We all make mistakes, learn from them!
Sometimes the best way to learn is by looking back, laughing a little and making adjustments ahead so we don’t fall into the same hole twice. A big mistake I used to make in training was taking my journey and my progress WAY TOO SERIOUSLY.
I was always focused on how I looked and whether my abs were popping, my legs were growing or my shoulders looked ripped. If those things weren’t there, well, I wasn’t happy. And believe me, not being content is definitely a good motivation and something that pushed me for a while but not when it’s to the point that it becomes unhealthy.
Jeopardizing my knees to be able to grow my legs because I want to hit them every day, isn’t worth it. Going to bed starving, being super hangry and dealing with mood swings for 3 weeks because I had a pool day coming up, isn’t worth it. Training on an injured shoulder, just to not see size decrease and in fact just making the injury worse, isn’t worth it.
My point is that I realized that this is not that serious.!! As long as I FEEL good, I HAVE FUN training and I maintain a level of integrity that allows me to keep training, I’ll be fine! And you will too! I discovered that I was just looking at the end goal and expecting to get there by sheer hard work and really, not much learning, coaching, resting, reflecting, etc. which made me hate every training session, every meal and every stare at the mirror. Getting out of that mindset wasn’t easy but after some soul searching and getting advice from people I look up to, something clicked!
I keep reminding myself that my ultimate goal is to be able to do 20 push ups when I’m 80. By thinking like that, I make sure to align my training decisions accordingly. Understanding my limits, keeping my goals in mind and really making this whole thing FUN and ENJOYABLE (of course with by-products of strength building, skill improvement and feeling great inside) instead of STRESSFUL and DREADING.
So my advice, LIGHTEN UP! Whether is gaining muscle or losing weight, be disciplined, stay focused and do the work but enjoy the process before you start hating yourself and fitness the same way I once did.
