The first thought when you read the title is; How the hell can NLP help in getting me fit? Isn’t it used for mind power and mind control and to enable people to achieve success by changing their negative and limiting script patterns?  Well, you got the answer here – that’s what it exactly does and more where getting fit is concerned, too!

NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) techniques are suitable for anyone who wants to get fit.  NLP is also beneficial for personal trainers and coaches, who want to bring achievement into whatever they do, which is successfully useNLP techniques with their clients to achieve desired results.

• It helps usachieve the right mindset for fitness success

Fitness is not justany physical activity that can be done when one is in a mood to do so. What separates the winners from the rest is their ability to stick to a routine, be consistent in their activities and the way in which they think about fitness. Our brain not only controls all our bodily functions and systems but also plays a pivotal role in our mental and physical wellbeing. It helps us form habits, which is the foundation of any transformation. The habits can be good or bad.  NLP can play a huge role in harnessing the power of our brain and help reset our bad and limiting habitsto achieve an extraordinary lifestyle change, even in the area of fitness.

• It helps us understand the “Inner Game” of fitness

The concept of the “inner game” was developed by Timothy Gallwey (1974, 2000) as a way of helping people to achieve excellence in various sports (e.g., tennis, golf, skiing, etc.), music and also in the workplace.It is a known fact that to succeed in life, we should not only have a healthy mind but our body must be healthy,too. Our performance in both professional and personal life depends on how active we are in using our mind as well as our body. If the body is ill, the mind cannot function to its fullest and vice versa. Preparing ourselves mentally to perform well is the essence of our “inner game’, also referred to as the ‘mental approach to fitness’.

• It helps us understand the “Outer Game” of fitness

Where the “outer game” is concerned, it is the physical aspects that are monitored. For example, how many calories we must eat in a day, kinds of food we must consume, types of exercises to do and how many repetitions, so on and so forth.  When we understand the inner game of fitness, the outer game becomes much easier to consciously achieve.

While we require a certain amount of motivation to get into the correct mindset, NLP efforts begin, once a good routine is in place.  To achieve this, NLP sets some directions and learning for us to follow to achieve maximum results. So how do we start?

Follow the following:

• Break Old Habits – “think before you react.”

We start with replacing old unhealthy habits with new healthy ones.  If somebody offered you chocolate (which you so obviously like), ask yourself few questions:

Do I really want this chocolate?

Will it be healthy for me to have it?

Do I really need right now?

If the answer is ‘NO’ refrain from taking it.  In some cases where it becomes absolutely necessary, you can take a very small piece and politely refuse the rest.

• Goal Setting is Priority

Your conscious mind is the part that tells you what you want or will be able to do – money, success in business, better relationship, or whether you will be able to do 50 push-ups. Your conscious mind will be your goal setting partner, so make the most of it

• Set clear and achievable goals
• Break out old habits and set new healthy ones using relevant NLP tools
• Motivation and self-discipline are the keys to success, anytime for anything.  Develop these to help follow through on those goals
• Have an updated self-image and mental maps of self
• Appreciate and acknowledge progress from time to time.  This will help build self-esteem and be a motivator to never give up.

• Don’t Stop Once we Start

Sticking to a fitness routine is like a merry-go-round.  We start with gusto, then with the first temptation, we go back to our old mouldy ways. So basically it becomes a continuous starting, stopping, startingof our fitness goals.

NLP teaches us how to not give in to this temptation and to reconfigure the way we approach our transformation through awareness and consistency. Whatever obstacles life throws at us, our focus would be on the goals that we have set and the results that we have planned to achieve.

• Reframing Inner Resistance

Once we know what we want, we have to deal with part of our selves that could pose as barriers to successfully reach our goals.  This is another aspect of the “inner game” of fitness. Sometimes it happens that when one part of us wants to achieve set goals, other parts resist or are uncooperative. Many a time, we struggle with the resurfacing of old patterns and habits. NLP teaches us that rather than fighting with ourselves, or getting angry, it is important to acknowledge and communicate with our body and mind.This is a very powerful and effective tool, where when there is a block, we remove the block by having an internal dialogue with ourselves and reframe our script. Reframing is based on the principle of “positive intention.” The principle of positive intention states that at some level, all behavior is (or at one time was) “positively intended.”The reframing process involves understanding and communicating with ourselves, rather than blaming or punishing.

• Motivation and Confidence

Motivation is critical for people to achieve good fitness. As fitness requires a lot of learning, discipline and control, it sometimes can take a toll on us. Many times we find it difficult to keep the momentum going. Sometimes we feel like slacking or procrastinating. During such times, fitness trainers or coaches must help clients discover their own personal “motivators” that/who would keep egging them on. This also applies to individuals who have to find their own motivators to keep going and not give up.

• Visualizing Success

We all like to see what we would achieve after so much of hard work and sacrifice.  Create a compelling future involving visualizing desired goals and successful outcomes. What this does? Such visualizations inspire us to moveforward towards achieving the goal or outcome. It is also a source of motivation, helping us to create a positive expectation and propelling us to move forward to achieve it. Remember the good feelings that come from picturing ourselves reaching our goals by doing the exercises and eating the way that we know will help us move closer to our fitness goals. Being fit is the key to both personal and professional abundance. The benefits of being fit is having increased energy, vitality, strength and flexibility, which allows better concentration, more stamina and greater readiness to meet life’s challenges. Good fitness greatly reduces the risk of a variety of illnesses and physical problems and allows us to lead a long, happy and healthy life. Who wouldn’t want this?Get fit, the NLP way. Stay healthy, stay happy.

NLP Training Dubai (www.nlptrainingdubai.com) – powered by UV Consultants, is a global NLP training & coaching platform which offers quality NLP training and coaching certification programs in Dubai and other locations across the middle east. To know more about our NLP & Coaching programs, please write to nlptraining@uvconsultants.com or call +971 4 8525752 | +971 50 670 5615.