How do you get started in fitness? Setting yourself up for success is just that- setting up. It isn’t the action of starting. The next best practice from animal trainers we will discuss helps get us started. Behavior Momentum.
So Good They Can’t Ignore You
Cal Newport has become a known name in the self-improvement section of the library/bookstore. I recently read his book So Good They Can’t Ignore You, hoping to improve my own life, writing, and work.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Before starting a training session, animal professionals like to make sure EVERYTHING is perfect, or as close to it, to ensure as successful a training session as possible. Things trainers think about are removing distracting toys or objects from the area, getting all the equipment necessary for the session, and going over the plan.
How to Get and Stay Motivated
Staying motivated, especially in fitness, is not an easy task. Our willpower is finite, so depending on ourselves to do something we view as a chore is a difficult option. Deplete your willpower too much, and there is nothing left in reserve to help us out when we really need it.
Positive Reinforcement is Not a Burger After the Gym, Part 3 (of a Trilogy)
Positive reinforcement is not a burger after you go to the gym. That is not the essence of fitness through operant conditioning.
Positive Reinforcement is Not a Burger After the Gym: Part 2
After my last post, I received a few requests asking for help deciding what to use instead of food. In Positive Reinforcement isn’t a Burger Part 1, I talk about choosing rewards and incentives not focused around food. I understand this isn’t the easiest idea to wrap your mind around. So, here is a helpful…
Positive Reinforcement is Not a Burger After the Gym (Part 1)
Applying operant conditioning to your fitness program is a lot of fun. It’s especially fun when you focus on positive reinforcement as your primary method of teaching yourself healthy new habits.
Accentuate the Positive
I wrote a blog post similar to this about 4 years ago. It’s a great reminder post, so if you are feeling nostalgic for retro ZooFit (before it was called ZooFit, even), definitely check it out.
The Negatives of Negative Reinforcement
In my last post, we discussed why punishment is an outdated method of training animals, and an outdated method of training ourselves. But there is still often confusion about using reinforcement.
The Vicious Cycle of Punishment
Consequences to our actions are effective in shaping behavior. It’s been proven time and again. So, if punishment is as effective as reinforcement, why does it matter which method we choose to shape our fitness? It matters because it changes our motivation drastically.