Hello transform athletes! I hope you have been well, and that you have been coming into the gym, trying the bootcamp, taking part in our classes, and seeking advice to help you with your goals.
The midpoint mark just passed us by, so now we have 5 weeks left. I am sure some of you saw some good results, and noticing changes in your body! I also imagine that maybe when you looked at the body metrix, it wasn’t to your liking, maybe leaving a sour taste in your mouth.
Let me tell you that ebbs and flows are going to be consistent when you are working towards your health goals. You can be looking in the mirror one day and see someone you don’t like, or maybe there are days where you feel great, and you see a very attractive person looking back at you (I see you me 😉). Some days will feel great, and you will have boundless energy to do what you will. And other days might not feel like that, with anxiety hitting you like a ton of bricks, or your confidence feeling low after a life does what it does sometimes. As a result, that pint of ice cream seems a little more appetizing or it will feel easier to skip a workout. When we only see the end goal in our mind or when a number tells us that we aren’t any closer, well it makes sense to be down about it.
When we look at the end goal, we forget about the journey we are on. The journey of exercise, or any goal really, is an important part of our progress. However, it seems like we have been taught that to be successful is to be happy. Shawn Achor, author of the Happiness Advantage talks about finding joy and happiness in what you are doing, versus always moving that goal post when you hit a milestone. Growth is had when you acknowledge and enjoy the journey you are on. A quote he uses to describe how happiness is taught in our society is “Happiness is on the other side of success”. We chase these end goals in the hopes that it will bring us happiness, when in reality it might only give us a glimmer of it. He and Arnold Schwarzenegger are big advocates of small victories. Little successes that bring us closer to our goals, as some days won’t always go as well as you like. Finding those victories can be hard at first, but it gets easier when you start small.
Say on days you do get into the gym, you feel a little tired, so the weight you are pushing or lifting is lessened a bit. Your energy is lower, so you don’t push yourself as hard as you like. For some, that can be a defeating. However, if you switch that thinking around, you see that you already won because you made it to the gym. Finding the right feelings that come out during the journey is another way to find victories.
You hit a personal record!
You did a couple more reps on your deadlift!
You nailed that pull-up!
You started doing pull-ups!
Your clothes feel better on you!
You move around pain free.
Whatever it is, victories are worth celebrating, no matter how small they may appear. As you celebrate them, they suddenly appear everywhere!
A good practice to go through everyday is finding something nice to say about a situation that would normally be a bother. Take the weather. It has been cold for May, and for some that is a drag, but it stills gives us an opportunity to enjoy quality time inside with our loved ones. And all the plants and trees are going to be greener as a result of the rain!
When we see those little victories, those emotional connections with them, the journey is that much more enjoyable. The numbers on the body metrix are only a starting point, and nothing more. Another thing to keep in mind is ten weeks is also the same amount of time to build a habit. Our goals are going to take longer than we think, maybe months, years even. So be kind to yourself, and love yourself. The extrinsic goal that is the body metrix is cool and all, but can you keep it going after the fact.
Love you guys, and enjoy the journey.
Alejandro Melgar
