You want to look better and perform better you need to reframe your perspective on fitness:
First there must be a sense of urgency! Most people realize that good health and fitness is necessary, but they do not make it urgent. It is your health!! You MUST realize you have very little time. As we age turning around the ship becomes more difficult as the years pass by. It is urgent! Don’t make the mistake of “I will do it after the holidays” etc. The holidays just keep coming. I will do it next season. THERE IS NO TIME BUT NOW! Look at what you value in life and how much health and fitness impacts those experiences. NOW IS THE TIME! NOW IS THE TIME! NOW IS THE TIME!
Look at your fitness as an investment and not a cost! I own a gym, have an Equinox membership, and a 24 hour fitness membership. Why do I need the other memberships? I look at these as insurance policies to make sure that it is easy and fun for me to get to a workout. The minute you make the transition to fitness and health being an investment and not a cost then success will be easier to obtain. This goes to food, sleep and training. People will spend so much money on things they “deserve”, but they cut the budget on fitness and health. If you deserve anything it is good health.
Do not diminish, or let someone else diminish the value of your goals. Today, many people who cannot make the sacrifice to accomplish a given goal often times diminish the value of the goal so that failure is not really a failure. These same people will try to sabotage your pursuit of the goal so that they are in good company and do not feel as bad about their own failure.
You climb a mountain one step at a time. Work backwards and layout a simple framework that has dates and each step that is to be accomplished. KEEP IT SIMPLE BUT HAVE DATES AND WRITE IT DOWN! Create small victories and focus on the steps not the top of the mountain. It will be there before you realize it. Celebrate the small victories!
Now the hard part. How do you maintain the motivation? People ask me all the time about how I fit my training into my crazy life. ELEVATE THE GOAL AND REFRAME THE ISSUE! Health and fitness do not come without some sacrifice. I say motivation, motivation, planning. If you do a little planning on the front end the need for motivation diminishes dramatically. Elevate the value of feeling good about yourself and your health to such a level that you will be able to maintain your motivation to get out and train and eat well. People do not realize how good they can really feel, because they have gotten so far away from that time when they really felt good. Revisit these reasons regularly and reinforce the value of eating and training and how it impacts your life.
Realize that you can micro-dose in small amounts exercise on a regular basis for massive change. Do not discount what can be accomplished in 4 minutes of time.
The Holidays are here and there are a million excuses as to how it is so hard to eat well, not drink too much, workout etc. Of course the holidays will make it more difficult! But elevate your goals and you will get through these obstacles. Youth is wasted on the young. Fit in a quick workout, or pass on a dessert. Elevate your game, your health, and your fitness in 2020!
Truth in Fitness,
Jacques DeVore CSCS