I am human. I have gone through long periods of time where my fitness has regressed to the point that it drives me into a state of depression. My binge eating disorder takes over and pushes me into a negative feedback cycle of emotional eating and unhappiness with both my internal and external self.
Sometimes it feels like I’m falling into a black hole with nothing to grab onto to pull myself out of. I think you know what I’m talking about.
Fortunately, I have always been able to find a way to rekindle that lost drive for fitness, and I hope my own personal experiences can not only help you, the person who has also lost their motivation, but also the person who is testing the fitness waters for the very first time.
Fitness Is About YOU
One of the biggest mistakes I continually make is trying to stay fit for everyone else but me. It’s difficult for someone like myself whose job is to coach and inspire individuals to live a healthy lifestyle.
However, to truly be successful for the long-term, you have to get it out of your head that fitness is an external activity, and instead come to the realization that fitness is an inner happiness that only you can control and be part of.
Once you understand that you are the owner of your body, mind, and spirit, and that nobody else’s opinion of you in this world matters, you take a giant leap forward in the evolution of your fitness being.
No longer will you be shackled by the negativity of insecurity, or the outside pressures from family, friends, strangers, or society in general. It’s just you against you, and that’s the way it should be. Striving to be a better you is all that matters.
It Only Takes One Small Change
By now I’m sure you’ve heard that small changes can make a big difference. We are creatures of habit, and destructive behaviors can very easily get rooted into our daily lifestyles.
Sometimes it seems impossible to see that end goal through the thick fog of negative feelings. The good news is that you don’t need to see the end, you only have to take that first step.
Creating change and breaking old habits is a difficult thing to do. The key is to do something different, anything that’s outside of your normal routine that will take you one small step closer to your goal.
You might just be surprised at how big of an impact these small changes can make. A new thought or positive habit can set off a firestorm of activity in your brain that translates into a physical snowball effect.
You never know what’s going to be that driving force that changes your life, but I can assure you that if you do nothing, nothing will ever change. Every physical manifestation in this world started as a single thought. Take that thought and make it an action and then go with the flow. You never know how it might change your life, forever.
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struggling with the fitness now, its always been a huge part of my life, whereas it doesn’t define me, it is me, trying hard to work through this menopausal thing, theres many good days and other black hole days, not much written on this subject
That’s where I have been for the last 8 months – pre-menopausal, emotional, depressed, and low energy. I’m losing definition and strength but gaining plenty of fat. Friends have been trying to encourage me, but it hasn’t been working. Today I made the decision to hire a personal trainer and I’ll be working out once a week with him. In the past, I have been able to come up with my own routines and was motivated enough to get the job done, but not lately. I think that this is a great start – I don’t have to think about anything, I just show up and do what I’m told. Finally looking forward to a workout!!!
I started my fitness journey after my second child. I was sick of looking and feeling..well..bleh. Shortly into my journey I found that I had hypothyroidism. So that was working against me also. Long story short, I got down to 135lbs and I felt fit! I had muscle definition! I was confident that when I got pregnant with my third child I would maintain my healthy habits and wouldn’t have to fight so hard after my third baby. Man-O-Man was I wrong! A month into my pregnancy I was nauseous all the time, couldn’t stand seeing, smelling, or touching meat. Crackers and noodles were my go to. Stopped exercising because I was so exhausted…then the disappointment started to set in. How could I work so hard and let it all go just like that? How come all those other moms can do it, but I can’t? I decided I needed to just not keep dwelling about that, be happy that I get to bring another baby into this world and that I would conquer this when she was born. Nope, after she was born, started having stomach issues that lasted 5 months. Since those have gone away, I have been on and off with fitness, and nutrition. I can’t seem to just stay on the damn wagon! I completed Insanity(missed 3 days). It comepletely broke me. It took every ounce of everything I had to finish that. I saw NO RESULTS! Sure mentally and emotionally I had changed, but I wanted to see physical results. That being said, since the beginning of march, I have not done any cardio. I walk with my kids but that is it. I lift weights and watch what I eat, but still binge on sweets like they are going out of style. I keep praying that I can get a grip…sooner than later…lol…as baby number 4 is in our thoughts! 🙂
@Kelle- You may be my long lost separated twin! Does your family have money? b/c I always said that one day my real parents would come and claim me from the crazy gypsies that obviously stole me from the hospital, J/K. I’m almost exactly in your shoes, right down to the sweet binges only we’re thinking of baby#3, and im afraid to death of whats going to fall apart on me at that point!
Wow that is me too, I am going through the same thing. Glad to know it isn’t just me though.
Thanks for this article, I’m going to print it out and put it where I can read it daily. I’m a personal trainer who has suffered with chronic fatigue for the last two years. It’s very difficult to get the right mindset that even a 10min walk every day is going to do me good, when I’m used to being very active. That starting with 10mins daily will build up to more and more. Keep up the great articles!
That’s beautiful!