I don’t know how you feel about this cold weather but it does nothing to motivate me to go outside. I have been staying indoors as much as possible using my time to work on my writing skills. I’ve spent the past few days going through previously written blogs and articles looking for clues on how I can improve the content I share with you.
Today I came across an article I wrote 3 years ago and because its message is important, I’ve decided to share it again. The content of the article has been updated but the message is the same: everyone struggles from time to time and how we respond to this struggle is the key to moving closer to our goals, or not.
Here is the updated version:
The Struggle is REAL
My trainer and I were on a coaching call talking about the struggles people have when it comes to their fitness goals. She was making the point that it doesn’t matter if you are rich, famous, beautiful, talented, lucky, or not, when it comes to working out and eating clean everyone has moments when they struggle to get it right. The degree and length of each person’s struggle may differ, but at the end of the day most struggles are the same.
If you think that some people are born with a magic power which they use to prevent themselves from struggling with their goals you are mistaken. Most people don’t find exercise and eating right to be as automatic as breathing.
Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. There are plenty of people who find it easy to exercise and eat right. People who consistently engage in these habits tend to find the process gets easier with time. However, just because you are consistent and know what to do and how to do it doesn’t mean you will escape from doing it struggle free. Temptation preys on all of us!
The conversation I had with my trainer was a reminder of this. To me, she is the model of how a healthy and fit life is lived. I seek her advice whenever I need help because I know she understands what I am going through. I love that we can have a conversation on having to choose between Taco Bell or a healthy salad or wanting to skip the gym to curl up on the couch to read a book or take a nap.
Her honesty in sharing her struggles allows me to see that I am not alone in mine. Instead of feeling bad about messing up I am reminded that I have the power to choose differently the next time I face a crisis. By acknowledging my behavior instead of ignoring it I can set my intentions on the changes I need to make so my future actions will prevent me from repeating the things that do not contribute to my long-term success.
There are going to be times when you purposely plan on eating the cake, drinking the wine, or skipping the gym. There are also going to be times when you plan on doing something and it doesn’t happen. This is okay. What is not okay is getting into the habit of letting excuses justify your behavior. Consistent use of excuses will lead to poor habits and poor habits breed poor results. Instead, be proactive and purposely choose to move closer to your goals.
I understand how difficult this can be. As I write this it is around 32° outside and the last thing I want to do is go out into the cold and schlep to the gym. Skipping the gym might seem okay today but in the long run I know it is not okay because every skipped workout makes it harder the next time I exercise.
What’s a girl to do? In this case the thing to do is to workout at home. I may not get the perfect workout in but one round of exercise at home reinforces the habit I need to get closer to my fitness goals compared to the risk I would take if I let an excuse win over the struggle.
I encourage you to think about what you need to do, or not do, to ensure you develop and keep the right habits to overpower your struggles now and in the future. Start with acknowledging the things you struggle the most with. Then give some thought to what you can do to overcome them. Remember, you only have to make one change at a time and you are not alone. Everyone struggles with something and the more proactive you are in dealing with it the easier it will become to handle.
Your partner in fitness,
Jannette La Sota
The Fitness Detective®