I’ve been doing this fitness thing for most of my life. In that time, I’ve been out of shape. I’ve been in shape. I’ve gained muscle and lost fat. I’ve lost muscle and gained fat. I've gained muscle and gained fat.
Here are some random thoughts on progress.
1- Focus on the big rocks––everything else is noise
Everything else is just noise.
2- Getting in shape will make you happier
Contrary to what you hear (usually from someone who’s already in amazing shape), getting in shape will make you happier. But it’s not because of the fat loss (sure, that’s part of it)––it’s because you've proven to yourself you can commit to a goal and see it through. It’s about affirming you’re the kind of person who keeps their promises to themselves.
3- Your ‘dream’ body has a lot more muscle mass than you do right now
Yes, for a lot of people, fat loss is going to be the initial goal. But after that, you need to spend a good amount of time focusing on gaining muscle. That ‘lean’ look everyone is after is just as much about how much muscle you’re carrying as it is about your body fat levels.
4- Do something
People often tell me they can’t motivate themselves to work out and want advice.
I ask, “Can you do one push up or one bodyweight squat right now?”
The problem isn't motivation–it is the idea of completing an entire workout when, in reality, you just need to do something to get going.
The best remedy for a lack of motivation is action. Do something, no matter how dumb or trite it feels. The point isn’t doing that single push-up. It’s what that single push up does: It gets you moving and doing something. When you’re doing something, it’s easier to keep doing the thing.
Speaking of motivation…
5- Don't be cute about motivation - use whatever you need to get you going.
Rage and vengeance, anger, loss, regret, they're all tremendous motivators, they really clear the mind
– Thor, Infinity War
When you first start working on your fitness goal, the biggest obstacle is breaking inertia. And nothing will help you break that inertia faster than using whatever you need to motivate you and get you going.
6- It’s ok to let your fitness goals slide for a bit
When I decided to become a Neuromuscular Massage Therapist, I was not mentally prepared for the beating my body would take from working on athletes, and performing deep tissue massage 5 - 8 hours a day.
For over a year, I averaged 4 workouts, in the gym, a month.
But, don't let this be an excuse not to do anything (refer back to point 4). Some days it might be going for a walk, a run, doing sit ups and push ups in your living room, or something you enjoy, like pickle ball 😉
Your fitness goals might occasionally need to take a backseat, and that's perfectly fine. Learning to accept your priorities might shift for a while has nothing to do with your level of dedication or a lack of 'discipline'.
7- Progress happens in those small, seemingly inconsequential actions you do consistently every day.
Eating better today doesn’t seem like a lot today. Training when you don’t want to doesn’t seem like it’s paying offtoday. On any single day, none of these will move the needle. But you do these things consistently for 3, 6, 12 months? And you’re an entirely new person.
