Waiting for the perfect time to get in shape?
Spoiler alert: it's NOW!
By: Adam Meadows
"I'll get started when things calm down."
When it comes to health and nutrition, we’re always waiting for the perfect time. We feel like it’s all or nothing. Go hard or go home. No in between.
And when it’s not perfect, or if we slip up, we automatically think…
“I’m the worst… this won’t work.”
So we wait.
For when things are less busy.
For when we find the right workout program.
For when we get that raise.
For when the weekend is over
Tomorrow. Next week. Next month.
We’re always waiting for the right time. Because putting it off is easier than actually putting in the work and doing it. The fear of failure can be scary, and we want to avoid embarrassment and criticism. Unfortunately, we let these fears stop us from evolving into healthier versions of ourselves.
NEWS FLASH: When you have the mindset of “all or nothing”…
…you usually get nothing.
You sell yourself short and never grow to your true potential.
“The perfect time” is really just a fictional fantasy land where kale tastes like cake and barbells are made of cotton candy. There will never be a perfect time. It doesn’t exist.
(if it does… don’t be stingy… we all deserve kale that taste like cake)
But, there is a “perfect” moment … just keep on reading.
The "perfect" moment
The perfect moment is now.
YEP… and it always will be.
The fact is nobody is coming to save you … and give you these moments. You have to lace ’em up… throw on some gangsta rap… and go get them yourself.
Kicking, screaming, biting (only when necessary)…
Stop waiting around… hoping for some magical moment. Sure, if one comes along where the stars align and you feel better and more motivated than ever, definitely take advantage of it.
(also… if barbells turn into cotton candy… celebrate that)
But don’t wait around for it.
There’s going to be a lot of moments throughout your journey, and a single magic one is just a small part of a much bigger picture.
Your fitness and health journey isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress.
Consistent manageable (but significant) small steps forward.
Maybe you don’t have an hour to go to the gym, but what do you have? 20 minutes? 10? Work with what you have. It doesn’t have to be perfect. But making it work is what makes a difference.
The key is to just start.
You might say, “well right now just isn’t good for me”, or, “I just don’t have the time.”
But you can.
The problem is you’re not focusing on … beginning.
Who remembers Michael Scott after he leaves Dunder Mifflin to start the prolific ‘Michael Scott Paper Company’?
I'm not getting dressed. I'm not getting dressed. I have too many things to do before I get dressed. I need to find a hundred clients."
That’s you.
Your mind is jumping somewhere into the future and you feel like there’s just too much to do all at once.
Just start.
Somewhere.
And now.
It doesn’t have to be big or perfect.
Remember:
- Something is ALWAYS better than nothing,
- Imperfect action is better than no action,
- And every step forward is a step towards where you want to be.
Even small things eventually add up to make a big change.
Maybe you start reading about nutrition.
Or start going for a 10-minute walk during your lunch break.
Because “starting” means action.
Not thinking about taking action.
You don’t start a race and just stare at the finish line.
(if you do… maybe don’t sign up for anymore races)
No… you put one foot in front of the other, one step at a time.
And it doesn’t matter how small the step may seem… as long as you’re moving forward… that’s a start.
Push through the resistance
Many people give up at the first sign of resistance because they think it means they’ve failed.
They forget their headphones at home so they can’t go to the gym after the afternoon meeting.
Or they try eating salad but can’t stop craving sweets.
Resistance doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
That’s just how it feels sometimes.
That means you are moving forward and making a change. Changing your patterns will take some effort at first, but it won’t feel like that forever.
Remind yourself, when you do start feeling that way it means that you are making a change. It’s not failure, it’s improvement.
Find support
Sure, we can get started and keep moving on our own.
But it sure is nice when you have someone helping to push you up that hill.
Find someone to hold you accountable.
To encourage you on those less-than-motivated days.
You don’t have to do this all on your own. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness or something to feel ashamed about.
We all need help.
Having that support is what motivates us to keep moving forward, even when we’re feeling discouraged.
A friend, coworker, family member, whoever. Just someone to help you stay positive on the hard days. Because we all have them.
TLDR:
It’s literally killing your progress. Remember, the “all-or-nothing” mentality usually leads you straight to nothing.
Put it on your schedule. Set reminders on your phone. Place post-it notes all over. When creating change… you want to make it obvious.
Pick something… and GO!!
This is a life-long journey… so yeah. It’s going to happen. Plan on it… and it won’t be a “surprise” that throws you off your groove.
Lone-wolfing it sounds tough and cool in theory … but ultimately, it’s just dumb. Nothing creates and sustains progress quite like belonging to a community.
I’m clearly biased, but you should check out our monthlyME crew.
Doesn’t have to be us though… just find your people.
Reminder: You are amazing. You are awesome. And you’ve got this. Now go get started. Seriously… GOOOOO!
Need help getting started? Do 5 squats right now. Don’t wait… do it right now.
In a public place and not comfortable doing squats in front of people? Take 5 deep breaths (5 sec inhale through your nose; 5 sec exhale through your mouth).
Do it.
Share this Article:
Related Articles
