Unlock Your Fitness: What’s Your Excuse?!
Starting a new fitness journey can be a daunting challenge that can present several obstacles to overcome. We often find ourselves facing numerous obstacles that hinder our progress that manifest in various forms: fear, doubt, anxiety, social pressure, laziness, time, etc. Perhaps the most formidable of them all is the obstacle of our own minds. Our thoughts and beliefs become the first obstacle we must overcome on our journey towards unlocking our fitness potential. We don’t have a problem doing the research, getting motivated and creating a desire to begin our journey. It’s starting the journey that is the problem. As we explore how to overcome these obstacles in our own fitness journey, we will learn that the answer is much simpler that we could have imagined.
Imagine a toddler preparing to take his first steps. At first, he begins testing the waters by crawling and navigating the large world around him. Then he starts pulling up on objects testing his weight and balance. It’s at this point that he will most likely take a leap of faith and attempt his first steps. But fear and doubt creep in. He is unsure that he will remain up right and proceeds to fall. Our new journey into fitness is much of the same. We explore the world of fitness, but our fear and doubt creep in and keep us from getting started.
Fear of what exactly?
Fear of failure: When we begin our new journey, we can create some pretty hefty expectations. Fear can set in when we realize that our goals and expectations may be too lofty. It’s great to set long-term goals, but if we don’t create short-term goals that are easily achievable to help attain the long-term goal, we can get discouraged and the fear can drive us from ever getting started. We have to set ourselves up for success. This fear often stems from our lack of confidence and experience. Overcoming our fear requires a shift in mindset, focusing on progress rather than perfection, and celebrating all our small victories along the way.
Fear of Judgement: Beginning a new fitness journey often involves stepping out of our comfort zones. The fear of judgment from those around us can keep us on the sidelines questioning if this new journey is really for us. Most people are focused on their own journey and progress rather than critiquing others. You’d be surprised how often the people we are the most uncomfortable around feel the same way. Remember that this is YOUR journey and this race is only between you and yourself.
Fear of Commitment: To successfully start and maintain your fitness journey it will require dedication and consistency. Life has a way of throwing curve balls at us when we make the decision to better ourselves. Making the commitment to this lifestyle change can become overwhelming at times. Set yourself up for success by starting small and setting realistic expectations. By focusing on building healthy habits gradually, you can help alleviate this fear and make commitment more achievable.
Fear of the Unknown: If we are starting this journey for the first time, trying new exercises or learning how to perform them can be extremely intimidating. Feeling out of place in a new environment can also hold us back from beginning on our journey. Overcoming this fear involves seeking guidance from professionals, attending classes, or partnering with a more experienced friend or family member who can provide support and guidance.
It’s important to remember that starting this fitness journey will be uncomfortable in the beginning and that it’s okay to feel afraid or uncertain. But we must choose to understand these fears upfront so that we can confront them and change our mindset. By focusing on our journey and end results that we seek, we can overcome these fears and unlock our full fitness potential.
We live under the constant pressure of trying to outdo or “keep up” with those around us. We have to maintain appearances with the likes of our vehicle, homes, the latest trends. When it comes to fitness we are no different.
What Social Pressures Might We Face?
Body Image Standards: We are starting this journey to make a profound change in our lives. This change might be to improve our health, change our body composition, improve our mood, fit into our swimsuits for the summer season, or improve our self-worth. We all have our own personal reasons for choosing to get fit. We should be mindful not to compare ourselves to others whom might have different goals, genetics, or body compositions. Instead, we should focus on our own individual goals and taking small steps each day to achieve those goals.
Peer Pressure: We can experience peer pressure in a variety of ways when it comes to our fitness journey. Choosing to better ourselves often result in the jealousy of those around us whom are not willing to match our work or dedication but are expecting the same results. This can lead to peer pressure in the form of discouragement, pressure to engage in unhealthy practices, and deviation from your routine. Peer pressure can also lead to injury. At times, we might try to keep up with someone who is more advanced than us so that we don’t appear weak or less than. It’s important to stay true to your own goals and values and surround yourself with support that encourages your fitness journey in a healthy, productive way.
Remember to recognize these social pressures so that you can navigate in a way that aligns with YOUR own well-being and goals. This fitness journey is personal and focusing on your goals should always take precedent over the pressures of others. Staying true to yourself, setting realistic expectations, and surrounding yourself with support will help you overcome social pressures and foster a positive and sustainable fitness journey.
Our most precious asset in life is our time. What we choose to do with it now will determine our future and whether or not we achieve our goals and create the life we desire. Time is an excuse that I used in my own personally journey for many years. I had previously embarked on my fitness journey more than ten years ago. Once I had my first child, my life had become chaotic, and I CHOSE not to make time anymore. It wasn’t until five years later that I course corrected and made my health and well-being a priority again. It all started when I tried to get on the trampoline with my children and tweaked my neck. I couldn’t move for two days! I knew then that I would have to make some drastic changes to my priorities and make time for my fitness. Before, I had justified the long pause in my journey because I didn’t want to sacrifice my time with my family for myself. But I later learned that this was just an excuse. I couldn’t pursue my journey because I didn’t have time to go the gym. But I neglected to realize that I could work out at home saving all the travel time it would take me to get to the gym and back. My fitness journey has continued over the past couple of years with three pairs of dumbbells, a pull up bar, and using my own body weight. Once I decided to abandon my excuses, I was able to use creativity to make a solution. Time is what we make of it, what will you make of your time?
Choosing to purse a fitness journey will be daunting and takes hard work and dedication. We will have to face our fears and doubts, overcome anxiety and peer pressure, allocate time and choose not to make lazy decisions. All of these obstacles start and end in our mind. The best way to conquer our mind is to just START. Start today. Start right now. No more excuses. START!!!
