If you’re reading this article you may already know the three important components when it comes to building lean muscle. Any fitness plan worth its weight will contain a weight lifting routine, cardiovascular exercise, and a healthy diet plan. Building lean muscle can be frustrating because most neglect one or more of the above elements. There is however one element almost everyone neglects to consider and that is the power of the mind.
MIND OVER MATTER: If you don’t recognize the fact that it took your entire life to cement the old and fat body image into your brain you will fail to understand the power it will have over your will power and dedication to your fitness program. In order to consistently stick to a fitness program long enough to begin building lean muscle and see rock hard abs you must make your mind accept the NEW body image youre trying to produce. This will prevent your from hitting the doughnut shop right after a great work out or the pancake house after a calorie burning run. So condition your mind to believe in the new fit, lean, and healthy image of yourself and you will succeed!
21 DAYS OR 3 WEEKS: Studies have proven that it takes at least 3 weeks for your mind to accept these new fit behaviors and turn them into unconscious habits. Whats the difference between a behavior and a habit? If you drive a standard transmission car, a stick, you had to consciously execute a set of behaviors when you started driving; clutch in, break off, slowly hit the gas. After a while though you stopped having to think about those behaviors and they just became habit. The same behavioral change is required for any lasting fitness plan. You must make a dedicated effort to stick with your plan, at all costs, for a minimum of 21 days and things will begin to get easier.
21 DAYS IS A LONG TIME ISN’T IT? 3 weeks may seem like a long time to go through the pain of changing your behavior but its blink of an eye when you consider the fact that it took your entire life to develop your old habits. Always, break things up into short, manageable time frames. If 21 days is too long to stay focused then try 1 week at a time or even 1 day at a time. Also make sure you make changes gradually instead of all at once. Nothing will sabotage your efforts faster than trying to make too much change too fast. So take time to write your goals down on paper and do so in a positive light and as if they’ve already been accomplish. For example, Im building lean muscle mass and look good in my summer clothes. I have accomplished this by eating 5 meals per day and incorporating lean protein and vegetables with every meal.
There is no better time than the present! Start NOW, find an effective fitness plan, write down your goals and be specific, and keep it up for 21 days!
