14 DAY TRIAL // Sticking with a diet or a regular workout routine can be, as we all know, one of the most challenging things we ever set out to do. Derailers are everywhere, and even our own body works against us at times, with powerful emotions like anger and frustration. This is why it’s essential that we smile as much as we can to keep up a positive attitude, because only that can help us not lose sight of the bigger picture, as That’s Fit points out.
Based on research done last November, we know that smiling is one of the most important things we can do when setting out to perform a task with an elevated difficulty level, such as dieting and working out. Being in a good mood will help us not focus entirely on the downsides or shortcomings ahead of us, but instead on the bigger picture, pros and cons included, while also offering us the energy and motivation needed to overcome the latter to get to the former.
It’s not really as complicated as it sounds, the aforementioned publication says, since it could be summed up in “Think happy thoughts and good things will come your way if you want them to.”
“A positive mood enhances efforts to attain future well-being, encourages broader and flexible thinking, and increases openness to information. Those in a positive mood not only adopt higher-order future goals and work harder toward attaining them, yet also reduce their efforts when goals are proximal or concrete.” researchers told at the time the study was made public, as quoted by That’s Fit. This means that, if we can induce good mood, dieting and working out will no longer feel like chores we hate doing, but doing them because we have to. We might even find ourselves enjoying it, it has been added.
The simplest ways to put a smile on our face at any given moment is to trick ourselves. That’s Fit suggests posting funny pictures or photos that are certain to make us smile all over the house (on the fridge, in the bathroom, on the desk) and listening to a favorite, inspirational track at least three times a day. We can also make a list of the 20 most fun activities in our life and make a habit of doing at least one on a daily basis, be it a lunch with friends, hugging a pet, or walking in the park.
Last but not least, learning to see things through “the-glass-is-half-full” perspective is also vital to alter our perception of a task as potentially frustrating as dieting and working out are. In doing so, the task in itself would seem easier and more pleasant. All in all, there is absolutely no reason not to smile.