Friends, this is what the path to success looks like.
You’re going to make progress. Then you’re going to backtrack all the way back to close to zero again. Then you’ll take a few more steps forward, only to continue to take 10 more backwards, almost at zero again. Progress, backtrack; progress; backtrack. Gain weight, lose weight. Get your first pull-up; lose it and back to ring rows again.
But here’s the reason to keep going: Every time you loop back, you won’t go quite as far backward as before. The loops get smaller.
Resiliance
And you’ll also start to notice that you’re not backtracking quite as often as before. Someday you’ll look up and think, “Wow, I’ve gone a whole year without gaining any major weight.” And when you have little bumps along the way, thinking this way will help you keep your perspective on your progress. When things start to stall, you’ll always be able to look back on where point zero was and see that you’re not even close to that!
You can frame this in any way, it doesn’t matter. If you used to once be able to deadlift 400lbs off the floor once upon a time, but now you can only pick up 325 on a good day – who cares! You can lift 300-freaking-pounds off the ground! That’s awesome!
Many people get stuck in that first loop of fitness forever: try something, make progress, fall off. Sometimes their programs, diets or tricks are unsustainable. Sometimes they’re boring. Sometimes they just don’t work.
But usually, after six weeks, the exerciser is a bit further along. And even if he or she falls off, the fall won’t be ALL the way back.
Maybe after a tough holiday season of too much eating, drinking and resting, you’ve fallen backward. But you can still work on your fitness. You can still show up. You haven’t lost your touch. And next year, when you fall back again, you’ll be even further ahead. You’re building a margin for lapses.
Perspective
If for no other reason, go to the gym today because today’s problems are slightly less horrible than last year’s problems. We’ve all been there.
If you need help with some guidance and accountability to help you find that progress again, book your No Sweat Intro here. Sit down with one of our CFF Coaches and build a plan that can get you under some momentum again!
Inspiration provided by Chris Cooper at Catalystgym.com.
