Friday, October 31, 2014

How Do You Start? How Bad Do You Want It?

            There are a lot of people out there that want to “get into shape” and that want to “start working out.” I often get asked, “How do I start?” or they tell me, “I’ve been wanting to start.” So I decided to answer this question as best as I can and hopefully someone will read this and will finally take the step.

            First, some honest disclaimers: Getting in shape or becoming healthier is not a temporary fix and it is not a small change. Even starting slow can be a huge change in lifestyle. It can mean having to sacrifice some comforts and habits and this may be the hardest thing about it. It also often leads to broader changes such as earlier bed times, earlier wake up times, and a change in eating habits. Most people fail or stop when existing comforts start to conflict with changes towards a healthier lifestyle and so don’t be surprised if this becomes the biggest challenge you face. Those two hours of television at the end of the day may be your routine now, but it might be hard to do when you’re tired from working out or if they conflict with an evening workout.
            Also, another painfully obvious but often overlooked aspect of getting in shape or just getting healthier is that it takes time. Any product or workout trend that claims to give you “instant” results is lying to you or it’s unhealthy. Additionally, you have to realize that the improvement curve is not linear. If you are starting from zero, you may see some drastic changes within the first few months, but always remember that those changes will slow down as you improve. Any change in habits, whether it is your diet or starting a workout routine, will cause a change, but once that initial change happens, your progress will slow down and that is something that happens to everyone. It’s important to keep on chugging along and not get discouraged. You’re still improving, but if you stop, you’ll lose all the gains.

            So now that those are out of the way (but make sure to keep them in mind), how do you start? To answer this, I want to ask a question that requires some hefty introspection and some brutal self-honesty:

How bad do you want it?

            It sounds cliché, but this is the basis for any change in lifestyle and habits. If you want anything enough, you will work hard to achieve it. If you just kind of want it, you’ll keep thinking about it and you won’t ever work towards it. I kind of want to write a book, but until I really truly want to do it, I probably won’t do it. If you kind of want to workout more often, you probably won’t do it, but if, deep down, you want to lead a healthier lifestyle, feel better and potentially look better (although that should always be secondary to the other two), you’ll start today. However, no one can make you feel this way. No one can convince you to really want it. Motivational people can give you a little push, but again, if you don’t want it enough, that push will wear off and you’ll go back to how things were before. You have to come to the realization yourself and once you do, you will put in the work.
            This is not to say that you should sign up for an Ironman or a marathon tomorrow. It’s also not to say that you should immediately start lifting heavy and doing complex movements without any foundation of strength. If you’re just starting out, you need to be smart about it. Nothing discourages someone who is just starting out more than getting injured. It is very common for someone to start working out, get really gung-ho about it, overdo it and then get hurt. It has happened to me and it happens to a lot of people. They start out pushing hard because they want results, but when they get injured, they think, “every time I start exercising, I get hurt. It’s not worth it.” Getting into shape is a process that needs to be approached in small steps. Most people don’t have the know-how to do it themselves so it’s important to at least find some guidance from a knowledgeable fitness professional. That in and of itself is a challenge and a topic for another post, but it’s important to look into someone’s credentials and make sure they aren’t just a charismatic, weekend-seminar-certified-fitness-junkie.
           
            So you need to realize that you want it and you need to approach it intelligently and with patience. Going back to the disclaimers, you need to realize that it takes time and you need to maintain realistic expectations. You also need to accept the sacrifices. You may need to cut down on the late nights or the evening television. You may need to pack a lunch instead of eating out every day. You may need to buy smarter at the grocery store and cook instead of just microwaving food. You may need to read labels and limit your intake of some of your favorite foods. These sacrifices are common, but it all goes back to the question of: how bad do you want it? Because if you prefer late nights, hangovers, junk food, and hours of television, then you aren’t ready to make the changes to a healthier lifestyle.

            This is very hard to swallow for anyone who has a routine that needs to be broken. It applies to anyone making any kind of a change to his or her life and is not exclusive to making changes in health or fitness habits. If you want to go back to school, start a business, change your career, or travel the world, the difference between just wanting it and actually doing it is in how bad you want it. There are plenty of stories of people who sold all their belongings to spend a year or two traveling the world but there are probably more people out there who want to do it. The difference is that those who really wanted it took the plunge, while those who just daydream about it continue doing just that.

            It’s not an easy thing, admitting to yourself that you haven’t wanted it enough to actually do it. Excuses and reasons flood your mind as a self defense mechanism because you don’t want to admit that you’ve been resistant to it. But look closely at your life and ask yourself if those reasons or excuses are valid. Are you too busy with work? Think of the busiest, most time-consuming career possible and I promise there is someone doing it that maintains a healthy lifestyle. Are you too busy with family? I promise there is a single mom of three kids that has to juggle all of their extra-curricular activities as well as her own life, who finds the time for yoga or a few runs a week. Each person’s struggle is different but you have to realize that if you want it enough, you’ll make time for it. If you want it enough, you’ll make the change.

            So how do you start? How do you get into shape and lead a healthier lifestyle? Start with asking yourself that question: how bad do you want it? Think about it for a while and if the answer is, “I really want it,” then the next step is clear: Start. 

By Johann Warnholtz

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