Is Mental Fatigue Ruining your Progress?

Have you ever wondered why you have a hard time sticking to your diet or mustering up the energy to kill your workout after a long day?

I hear this all the time:

• "I am good all day then I can't seem to keep it together by the end of the night"
• "I am great during the week but idk I just can't stick to it on the weekends"
• "I have every intention of working out after work but most of the time I get super exhausted"
• "I do my workout right after work but then come home and just end up eating off plan"

This can be a result of MANY different things;

• self-esteem
• intrinsic motivation
• connection to the end result
• self-sabotaging patterns
• associations with failure
• protective mechanism against perceived stress or result that could be associated with other deep wounds...

I mean it really can run deep and everyone is different

I often will ask my clients:
"Do you feel fatigued by the end of the day or when the weekend rolls around? Making decisions all day or  staying so on point and in control of everything that by the end of the day all you want is the freedom and relaxation you have been denied ?"

and usually the answer is something like 'oh my gosh yes that is exactly how it feels'

Let's say that's true for you.

You may be dealing with mental fatigue

While much of this can be moderated with various efforts like;

• challenging perspective
• rewriting narratives
• creating a new meaning...

(again, we have to be willing to try things before getting to the bottom of the one thing)

Sometimes it can be as simple as understanding what is happening so you can set yourself up for success

Plenty of animal and human research shows that when we engage in highly demanding tasks (physical or mental) and experience fatigue we are going to be naturally inclined to participate in a less demanding task

Thank your body for protecting you of course, BUT if you want to level up, you must challenge yourself just enough out of your ability zone to incur growth

Think of it like progressive overload for your mind

Researchers describe mental fatigue as a psychobiological state. In other words, any prolonged cognitive demand that is challenging for you will wear you down on a biological level as well in that it induces tiredness or exhaustion.

The reason it becomes harder to continue a task such as following your plan throughout the day can be because of your brains perception of doing so after having completed so much heavy mental lifting for the day makes it feel harder than it 'usually' is even if it is not

Your brain on mental fatigue is saying:

• 'but just grabbing xyz would be so much easier than ___'
• 'but I haven't relaxed alllll day, let's just put our feet up and mindlessly eat popcorn while skipping the gym and watching netflix because I need comfort, peace, and freedom more than I need a challenge'

I am sure you find this psychoeducation fascinating, as do I, but I am also sure you are wondering, how do I change this behavior?

Well immediately I would say start simple, then progress.

I love focusing on solutions and strengths before ruminating on the problem

Some simpler ideas:

• Do you have a schedule in place that inspires you?
• Have you set alarms throughout the day for mindful moments of peace and relaxation?
• Do you have your goals hanging on the door of your house so when you come home it is the first thing you read to interrupt your brain from prioritizing chill mode?
• Are there other habits you already have in place that you can stack with new ones you want to have?
• What simple tools can you put in place to interrupt the current pattern as well as prime you for more success with a new one?

To that point, we really do need to dig deeper.

• What is your current perception of your program?
• How can we see it as more life giving than draining?
• What if you let go of the need to be perfect with the current plan and rewrote one to build more efficacy for a more effective progression? (would you jump from 20lb shoulder press to 60 after only having ever pressed 20s once? hell no! so why do this in other areas??)
• Are there things you associate with change that you may not be prepared to accept or take on?

The possibilities to move through this are really endless. I loveee doing this deep inner work with my client in the food relationship program, on my member & client monthly calls, and of course in any of my 1:1 work

I combine psychology with personal development to support you in aligning your inner work with physical results so you can Build More than Just a Body

If you want to work together to form new habits, evaluate current sabotaging patterns, sort through emotional & mental setbacks and ultimately move closer to your ideal self and lifestyle every day then send me a message saying 'mental game' so we can discuss your specific needs & determine if and how I can help you or if I know of resources that are best suited for you

You can also visit my work with me page for more info too: www.celestial.fit/work-with-me.html

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