What do your fitness victories and setbacks have in common? You!
That might be a shot to your pride, but let me tell you why it’s important to look at yourself in order to find solutions.
Your past choices and the results tell all. You can see what activities you enjoyed or did not enjoy, your strengths and weaknesses, what you did well and what you could’ve done better.
I encourage you to multiply the things that will strengthen the areas of your fitness you need improvement, as well as the activities that were most effective and enjoyable.
Here’s an example of the things I do daily when I’m the healthiest and most satisfied:
- Sleep 8 hours
- Eat breakfast
- Take a break from work to have lunch
- Eat healthy portions at dinner
- Sit for no more than 4 hours
- Exercise for 60 minutes at an intensity that makes me breathe hard and my muscles feel fatigued
- Exercise with loads and movements that I know I can perform properly
- Devote time to the the people I love
- Allocate time to be in solitude reading or reflecting
- Make no excuses or complaints
Make a non-negotiable list like this based on what you know about yourself, and you won’t believe how fast your health and satisfaction will soar. Have an honest person who cares about you help.
Don’t try to roll out your whole list on day 1. Aim to add 1 item from you list per week until you’ve incorporated the whole thing.
Make your list paint a picture of the lifestyle you need to succeed. Don’t let it be an exhausting set of rules.
You’ll notice that my list has 10 items. If 2 don’t go my way on a given day, that’s ok! I got it 80% right, and that’s a winning percentage. I’m typically motivated to tackle the items I missed on the following day, as well!
Make your list today! As you do, remember that your fitness is a sum of several things, including body composition, strength, cardio, and mobility.
Your health is determined not only by your body, but your heart, mind, and soul, too.
Use your list to invest in every area that will contribute to your overall well being.
Remember, the best part about being the common denominator is you have the control to change your circumstances and succeed. You can do it if you understand yourself and make the right choices, even if they’re really hard.