Whether you're been chasing your fitness goals for a while, or you're just getting started, your attitude can determine your level of success. By cultivating gratitude on a daily basis, you can not only enjoy the process more, but have an extra tool to take your results that next step further!

1. Gratitude can prevent you from overeating

Saying grace before meals is a tradition that has stood the test of time - and with good reason! Giving thanks before eating can make you feel more appreciative of your food, connect you to the present moment, and even assist your digestive processes.

Nutrition is one of the most important parts of your overall fitness journey. You’ve probably heard of the saying ‘you can’t out train a bad diet’, and it’s true! By filling yourself with nutritious whole foods that promote a healthy body composition, you're going to see the results you want much quicker. If you're not grateful for your food, you'll keep looking for instant gratification in the forms of quick-hitting sugars and processed fats. Not exactly the wisest action when you're looking to feel and look your best!

When you eat with gratitude, you're priming your body to be able to receive the nutrients in the most efficient way possible. Digestion starts in the mind, long before you've taken your first bite. When you say 'thank-you' for the nutrients that are on their way to your belly, you are building a mindful connection between you and your food. Not only will you assimilate nutrients easier, you're also more likely to be satisfied sooner, and be able to stick to your eating plan!

2. Gratitude helps you to see how far you’ve come 

While you’re on your journey to your ‘dream body’, take a moment to reflect. If you’re continually pushing yourself harder, without stopping to give thanks or reward yourself in some way, you may be selling yourself short.

Without giving thanks to how far you’ve come, you’re likely to feel dissatisfied and critical of yourself, no matter how lean or 'fit' you are. Once you achieve a set weight goal, it can be easy to look to the next goalpost without taking the time to reflect.

Do yourself a favour by being grateful not only for your results but each step of the way. Every time you changed a habit or action that helped get you closer to your goals, you were doing something for the future you. Give thanks to yourself for taking the initiative, and powering on when times were tough.

Similarly, hug yourself for the times you feel like you slipped up or missed the mark. Your journey is unique, and that’s what makes it so amazing! If you’re feeling down on yourself, stop now and write down three things that you’ve done successfully, whether recently or a while ago. It doesn’t matter whether it was big or small; it all counts! 

3. You can sleep better when you're grateful

Sleep is a critical part of reaching your fitness goals with great success. Stress, unfinished to-dos and general anxiety can quickly get in the way of quality shut-eye. When you’re super-stressed and can’t sleep, an excellent way to help you get back into the dream zone is to practice gratitude regularly.

To help calm the nervous system, take a moment to reflect on the things you’ve done well today, or to acknowledge the people that have helped you mentally. If you want to take it up a notch, consider something you’ve found particularly challenging lately. It might seem like it’s all bad in your head, but if you keep asking yourself how this challenge benefits you and your overall mission, you’ll find some nuggets of wisdom that will fuel your fire and make you feel great about yourself. 

Ways you can cultivate gratitude today: 

Count your blessings, not your ‘stressing’! By keeping note of how your gifts and challenges both serve you, you’ll be able to reach your goals with greater joy and ease. 

Easy ways you can cultivate gratitude today: 

1. Write a thank-you note 
2. Send kind thoughts to someone 
3. Meditate on what you’re grateful for 
4. Keep a journal and write it in it daily 
5. Pray