Have you ever tried a diet in the past that you were able to adhere to for a little while, maybe saw some results, but ultimately you couldn’t sustain them? Have you ever followed an exercise plan, or joined a class that made you feel good temporarily, but you saw no results and gave it all up due to frustration. This seems to be the problem for a lot of us. We set unrealistic expectations on ourselves and get frustrated when we don’t fulfill them. So many of us have fallen into the trap of seeing a certain diet or workout plan work for a certain person, and we believe it will help us get the same results. We then realize the harsh truth that everybody is different and what has worked for one person, might not work for us. This is the reason so many people give up on their health and fitness goals. They believe that there are quick fixes available, when in reality, there is not.
SO, WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING WRONG?
We’ve read the articles and listened to the podcasts and influencers. We’ve bought all the gym gear, consulted the trainer and set our goals. However, something keeps sabotaging our good intentions to exercise regularly, eat healthy and achieve our fitness goals. We tell ourselves, we’re too busy and convince ourselves that we don’t have the time. Why should we bother? We’ve tried it all before and it’s never worked. But what if your problem wasn’t with time management, or your lack of follow-through? In fact, there is a strong probability that all these objections have one single cause: Our mindset. The inner aspect of fitness that is often neglected. Whilst we neglect the inner tactics, we tend to look for the quick fixes to our problem.
The majority of these so-called “solutions” we see are provisional fixes. They have zero consideration for sustainability and are almost impossible to be consistent with. They only provide us with temporary satisfaction and temporary results that have no sustainability at all. Ultimately they lack the structure required to contribute to long-term results. This is because there is no overnight solution when it comes to our health and fitness. Only when we realize that real change takes time, then we can start to make real and significant progress towards our fitness goals.
THE PROBLEM WITH QUICK FIXES
The main reason we never see these quick fixes work is because they are founded on the outer things that we are doing. These are solutions that are focused on the workouts, how we feel in the moment rather than in the long-term. These fixes have no vision for the future. Their main aim is to convince you that you’re doing a good thing rather than actually provide you with results that will last a very long time. They only focus on what we’re physically doing, rather than focusing on the changes of the inner-self that are required to get to your goals. The truth is, the inner aspects of our health and fitness are the most important.
THE OUTER ASPECT OF FITNESS
The outer tactics like the diets, the exercises, the classes, they only provide us with a temporary feeling. They don’t provide us with any value in the long run. If we make the changes to our outer tactics, whether that be a new workout plan, or new class, we will find it extremely difficult to adhere to unless we have made changes regarding our inner-selves and our mindset. Many of us, perhaps remembering coaches who had punished them with laps or pushups, see exercise as a form of penance. We may assume the drill-sergeant role ourselves, undertaking demanding exercise routines and strict diets as a way of disciplining ourselves for what we consider slip-ups or bad behavior. This is the completely wrong approach as it only worsens the problem.We need to focus on the inner aspects. These are the ones that can be implemented into our lives to make us more consistent and ultimately provide us with the life that we want. An exercise program has lots of moving parts, and you may need to change your diet or sleep habits. Some days your enthusiasm for working out may wane as your body adjusts to your new routine. When setbacks happen, don’t despair. Simply steer yourself gently back to your workouts. That’s why we need to have a strong mentality. When we focus on the outer, we can’t achieve this.
WHY WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE INNER ASPECT
Once you understand the importance of the inner aspects, you need to stay the course. Establishing beneficial habits and behaviours from the start is the healthiest way to go. After just a few weeks of working out regularly, maybe you’ll notice more vitality, you feel sharper, focused, and see an increased muscle mass accompanied by less stress, body fat, anxiety, and depression. All of this will motivate you to keep it up. But some days, life will get in the way. The key is to take the long view. If you achieve your goals in 2 years from now you’re not going to care how long it took to get there. You’ll just feel grateful for getting there. Despite the misconceptions of fitness being torture, in reality, it’s most important to simply stay flexible and go easy on yourself as you move forward. Celebrate the victories, let yourself off the hook for the missteps, and keep progressing, one step at a time.In conclusion, we need to stop thinking that fitness is just what we do externally. The internal is what matters the most. All of the outer things we do are futile, if we fail to consider the inner aspects of our fitness. So, before you start following that new plan or copying that fitness influencer, consider your mindset. When you focus on the inner side of fitness, the outer becomes much simpler and easier to adhere to.
