete with your partner or even against yourself. Fight for better performance or break your record every day. Add great motivational music to that and a success is guaranteed.
6. Reward yourself
Rewards are very motivating. But beware, we don’t mean rewarding in the form of a chocolate bar for every kilometer you have run. However, it is known that if you promise someone a reward for their work, their motivation will be stronger. [4]
The reward for exercising and following the training plan can be not only a good feeling, but also visible results in the form of weight loss, healthy skin and a smile on the lips. Isn’t that enough for you? Try rewarding yourself each time you reach a goal.
Treat yourself once a month to wellness and regenerate your body and mind. Did you get rid of your belly fat and strengthen your muscles? Celebrate it with shopping! Choose, for example, something from Gymbeam to support your fitness goals. Self-discipline will be even stronger if you see results that give you a healthy self-confidence.
There are many steps to build self-discipline. But it is important to remember who you want to be and what you want to achieve. Take time for your plans and avoid words like “no, I can’t, I don’t want to, and I can’t do this.” Now it is about time to start!
Therefore, we include some tips to help you shape your self-discipline in small steps: [9]
- Start the day with a cold shower – it is not always pleasant but wakes up your body for other activities.
- Meditate 10 minutes a day – whether you are at home, at work, on a bus. Try closing your eyes, turning off and breathing for a moment. It will soothe your thoughts and body and relieve yourself of all the stress that has been stuck on you during the day.
- Make your bed – it takes only 2 minutes, but it still costs us all the forces. However, keeping an order right in the morning will force you to get up a bit earlier from bed and your body will get used to any activity immediately after waking up. Thus, running and exercising afterwards can be even easier for you.
- Make 20 squats and plank in the morning – morning training is another great way to wake up your body early in the morning.
- Find a partner – don’t you want to be alone with your new challenge? Everything is easier when in couple, so if you can’t get along with your plan, get a partner for exercising. In addition to motivating each other, you can compare your achievements and push your limits.
Do you have any other tips to help strengthen your self-discipline? What steps have you followed in your fitness beginnings? Don’t hesitate to write us your experience in the comments. If you liked our article, support it by sharing.
[1] Robert J. Davis - 7 Simple Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise – – https://time.com/5105991/how-to-build-self-discipline-to-exercise/
[2] Charles Staley - The Motivation Secret - – https://www.t-nation.com/powerful-words/the-motivation-secret
[3] Jackson Yeel - 6 Tips For Iron-Clad Self-Discipline - – https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/7-tips-for-iron-clad-self-discipline.html
[4] Heather Royer - Incentives, commitments and habit formation in exercise: evidence from a field experiment with workers at a fortune-500 company - – https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8c4b/abc63f9022ab11e5c7d99440fed6fd8627e6.pdf
[5] Cassandra Dunn - How to build discipline to exercise - – https://www.goodlifehealthclubs.com.au/blog/how-to-build-self-discipline-to-exercise/
[6] Deep Patel - 10 Powerful Ways to Master Self-Discipline - – https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287005
[7] Remez Sassonl - Working Out, Success, and the Habit of Self-Discipline - – https://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/success/working-out-and-the-habit-of-self-discipline/
[8] Dominique Gummelt, PhD - Maximize Your Physical Well-being by Balancing All Aspects of Your Life - – https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/5909/maximize-your-physical-well-being-by-balancing-all-aspects-of-your-life
[9] Michael Mantell - Mental Tricks to Up Your Workout Motivation - – https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/3523/mental-tricks-to-up-your-workout-motivation
[10] Jennifer Cohen - 5 Proven Methods For Gaining Self Discipline - – https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2014/06/18/5-proven-methods-for-gaining-self-discipline/#4f6882b53c9f
[11] The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity - – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441783/
[12] Mayo Clinic Staff - Fitness: Tips for staying motivated - – https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20047624