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Raj Ganpath, a fitness coach with 18 years of experience and co-founder of The Quad, shared in a November 10 Instagram post about how one can maintain their mindset and improve it.

“If you are looking to lose weight or improve your health or get fitter, you most probably don’t need a new diet plan or a workout plan; what you need is a new mindset,” he said.

Here are his three suggestions to improve your mindset:

1. Slow down to progress faster

When one begins their fitness journey, it is common to be tempted by the desire to see instant results. To achieve this, many may move through their fitness journey at hypersonic speed, resorting to crash diets or overexerting themselves at the gym. But sometimes, slowing down is the best way to move forward. It may sound counterintuitive, but that’s what the fitness coach recommended.

Raj elaborated, “Because when you try to do things fast, when you rush, when you push, you tend to make too many mistakes, you lose sight of the things that really matter, you deprive yourself, and you make it much harder for yourself to be consistent, and as a result you end up going around in circles.” The pursuit to see instant results may actually be slowing you down as you start to become frustrated and get distracted.

Revealing the benefits of a slow and sustainable pace of fitness journey, Raj shared, “But if you can slow down, you will be a lot more careful. You will make fewer mistakes, and you will actually end up doing the work that needs to be done, and you will progress a lot faster.”

This means, when you are careful and become more intentional about your workout and diet, your results may take time, but eventually show up. It also helps to reduce errors. Frantic, high-speed efforts will only burn you out and are not for the long run.

2. Focus on what you can control

When you start working towards your fitness goals, as you are putting in the hardwork, many are also curious about the progress, from checking the number on the scale, how loose the old clothes fit, to the mirror reflection. But in the end, fitness coach Raj reminded that one should focus on what can be controlled.

“You need to focus on what you can control and not worry about what you cannot control. That means you need to focus on your efforts and not worry about your results because, at the end of the day, the only things you have control over are your efforts,” he emphasised.

The fitness coach insisted that one should put their energy into controllable aspects, such as how many steps to take, how often to exercise, what to eat and how much to sleep. They are more practical, rather than you being anxiously fretting over why the waist size is not dropping yet. This mindset shift helps to maintain a healthier relationship with fitness goals.

3. Choose small changes over big ones

Going all out may make you feel like the results will come sooner, but the fitness coach called it out, cautioning that major changes are hardly sustainable. For example, you have entirely cut out a food group, like say carbs, someday eventually you will crash out and end up overeating, and you are back to square one. Raj instead advocated for gradual improvements instead of anything drastic.

“You need to choose small, consistent changes over big, intense changes. Because when you are trying to make big changes intensely, you are actually making it harder for yourself. You break down more often, and you will find yourself at the starting point over and over again,” he explained.

Smaller changes are more manageable, and you adjust better. Anything intense may be too overwhelming. With consistent improvements, you are likely to see results eventually.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.