Reasses your Goals & Banish that Frown!
After coming home from Italy, I’ve found it difficult to get back into the strength training routine. I’m a cardio lover, but sometimes weights can get boring/tedious for me. And so I just kind of ignored all strength training (except for those push ups, of course!).
I’ve found myself facing a lot of mirrors since arriving home- no more than normal, but it seemed like a lot after never seeing myself in full length mirrors while I was traveling. And one of the things I couldn’t help but notice (with the critical eye that only we as individuals reserve for ourselves) was that my posture wasn’t as good as it could be, nor was my tummy as flat as it was just a few weeks ago. A few weeks with no strength training after doing it steadily every day or every couple days for months makes a huge difference on the body!
Thus when I saw this in the mirror I frowned- something that certainly is not a healthy habit to take up! But finally I did some abs exercises one day and the next day I paid special attention to my posture, and lo and behold within a day or two I could see my posture was improved dramatically, my tummy suddenly nicely toned! The miracle of some simple exercises.
I think its a lot easier to maintain a workout regime once you’ve got one going and you’re seeing results than when you’re just starting up or near the beginning of one. My heart just isn’t into exercising when I stop working out and feel un-toned. But I become amazingly more motivated and enthusiastic when the difference is visible (at least, visible to me).
Maintaining is a struggle because you know you’ve reached the point where you have to do this your whole life to keep it up, and that can be daunting. But even with that in mind, its easier to be at the point of maintaining and carrying out the workout than it is to be at the start or partway through your journey to your fitness goals. So bear that in mind, if you’re just starting out: it will get easier! If you are at the point of maintaining and then you stop exercising for a month, you can jump right back on board and notice results within just a couple of days. And the same stands for nutrition, too.
I know that getting to your goals can become addicting, in one sense. I was so pleased with the muscle I was building and the fat I was losing that for a long time I didn’t consider the idea that perhaps I’d reached the point of maintenance. That it wasn’t necessary to lose more. We need to really remember that the goal is to reach a healthy maintenance level that our bodies approve of (and its going to be a different level for every body). It’s not about losing or gaining, its about maintaining. The stress of life and focus on an endpoint can blind us, so every now and then, we need to reassess and reevaluate our goals- think about where we have been, where we are, where we want to be. We’re always growing and changing, always progressing, and so are those goals of ours.
What are some of your goals? Have you already reached them without your noticing it? Have you already stretched past your goals? Discuss!
As the French say :
“le petit pas en arrière avant le grand saut en avant!”
Bon Chance!!
I find myself taking time off and getting hard on myself….so much of what goes into my lifestyle is mental. Over time through hard work I have been able to “get back up” quicker. A vacation or injury etc. can cause a kink in the routine no question. A very important thing that I have had to remember is to come back slowly….DON’T cause reason for more layoff. I have been out of Boot Camp for two months, training for a marathon and I am bouncing off the walls! I want back into my Boot Camp! I think it is always important to continue setting goals for constant growth! I am rambling…sorry! You are doing great Sagan! Great post!
Great point about reassessing goals.
Maintaining involves enough ups and downs for me that it gives me plenty to work on.
I feel like if I can maintain my 30-year-old fitness level as the decades roll by, I’m doing great! So that’s been the focus for me, and so far, so good.
oooh good goal, crabby.
what did I think after reading your post? that’s precisely why I take time off but never quit (and I do mean off…I took four months off recently out of lifecircumstances but still ate clean).
I think if I entirely threw in every towel for no particular reason (life/work/vay cay/whatevs) id never get started again 🙂
Dr J- scrambling for French dictionary… 🙂
Mar- ramble on! We’re all about the rambling around here. I miss my boot camp too! And I like your point about coming back slowly; that’s definitely a biggie.
Crabby- that’s such a good focus! I really like that.
MizFit- about throwing in every towel: ME TOO. And never quitting but taking time off is an excellent idea. Much less stressful!
i never set a “set” goal, where Ill know the exact second i reach it. I always set goals that I feel like Ive reached- if im satisfied with my effort. I tend to get frustrated a lot that way, so maybe i need to set one. Like a distance per week thing.
great- now i have to do math. thanks a lot.
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
This is such an excecllent post!
I’m within goal range, I think. I feel good about where I am, but I’m going to try to chase a few more pounds just to pass one of those magical scale ‘decade’ markers. But I’m paying attention to my body, and if it just doesn’t want to go there, so be it. As long as I’m eating healthy and exercising regularly, that’s enough.
I’m with Crabby – just maintenance alone keeps me pretty busy. But it is nice to come up for air sometimes and realize that I’ve already surpassed some old goals or am in need of new ones! Congrats on the posture:)
I like to set little goals for myself because one day I know they add up to the big goal I have in my heart. Right now my goals are more business/school-based and to just maintain my fitness level.
Yay for getting your posture back! 🙂
Kelly- am sincerely sorry about the math 🙂 That’s such a good idea to set them for what you’ve reached!
Cammy- YES. That IS all that matters.
Charlotte- it is kind of nice to realize you’ve surpassed a goal! Such a pleasant surprise to see your efforts have gotten you there.
Jay- I like little goals too. They’re easier to handle and before you know it you’ve accomplished a big one!
I reassessed my goals recently. (Mostly because I didn’t really have any goals…)
Now, my goal is to regain some of the fitness level I had before my health problems started. Easier said than done, but I’m working on it!
Great post, Sagan!
i try to reach one or two goals and then maintain there for like 6 months. I figure if this is a lifelong thing then I want to start slow and keep it up for life. It’s all about small, sustainable goals for me.
The latest goal: get 6 days of exercise, no matter what. 3 days of intense workouts and 3 days of lazy ones. I find that with this goal I end up doing 4 intense and 2 lazy, and that makes me feel good.
Bag Lady- that’s a good goal! Am happy that you’re getting health problems sorted out:)
Rhodeygirl/sabrina- I like that, maintaining them for 6 months and then moving on to the next thing. That way you’re always striving for something and constantly accomplishing what you want to do. It’s win win!