Let's start out with the obvious - resolutions suck. There I said it. Now let's move on.
I'd like to talk about something that always makes me smile - my weekday morning people. I
love all of the people I work with at the gym but I want to make a shout out to the 5:30 AM
crew. They are mostly women. They don't take any crap. They work like they mean
it. The dynamic of this group never ceases to amaze me. Their ages range from
27 to 55. Their fitness levels vary as well. They have different sizes, different hairstyles and they respond
to challenges differently. With all of their differences however, they have one thing
in common - a strong conviction to their reason for being there.
For those of you who don’t “get it”, you’re probably going
to stop reading now, and if that’s the case, shoot me an email in March when
your Resolution Circa 2013 is just a memory and you’ve perfected the art form that I
like to call “Slow Death by Excuses”. Come on, you know what I’m talking about.
“The kids
are sick.”
“I’m just so
tired.”“I’m just so busy.”
“I think I’m starting to get sick”
“I’m just so out of shape.” (Really? You’re using that?)
I get it. There are just those days when you feel like you need to step back from the gym. Rather than going into a tail spin, deal with those days as they come. Get outside for a walk, play with the kids, or accept that you need a break. Whatever you decide, stop attaching an excuse to it. Make the decision and own it. Do not allow your excuses to begin to
override any rational thinking you may have. Otherwise, hold on tight because it’s a slippery slope. One excuse leads to another and rather than looking the problem in the face you start to believe that it is really the kids' sickness or the fact that you have to work late. (Eh hem...the problem is you by the way.)
So how do you change it up? Maybe it’s time to take look at exercise
from a different perspective. Rather than focusing on the scale, focus on the fact that you want to still be able to move unassisted when you're a geezer. Rather than focusing on the size of your jeans, focus on sledding with your kids (or nephews) and not needing to stop because you can't climb that hill one more time.
Yoga, Pilates, TRX, Indoor Cycling, Running, Crossfit, Kettlebells - whatever you choose has got to become a part of you; a way of life. It's NOT something that you do to get an end result. It IS the end result.
Realign and prioritize what matters. YOU. The rest will fall into place - I promise.
Call it a resolution, call it a change of heart, call it the moon in the first house of Leo - I don't give a crap - just get over yourself, get over your excuses and GET IT DONE. One
hour is 4% of your day. That is not a huge commitment of your time, but it is a
huge commitment of your will. Kids are sick? Spouse working late? You’re
planning on being at the office late? Get up early and get to the gym to start your day. Boom - done.If it matters to you, you’ll figure it out.
My morning crew? Most of them, ok all of them, have bed head and sleepy eyes when they walk through the door. It’s not pretty but it’s a welcome site. They figure out a way to make it happen every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 AM. Why? I like to think that it's my magnetic personality and the fact that I am so good looking. The reality of it is that they stopped feeling sorry for themselves and decided to make a change. They recognize that sometimes a Tabata Sandwich with a side of Kettlebells is going to suck. They accept it, then they own their workout and when they're done, they're satisfied. To quote my good friend Joe Vennare "You have to start doing things that suck if you want to stop sucking."
Stop sucking.
Until you decide to commit, your decisions and your excuses will continually make a statement (to you and those around you) about how you feel about yourself and what you think you’re worth. Really friends, you’re worth more than that.
It doesn’t take January 1 of a new year to figure that one out.
Be Healthy, Be Real and beSTRONG!
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