If you have a spouse, a child, or even a best friend you know what Love is.
When its valentines day you order the box o’ chocolates and dozen roses…Make the fancy dinner reservations, dust off the Lionel Richie vinyls.
When it’s a birthday, anniversary, you remember.
When a tragedy hits or when times are hard you’re there to help.
Basically, you show up. Even when it’s not easy or comfortable and even when they drive you nuts.
Now hallmark cards and chocolate aside, you may not think of love in terms of fitness. But I do. I’m sensitive like that…
Ya see lots of people think of exercise as punishment or torture. They feel guilty about their poor eating habits or maybe they feel like lazy slobs so they go to the gym to “atone their sins”. (or completely ignore it altogether because they’re ashamed).
Well I don’t. I love to exercise. I love my health. I love my body. But it wasn’t always that way.
I had to work at it. Just all things you love.
Look at the best athletes in the gym and in the world. They don’t do it because they have to.
They do it because they love it.
Let me clue you in on a little secret…..
A Little Known Secret To Weight-Loss (and Long Lasting Health)
What’s the Best Exercise to Lose Weight?
Simple. The one you love. The one you can do week in and week out hardly ever noticing you’re working out.
Now this may surprise you but the people who have undergone the most dramatic transformations (and stayed that way) are the ones who found a love for exercise they hadn’t realized they had.
First they were just like many people, unhappy about their health and bodies. But, one day they decide they were sick and tired of being sick and tired so they started to exercise.
It wasn’t fun at first but they kept showing up. Then something happened– they started to love how they felt. Somehow the urge to lay around and eat wasn’t quite as strong as the gratification of working towards the health they realized they deserved.
Then, something really crazy happened. They started to love their bodies.
Yes, love.
It’s the secret to weight loss, and every other worthwhile pursuit.
This is a paradigm shift for many of you. So many people begin fitness regimens out of hate. They hate how they look. They hate their bellies that have slowly but most certainly grown through the years, they hate their big thighs and sagging arms that no longer resemble the tight physique of their youth. They take pictures and immediately hit the delete button because they can’t stand to look at themselves.
For them, an exercise regimen is a process of punishment– everyday looking in the mirror hoping to hate what they see a little less. They go to the gym. They run, and climb, and lift. Only a few minutes in, and they’re huffing and heaving in disbelief at how low they’ve sunk. They become angry and frustrated with this human machine they’re stuck with.
“How am I supposed to work with this?” they say.
Add to that, an old shoulder injury and creaky knees and we got us one massive DIY project that is too far-gone. So they say screw it and go home. Gym membership canceled.
Who can blame them?
I’ve seen this play out many times and It’s time we look a things a little differently. You can’t get very far if you loathe the process and the body you’ve been given.
This all stems from a single word most of us carry with us that has plagued mankind for centuries in his quest for better health.
“Should”
…I “Should” look ‘smokin’ hot.
…I “should” have better knees and a working shoulder.
…I “shouldn’t” put on weight so easily, but my (insert ethnicity) genetics just wants to hold on to it.
…I “shouldn’t” have to work so hard to look good!
This dialogue goes on all day; in the gym, in front of the dressing room mirror, and any situation where we compare ourselves with other “luckier” people. Time to snap out of it.
What’s the best way to get the body you love? Stop concerning yourself with how things “should” be or have-been and accept them as they are. Namely, your body and your less than ideal circumstances.
Throw yourself a bone and in the spirit of Valentines day, give yourself a little self-love. Yes, self-love sounds like an episode of Dr. Phil where lots of hugging happens but all it means is that you will never get very far if you are cursing the reflection in the mirror.
Treat your body like it deserves to be treated. Your body wants to be healthy, and be active. Yes, exercise is tough to begin, but beginning is the hardest part because you’ll quickly get the message your body is telling you when you start to feel better and more alive.
Get out of the mindset that exercise is grueling and tortuous. Find the thing that doesn’t feel like work (I’m betting it’s not an elliptical machine ) and getting fit will be the easiest most rewarding thing you’ve ever done. You will work harder than you ever imagined when you truly enjoy the physical activity you’re engaging in.
“ Whoa, hold on a second” You may be thinking to yourself,
“I don’t like anything physical! I hate sweating!”
I don’t buy it.
Your sedentary habits only have you thinking you hate physical activity. Most people have a nagging feeling that they should be moving and sweating. This is good. You should listen to that feeling despite the stronger urges to stay put and grab the Ben&Jerry’s.
Try new things out. It can be walking, dancing, surfing, or playing the drums. Think “outside the gym”. Play with your kids. Walk your dog. Join an unconventional fitness program.
Just embrace the fact that neither you, your genetics, or your circumstances are perfect.
No one’s is.
Yes, some are vastly better off, but I’m betting many are worse. You may be overweight, or injured, or older than most but you’d be incredibly surprised if for 30 days you said “so what?!” to those imperfections and went outside and got your sweat on.
Kisses.
Workout of the Day:
A. 4×3 Back Squat (building)
B. 1×1 Back Squat (heavy)
C. 3×6 Steps Forward + 6 Steps Backward WTD Lunge (hold :1 @bottom of each lunge)
D. 4×3 Clean RDL + 2 Power Clean (build as long as form holds)
E. Max Calories On Rower Competition (1 attempt)
1:00 for Max Calories
Competition:
A. Condo
7 Rounds:
11 Front Squats (135/95)
10 Push Jerks (135/95)
B. Snatch
5x Snatch Complex of: Snatch Pull + Snatch + OHS, Climbing
C. Gymnastics
5×15 Unbroken C2B Pull Ups for Time.
Rest as little as possible between sets.