Have you ever thought, "I just can not seem to get motivated anymore to workout. I just don’t understand why I have not lost a pound in two months. My bench press is going down and not up, how can this be?"
We have all experienced time periods where all the hard work, dedication and even desperation does not seem to be enough to jump start us. We focus so much on what we are not doing we begin to lose sight of main reason for exercising in the first place. Before you know it you start entertaining the idea of quitting.
ALl of us have heard of the eighty – twenty rule in life. This is where our lives are built on twenty percent of our efforts. The remaining eighty percent seems too be pushed along by the other twenty percent. When it comes to our weight loss and fitness goals lets look at the same percentages in another light. How about the eight twenty rule in our attitudes?
When I first started exercising and bodybuilding over twenty years ago I knew absolutely nothing about fitness, food or where my future was headed. However, what I did believe was that if I kept consistent, something had to change. With that attitude came a hope for the future and an understanding that good days would be followed by some bad ones.
It is unrealistic for you and me to think that every day in the gym and at the table will be great? We will be tempted to eat badly and we will be discouraged to go workout from time to time. This is reality. However, understanding that in the long run if you have more good days than bad, things will be work out good for you. This mindset is the key longevity. Here are some ideas on how to follow the 80/20 rule:
1. Write out in detail your yearly goal.
2. Get an accountability partner.
3. Focus on internal health vs. external.
4. Focus on the feeling not the work.
Best of luck and remember it’s about the BIG picture!
By: Greg Ryan
Posted in: Weight loss