Finding Gratitude in Your Fitness Journey
Can gratitude actually change the way you approach fitness? Imagine shifting your mindset from focusing on what your body can’t do to appreciating what it can do. That simple shift can unlock a whole new level of motivation and consistency in your workouts.
Gratitude isn’t just about saying thank you—it’s about grounding yourself in the present and celebrating small wins. Start by taking a few mindful breaths before your workout to center your thoughts on what you’re grateful for: your body’s strength, the time you’ve carved out for yourself, or even the progress you’ve made, no matter how small. Reflect on your achievements at the end of the day, focusing on what went well instead of what didn’t.
This abundant mindset allows you to see fitness not as a chore but as an opportunity to honor your body. By celebrating progress, not perfection, you cultivate authenticity and self-worth—two key drivers of personal growth. Remember, working on yourself isn’t selfish; it’s a gift to you and everyone around you.
I also discuss:
(02:19) Incorporating Gratitude Into Workouts
(07:55) The Power of Gratitude Practice
(08:35) Embracing Authenticity
and more!
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey, beautiful human. Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you, but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace Your Real with Me. Do I better? I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace a real. Let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another bonus episode. I'm so excited for today's episode. What is gratitude have to do with your fitness journey? I really truly believe a lot more than you might realize. And so that's why in today's episode we're actually going to be diving into how gratitude can truly transform your fitness journey. And while gratitude might not be something that we naturally associate with our workouts, it actually does and can have an incredible impact on how we show up, how we see progress, and how we stay consistent. But before we break down on how practicing gratitude can really supercharge your fitness journey in meaningful ways, I first want to share this review. It comes from lovely Lisa. She gave a five star view and said Amazing outlets. This podcast is so great. Julie has a super sensitive way of explaining how you can change things in your life for the better. I'm an elementary school teacher who has not been able to really take care of myself the way that I need, which leads me to negative body image. For me, Episode 190 really spoke to me and had me crying on my way to work. The way she explained how many things our body do for us. I highly recommend listening to this podcast every day. my gosh. Well, first of all, bless you. Bless you for being an elementary school teacher. And that is not an easy job. And I am so grateful that you are working on yourself because you are making such a large impact on those kiddos lives. I just want to encourage you with that. Like you genuinely have such an amazing impact. So whether you are a teacher like her or you are a stay at home mom, your working professional, I just want to encourage you that working on yourself is never selfish and it can only benefit you and others in your life. So thank you so much for taking time out of your day. If you guys could scooch over to Apple Podcasts and liberating interview, that would mean the absolute world to me and our team. Okay, so let's dive into today's bonus episode. So how do you really build gratitude into your workout routine? What does that even look like? Well, here's kind of a few ways that it can look like. But keep in mind, there are no rules to this. At the end of the day, it really comes down to truly feeling grateful on this journey that you're on. Number one, before you even start moving, really take a few deep breaths and focus on one thing that you're grateful for, whether it's your health, the chance to take the time for yourself or simply the ability to move your body. The moment of gratitude that you are setting up for yourself is really going to allow you to have this positive tone throughout your workout, which also helps you to feel more present and motivated throughout. Number two, at the end of each day, take a minute to reflect on something fitness related that you're grateful for. So whether that's the post-workout endorphins that you had or the joy of moving or the nightly gratitude, you know, practice, this is going to help wrap up your day on a positive note and reinforce why your fitness journey matters. Number three, pause briefly between your sets and appreciate how your body feels. It's strong, it's capable, it's resilient. This is going to keep you grounded and present and makes you more aware of how amazing it is that you can actually challenge yourself in all of these new ways. Even just a few seconds of mindful gratitude can help you feel connected to your body and to movement. And last but not least, number four dedicate a few minutes after each workout to jot something down that you're grateful for about your fitness journey. Maybe it's the energy boost that you felt during, you know, your new personal bests, like you picked up 17 pounds instead of 15 pounds, or you went 12 reps instead of ten reps. Whatever it is, writing it down really does reinforce the positive feelings and helps you see how far you've come over time. This journal that you have, whether it's on your phone or pen to paper, really does become this record of progress and positivity that you're building. Okay, so now that you know how to start to build more gratitude for your fitness journey, here's why it's so beneficial. Number one, it really does shift your mindset from a lacking to abundant. When we focus on gratitude, we shift from seeing what we don't have to appreciating what we do have. So instead of thinking about the parts of your body that you wish were different, gratitude itself helps you to celebrate what your body can do. Right now. It really does create this mindset of abundance where you feel thankful for each step rather than focusing on how far you still want to go. Number two, it keeps motivation high by being grateful for the small wins. I've talked about small wins on the past couple weeks on the podcast, but gratitude for the small wins allows you to see progress everywhere, not just in the big milestones or goals that you reach. Noticing and appreciating those small wins, like lifting more weight or having more energy throughout the day. This builds motivation naturally, and these moments might feel minor, but practicing gratitude for each one really does reinforce a sense of accomplishment and keeps you excited for what's next. When gratitude becomes a part of your routine, you'll stay so much more motivated because you'll notice the small wins along the way. Which leads me to number. Three. It builds consistency. We all know that staying consistent with your fitness journey can be challenging, especially when motivation is genuinely non-existent. But gratitude really does and can help you keep grounded and committed because it doesn't rely on the external bursts of energy. When you're thankful for the ability to move and grow, showing up becomes something that you want to do. Instead of feeling like I have to work out, that gratitude shifts it to I get to move my body. And this mindset really does make it easier to stick to your routines even on those tough days, because it helps to keep you focused on the privilege of movement. Number four it makes movement feel like self-care, not a punishment before each workout. Take a moment to feel grateful for the time and space that you get to focus on yourself. This practice, even if it's for 10s, is going to set a positive intention for your workouts and makes you feel more present. Being mindful of your gratitude helps you connect to your body and also appreciate the movement making workouts feel like they're an act of self-care which will allow you to walk away from each session feeling more grounded and thankful. This also creates a much healthier, healthier relationship with fitness than most of us once had. Most of us oftentimes looked at workouts as a form of punishment, not self-care, when in reality it is actually the ultimate act of self-care. And last but not least, number five. It helps you to find the silver linings in setbacks, setbacks like injuries or slow progress. This can be discouraging, but gratitude really does help you to see them in a new perspective when things don't go as planned. Practicing gratitude shifts your focus from what's going wrong to what's still possible. For example, if you unexpectedly get an injury, gratitude can really help you to appreciate the rest that your body needs. It's not about pretending everything is fine, but it's about finding a silver lining that keeps you hopeful and with gratitude. Even challenges become opportunities to grow stronger and stay resilient on your journey. So there you have it. That is why gratitude is so important and can be such an important tool when it comes to your fitness journey. Let me quickly recap what we talked about in today's episode. Number one, it shifts your mindset from lacking to abundant. Number two, it keeps motivation high by being grateful for the small wins. Number three, it builds consistency. Number four, it makes movement feel like self-care, not punishment. And last but not least, number five. It helps you find the silver linings in setbacks. If you love this episode on Gratitude, I know you will also love Episode 192. It's entitled The Science Behind a Gratitude Practice. It's not as cliché as you think. In that episode, I go deep into why gratitude is so important, and there are so many studies to back that up and why it's not just this cliche practice, but it's actually a practice that will genuinely transform your body and your mind and your soul. And I believe that we are wired for gratitude. I believe that we should be practicing gratitude on a daily basis and it will enhance our lives in so many ways. So be sure to tune in to episode 192. Again, I will link that in the show notes that you can easily go check that out. But that is all that I have for today's bonus episode. I hope that this encourages you to start practicing gratitude today in your fitness journey. It can be such a powerful tool. I love you so much. I mean it. I'll take it in the next one. All right, sister. That's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram. Be sure to do so, Julie. A lot better. Yes. It's women in the middle for that Daily Post workout. Real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world. And I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace Maria, because you're worth it. 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