“Thinking positive may be one of the best ways to get positive results from your fitness program.”

Emotional and psychological factors can make or break your fitness goals. Dr. Karen Wolfe, a physician and psychologist, says your self-image plays a big role. “What beliefs do they have about their body? Are they feeling guilty about those extra pounds. Cuz if they are, that’s going to block any progress. The first thing we need to do is actually talk to ourselves in a very caring way with acceptance and love so then we can go ahead and do all the exercises and integrate the mind-body in that
way.”

Dr. Wolfe says even just thinking negative thoughts can affect your health and fitness. “The actual science of it is psychoneuroimmunology, a big fancy term that just means that our mind, our body and our immune system are all interconnected. And with psycho…we’re learning our thoughts, our minds, our beliefs are affecting our immune system.”

You should move your body because it brings you pleasure, not because someone says you need to lose ten pounds.

“Why, who says we have to be certain body shape. Who says we have to be certain body size. What rules are we living up to that we’re saying we’re not good enough.”

So cut yourself some slack and enjoy who you are on your path to becoming who you want to be. For Fitness Magazine, I’m Bonnie Kaye.
I’m Bonnie Kaye.