Allan Keller: The Importance of Mindset

I recently started reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker.  I know it seems like a strange book to bring up in a fitness blog but within the first couple of chapters Eker writes “Money is a result, wealth is a result, health is a result, illness is a result, your weight is a result.  We live in a world of cause and effect.” 

While this may seem somewhat overly simplistic, it immediately struck me as a difference maker in my life that I hadn’t been able to put into words until I read it. 

Before I became a fitness professional I struggled to even get close to achieving the flat stomach that I had desired pretty much my whole life.  I remember thinking, “I eat healthy food and work out a lot, I guess I’m just not the six pack type.”  Back then it was actually easier for me to believe that my genes had more to do with my body composition than my own actions.  Especially when I thought my actions when it came to health and fitness were pretty decent. 

I ate granola with fresh berries and low fat milk for breakfast.  I used wheat bread for my turkey sandwiches fur lunch and I didn’t eat a ton of red meat at dinner time.  Plus, I had even eliminated soda from my diet for months at a time.  I would hit the gym multiple times a week and often get in forty-five minutes to an hour of cardio two to three times a week.  This is what you’re supposed to do, right?  Surely, I should be in great shape doing all of that.  Truth is I wasn’t in terrible shape, but I was carrying plenty of excess belly fat and wasn’t happy with myself at all.  But hey – I worked hard.  I guess it’s just not in the cards, right? 

WRONG! 

Eker uses the analogy of a fruit bearing tree in his book stating that if you want a different fruit you need to make changes at the roots of the tree.  In his analogy, the fruit is the outwardly exposed results you seek and the roots are the thoughts and mindset you have.  My mindset was one that I was genetically predetermined to be a little fluffy as I like to say.  A flat stomach was quite simply not possible for me.  So guess what?  Those internal thoughts and feelings led to actions that produced exactly the uninspiring, average results I expected. 

Looking back, it’s easy to see that I didn’t have a great understanding of what healthy eating was all about and definitely was out of control when it came to portion sizes.  Plus, I had no plan whatsoever when it came to exercise.  I never wrote anything down or really thought about what I was doing in much detail.  I had no training plan, a not so stellar relationship with food, and a mediocre mindset.  That’s three strikes – of course I wasn’t going to be successful making a change.

It wasn’t until I sought the help of a coach and put my trust in him that I was able to change my internal view of myself and what I could actually achieve.  Once I believed change was possible I was able to make a tremendous transformation in only a matter of months.  If you find yourself struggling to reach your goals, even if you think you’re doing everything right – take some time to think about your inner thoughts, your roots and see if they are creating a framework that doesn’t actually line up with what you want to achieve. 

Remember, your health is a result.  Your weight is a result.  Your body composition is a result.  Whether it is positive or negative, the way we look, feel and move are all a result of our actions which are shaped by our mindset.  Improve your mindset and you’ll improve your results.

Allan Keller is a Westchase area fitness coach and owner of Direct Effect Fitness.  Allan can be reached at 813-333-9922 or allan@DirectEffectFitness.com. Have a question about fitness or nutrition?  Post a comment or send an email and you may see your topic featured in his next blog.