Affirmations for Athletes: Mindful Eating & Body Positivity

Affirmations for athletes can boost self-confidence and perseverance, reinforcing the belief in one’s capabilities beyond performance outcomes and physical appearance. Body positivity and affirmations are important for all endurance athletes, promoting mental resilience.

As athletes, we are truly our own worst critics. Negative comments such as, “I can’t do this” or “If only I was 10 pounds lighter then I would be faster” can occur regularly in our head. From daily self-defeating comments to body-type comparisons with other athletes, it can be difficult to silence those negative thoughts and feelings. You are not alone in this scenario and fortunately, there are proven effective strategies to help counteract the negativity. 

Training for an endurance event requires both physical and mental training for success, so let’s review affirmations for athletes.

The Power of the Mind in Athletic Performance

For athletes, the power of the mind often determines success just as much as the physical training aspect does. Those grueling miles you are logging day in and day out can be seemingly wasted if you are engaging in self-defeating thoughts regularly. These negative thoughts can often spiral out of control and often lead to poor performance outcomes. Mental strength, on the other hand, enables athletes to push through pain, maintain focus, and achieve peak performance.

Unfamiliar with using affirmations? Fortunately, these are easy to incorporate into your routine. Affirmations are positive statements intended to challenge negative thoughts and foster a mindset of confidence and success. While their effectiveness varies among athletes, consistent use of affirmations can help reshape thinking patterns and enhance motivation. This can potentially improve performance outcomes and your longevity in the sport.

Why Endurance Athletes Need Affirmations

Endurance athletes face daunting physical and mental challenges that can often trigger anxiety and fear during both training and competition. This anxiety and fear can result in unwanted side effects that negatively affect performance such as:

• Increased heart rate and palpitations
• Sleep disturbances and insomnia
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches, and muscle tension
• Unwanted gastrointestinal issues

Affirmations provide a crucial psychological tool to combat these emotions by reinforcing positive self-talk and promoting a more resilient mindset. 

Endless Affirmations for Athletes

As you focus on incorporating more positive affirmations into your routine, there are several different types to explore. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to incorporating affirmations, so it is important to experiment with many and see what works best for you!

Performance-Based Affirmations

Performance-based affirmations are positive statements designed to reinforce specific skills, achievements, or even behaviors. These can boost confidence, motivation, and focus by affirming past successes or future capabilities. A few examples to explore:

“I‘m strong, capable, and resilient enough to push through this last repetition.”

“I welcome the discomfort, knowing it will strengthen me long-term.”

“I‘ve trained for this and I’m ready to take on any challenge that comes my way.”

Confidence and Self-Belief Affirmations

Confidence and self-belief affirmations are positive statements aimed at reinforcing a strong sense of self-assurance. These affirmations are used to foster a mindset of empowerment, resilience, and optimism, which helps to overcome self-doubt that can plague athletes.

“I believe in my strength and resilience to get through this workout today.”

“I have the endurance and determination to achieve my goals in every race I compete in.”

Recovery and Healing Affirmations

Recovery affirmations for endurance athletes are positive statements focused on facilitating physical and mental recovery after intense training or competition. These affirmations aim to promote relaxation, healing, and rejuvenation.

“I honor my body’s need for rest and recovery, knowing it is a valuable part of training.”

“I trust in my body’s natural ability to heal but I will optimize my nutrition to support the process.”

Nutrition is an important component of the recovery process. Be sure to visit our blog on nutrition factors that can help optimize recovery when you are in the thick of training and competition.

Incorporating Affirmations into Daily Routine: How to Get Started

Endurance athletes benefit from incorporating affirmations into their daily routines during key parts such as before hard training sessions, during cool downs, or even before competitions. Affirmations can also be effective during recovery periods to maintain motivation and focus. This process does not need to be overwhelmingly complex or elaborate. In general, a good place to start:

• Choose 5 affirmations that you like and seem doable. It does not need to be overwhelmingly lengthy or complex
• Write these affirmations down. Post-it notes, a journal, or even in an app on your phone is great. Ideally, these should be readily accessible so that you can see the affirmations
• Choose when you will use the affirmations regularly (i.e. right before a hard workout, or during your cool-down)
• Use these affirmations for 2-3 weeks regularly so that they become part of your routine 
• Check-in with yourself and modify your affirmations as needed

Consistency is key, making it helpful to repeat affirmations regularly, especially when facing challenges or setbacks. By integrating affirmations into daily routines, athletes can cultivate a positive mindset, enhance mental resilience, and reinforce their commitment to long-term athletic goals.

Affirmations for Athlete: Body Positivity

I have worked with countless endurance athletes who have struggled consistently with body image issues and comparison. Body composition changes are quite common in endurance athletes, whether you are in season or out of season. Body positivity for endurance athletes involves embracing and appreciating the capabilities and strength of the body, regardless of its shape or size. On days when body image is challenging, focus on gratitude for what the body can achieve rather than its appearance. 

Practice self-compassion, engage in activities that bring joy and relaxation, and surround yourself with supportive people who emphasize overall health over aesthetics and looks.

“I celebrate the strength of my body, which allows me to push through challenges and achieve my athletic goals.”

“My body is powerful and capable, supporting me in every step of my journey as an endurance athlete.”

“Thinner does not mean stronger. I feel strong and healthy.”

Affirmations for Athletes: Mindful Eating

Mindful eating (also known as intuitive eating) is a practice that involves increasing awareness throughout the eating process. It often involves centering your full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both internally (sensations and thoughts) and externally (sights, smells, and tastes). 

Mindful eating encourages awareness of hunger and satiety cues, as well as appreciation of the flavors, textures, and nourishment provided by food. Mindful eating emphasizes being present in the moment without judgment, promoting a healthier relationship with food, and fostering better digestion and overall well-being. Examples of positive affirmations as it pertains to mindful eating include:

“This food is nourishing my body to fuel these miles.”

“I fuel myself with nutritious foods that support my endurance and recovery while enjoying some treats from time to time.”

Putting It Together

Positive affirmations for an endurance athlete can be an effective tool for better handling the rigors of intense training.