One of my favorite rabbit-hole topics is mindfulness – especially its impact on health and fitness.

One recent study looked at its power on motivation specifically:

In this 2024 study, 1,247 subjects (from 91 countries) were divided into two groups: A mindfulness group (who did meditations that focused on body scans, intention setting, self-reflection and deep breathing). And a control group (who listened to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland).

Each group took part in their session digitally for 10 minutes a day over the course of 30 days.

The result:

Both groups had greater improvements in anxiety and overall wellbeing.

But the mindfulness group demonstrated significantly greater levels of interest in health improvement. Meaning: higher motivation for improving sleep habits, exercise and building health habits.

(Even two months after the study, many people from the mindfulness group reported they were still on course with making heath improvements.)

Researchers believe it has to do with mindfulness’s impact on controlling thoughts, emotions and behavior. According to lead researcher Dr. Masha Remskar:

“This finding may represent the way that mindfulness can cause a gradual shift from external motivation to intrinsic, or internal motivation”

This shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation is one of the most powerful psychologically but cracking this code is no easy feat.

However, this along with other research shows mindfulness may be the spark for it.

So how do you become more mindful in your fitness?

Here are a few tips that have helped with my own personal workouts:

1. Remove the distractions (phone, TV, and possibly even music too)

2. Continual refocus on the present moment (the dumbbells you are lifting… the biceps you are working… the squats you are doing… the surroundings and experience around you).

#2 is simple but not easy. Sometimes our mind is scattered, distracted and pulling us in a million directions.

But it’s worth it to keep coming back to the present moment.

(In fact, some say that challenge is what builds those “mental muscles”)

Not only does it become more automatic with time but you’ll find a new level of experience with exercise and physical activity that isn’t possible when you are just “going thru the motions”… mentally somewhere else… or trying to get it done with.

For more ways to transform your experience (and results) with health and fitness, check out:

Mind-Body Breakthroughs

Kelan Ern
Fitness Coach

Last month during Oktoberfest in Munich, I was chatting with a 50-something-year old woman (from the U.S. of A) who was concerned about her traveling workouts.

Apparently, she usually hit the gym 6-7 days per week and felt out of sorts only getting a few workouts in while spending several weeks abroad.

Tis a common concern for those who are in a well-grooved workout routine.

Whenever they go on vacation, they fear will lose muscle… gain all their weight back… or have to start all over again.

Having recently taken a two week break from lifting weights (while in Switzerland & Germany), here’s what I noticed:

• Maintained upper body strength (I didn’t feel nearly as strong but was able to hit similar numbers as a few weeks prior).
• Maintained hip and shoulder mobility (most likely thanks to 3-5 stretches each morning)
• Muscle soreness after the workout was higher – this was especially the case with upper body exercises.
• Motivation for lifting weights increased (take away motivation is a real thing)
• Maintained cardiovascular endurance (probably thanks to the abundance of walking… running to catch trams… and climbing hills)
• Decrease in grip strength (No surprise here, during my trip there was nothing I was gripping for dear life…  except possibly a railing when looking over the edge of a mountain)

These may not apply directly to you but the point is:

If you were still physically active and didn’t blow it completely on nutrition…

One to two weeks off won’t erase months of progress.

You aren’t starting over.
You aren’t back to square one.
You don’t have to play catch up.

Just resume your routine.

And you’ll get back in momentum sooner than you think.

For more ideas on how to restore your momentum and get in even better shape this year, check out a free issue Mind-Body Breakthroughs

Kelan Ern

Last month I was away in the land of mountains, chocolate and watches (Switzerland).

So this month I’m re-releasing one of the most valuable (and most unique) issues of the newsletter called The Breckenridge Fitness Letters.

This special issue was written off-the-cuff on a 5-day trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. And it’s one of the most raw-and-real newsletters I’ve ever written. It covers the mindset of nagging injuries… postural mistakes for neck pain… the psychology that led a meat lover to become vegan… and a whole lot more.

You can check it out below:

The Breckenridge Letters

(No opt-in needed)

Here’s what’s inside this blast-from-the-past newsletter:

• My muscle-building advice to a former boxer. Here’s the strange story of my number one tip to a former boxer for how to pack on muscle. This tip (followed religiously) allowed me to gain 50 lbs of muscle.
  
• My 3 postural mistakes for neck pain. After tweaking my neck from a rough night’s sleep – here’s what allowed me to bounce back and the 3 worst postural mistakes I was making leading up to this injury.
  
• Transformation from meat lover to vegan Even if you have no earthly ambition to become vegan or stop eating meat - you’re about to see how quickly changing your nutrition can happen – and a “momentum” pattern that emerged to make it lasting.
  
• How to push your physical limits. If you have a nagging injury that prevents you from doing certain hobbies – and makes you hesitant to get back in “the ring” here’s a powerful lesson for navigating physical limits.
  

Kelan Ern
Fitness Coach