Be Stubborn, Yet Flexible

This quote is probably the most important lesson I've learned over the years.

When we first set out on our health and fitness journey, we form this perfect plan in our head. We will workout every day, we eat healthy/balanced meals all the time and we love every minute of this new journey.

Then reality sets in.

We have families, work and other obligations that need a lot of our attention. These obligations leave us feeling tired and sometime uninspired to hit the gym or try that new healthy recipe we found on Pinterest. Even if you manage to juggle all of your daily tasks and make it to the gym, the soreness kicks in after those first few days at the gym and you don't want to move. Then there are the cravings... Why is that we crave EVERYTHING that is not going to help us to reach our goal as soon as we start to eat better?! It's like the odds are stacked against us. It just begins to feel like we should have never taken those first steps out of our comfort zone and we begin to contemplate reverting back to our old ways.

Don't do it.

You don't need to quit or wave the white flag in defeat, you just need to become flexible in the methods you use to achieve your goals. If you are thinking "fail forward" you have been paying attention to my posts and podcasts and if I was in front of you I would be teary eyed right now.

You need to remember that you didn't gain the weight over night, so you're not going to lose it overnight.

Perfection does not exist.

You need to have patience with yourself and realize that one misstep doesn't mean you have to throw in the towel and face fuck a pizza because you're a failure.

Just keep challenging yourself and find what works for YOU.

• Maybe you start with cardio or yoga and then end up switching over to weight lifting.

• Maybe you start with adding more veggies to your daily meals because you aren't good about eating them, then go vegetarian, then Whole 30 and now keto.

• Maybe you only do at-home workouts and then finally build the confidence and join the gym or start attending studio yoga classes.

• Maybe it's all of these examples but in reverse.

The point is that you gotta keep challenging yourself and remain mindful of when something isn't working for you... then change it up!

You have to always be willing to try new things.

Be flexible about which route you take to reach your goals. The path that you take to get to them doesn't really matter and it will and should vary from those around you. Don't get caught up in what's new and shiny on social media. Just because "everyone" is doing a particular workout or form of eating does not mean that you have to too. All that matters is that you don’t forget what your goals are. Stay open minded. Become a sponge and learn everything you can about the styles of nutrition and fitness that interest you. Then create a routine that works for you.

The key take away here is to realize that sometimes we encounter detours on our way to the "final destination" and that’s okay. You just need to be ready to take a different route, learn something new and always remain determined to get there.

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