The day you look at yourself in the mirror and decide it’s time for you to get back in shape is the day that you get on an emotional rollercoaster. Only you know if you have what it takes to do it. It’s difficult to motivate yourself to work out and eat right and even when you succeed, it’s close to impossible to maintain. Sometimes, I wonder if we’re better off giving up on the process altogether. After all, it would save us a lot of frustration, time and tears. Some lucky folks have what it takes to reach their goals, but the rest of us face many struggles and give up sooner or later. Here's what comes after you tell yourself you want to get back in shape:
You fool yourself into believing that just because you were in shape once means that it shouldn’t be difficult to go back. *Cue nostalgic thoughts of the glory days when you could eat whatever you wanted and not think twice about the calories*
You plan a daily workout schedule and tell yourself you have the ability to do it.
You find yourself looking up workout tips and routines on Pinterest and even designate an entire board to this project. The only problem is the workouts seem to get tougher each day.
On day one of running, you find yourself exhausted after half a mile. But it’s okay, right? I mean, it’s been a long time since you ran last and you need to work your way back up! You can't expect yourself to run a marathon your first time back.
Maybe you’ve managed to eat right for two or three days, but eventually you will encounter a dessert that you can’t say no to. You tell yourself that one bowl of ice cream will not make or break your diet. They tell you to eat everything in moderation, and in the past you would not have stopped at one bowl! Your weakness was going to be exploited eventually.
After two weeks, you just don’t see the results you were hoping for. You ignored all of the warnings about wanting immediate changes in your body. How can anyone be expected to have the patience for this crap?
Eventually, it’s time to accept that your metabolism doesn’t work as fast as it did when you were an athlete at your peak. I hate to break it to you, but you just might not be cut out for this whole exercise thing.
Next time you try to get back into working out, make sure you have a buddy or a better form of motivation. The key to successfully getting back in shape is having extreme patience, something our generation seems to struggle with. Remember: Rome wasn't built in a day, so your body can't be either.
