More often than not, fitness is portrayed in this glossy light - the perfect diet, the perfect workout & most importantly no slip ups! And yet to me the most inspiring stories are how people overcome things or the naughty treats they have. The most inspiring fitness influencers are the ones that share the whole picture & are honest. So before I hear one more person telling me what they're giving up ahead of summer, I want to share my weak points to inspire everyone to be a little kinder on themselves, in the build up to summer.
So let's start with with cheat meals. When was the last time you let a cheat meal turn into a cheat day? Or a cheat weekend...
Me? Last weekend. I had barely touched my Easter chocolate, but when I started, I just kept pecking away. And that was in addition to the cheat lunch & dinner. Do I regret it? No. So what, I gave into temptation, but I am back on track now. Plus I enjoyed most of it, so I refuse to punish myself with guilt. And oddly enough, the pizza I had been really craving, didn't seam that special anymore - meaning that fancy has passed now for another year! haha.
But I'm back on it now. I'm still having a little portion of chocolate each night & my cheat meal at the weekend - I refuse to restrict myself completely. Those little nuggets of gold keep me on track & what is life without a treat?
Next up, how many of your have thought about giving up? Even if it's just short term?
From making excuses not to go to the gym, to postponing infinitely - we all struggle with motivation at times. I know recently I have. Work has been tiring, I have a lot more to take care of recently in my personal life & during the weekdays; I get very little time to myself - the end result, I'm exhausted. So for a while, I was letting that get the better of me. Using these as excuses not to go & do the very thing that I know always makes me feel happier, stronger, more awake & focused & more relaxed. And yes, being tired & busy are both very excusable reasons, but you have to make time if you want something badly enough. This period lasted for a few months.
How did I push past it? As harsh as it sounds, I gave myself a talking to, a reality shake. You don't reach goals by sitting on your butt - instead it takes dedication, hard work & passion. And I knew, at the end of the day, I had a choice. So I decided to keep fighting & with that, my passion too came back. I scheduled myself days in my diary for the gym & I gave myself no choice - I had to go. Once I had pushed through that initial brick wall, I was back on it & enjoying it once again!
Finally, weight gain.
We all fluctuate, it's human nature! However over the winter I decided to bulk, which meant that as well as an increase in muscle, my body fat percentage also increased. Now although the majority of the time I was so proud of what I was achieving at the gym - I didn't care particularly about that little extra - there were days it got me down. My muscle definition decreased outside the gym, my thighs were touching & in my mind, my chubby cheeks were back! And on days when I was particularly stressed or low, I would be lying if I said that it didn't effect me & my confidence.
So what helped to pick me up? Simple. Smashing it in the gym. If confidence dropped, it was only momentarily. I got back in the gym & proved to myself just what incredible things my body was capable of. And with that knowledge, I felt secure within myself.
I guess what I am trying to say is, through all the polished physiques, perfect diets & smiling faces, everyone experiences self doubt, has moments they want to throw in the towel & act like a royal pig at times. It's human nature! But what's important is how you push past. Being able to leave any negatives in the past & move forward positively, that's what counts.
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