Patience…It’s That Simple. Right?
by: Alan Goldsmith
Patience. This is something that many of us try to have, and most of us fail at achieving. It is also the one thing that our Instagram, TikTok, fast-food world makes us not want to have. Yet, it is the only thing that will get us to where we want to be.
I first saw this video from Mike Vacanti a while back and saved it in my browser because I felt that this was something that needed to be talked about.
Mike talks about having patience to reach your goals because there is no quick fix. None of these "4 weeks to a beach body" workouts or Atkins-beach-mediteranian-paleo diets that you see on the internet or on TV work the way that they say they will - especially if you haven't been exercising regularly and been eating cheesecake for dessert for the past 10-20-40 years. You're only kidding yourself if you think that they will work for you long term.
But then what? What will you do after that workout plan or diet is over to maintain your goals?
Listen, we get it. It isn’t easy.
Even as Personal Trainers, we are constantly tempted to change our habits when we go on vacation, go out with friends, go to a family reunion. When your mom says that “you’ll make her feel bad” if you don’t have another plate of food. When your friends say, “c’mon, just one more drink.” When you are on vacation on an island in the Caribbean and the drinks are buy one/get one free.
I’m not projecting. You’re projecting!
Anywho, we get it, but it doesn’t have to be all or none. There doesn’t need to be this pressure to always keep going.
Take a beat. Breathe.
Realize that you don’t have to do the next thing right away.
Do you even want to do the next thing?
Take the time (even if just a few seconds) to be silent and realize what you want. Be patient with yourself to make the decision.
Use this patience in your day-to-day activities to realize that nothing comes quick.
If you want to truly make a change, take baby steps. Try a workout online. Go to a yoga class and bring a friend. Take the time to enjoy your food, your wine. And, yes, even your workouts.
Being in the moment of where you are now is being patient with what life is dealing you and being able to enjoy that time. Then taking that time to understand that things take time.
What all this means is that you need to have patience and commitment to get to where you want to go, and that includes work goals, personal goals and workout and diet goals.
Patience to know that you need to capitalize on the time you have and use it wisely; commitment to changing your lifestyle.
That doesn't mean eating only raw foods and going to the gym 5 days a week for 2 hours at a time. Find something you like doing and stick to it. Enjoy it! Once you find this magical combination and develop the patience to truly get you to your goal of a healthier, sexier you, you won't believe how AMAZING you will feel!
Watch Mike Vacanti's video here and get inspired. It's less than 4 minutes long.
Don't you deserve to start somewhere?
Don't you deserve to be the best version of you?