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For the sake of your continued progress…in fitness, health, strength, and mindset…the #1 thing NOT to do when you get back into the gym…

 

IS MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR BODY…OR ANYONE ELSE’S BODY.

 

Don’t call yourself fat.  Don’t point out how heavy you feel on the pull up bar.  Don’t complain about your clothes fitting tighter.

 

Don’t tell someone they look like quarantine didn’t even affect them.  Don’t say you wish you looked like them after quarantine.

 

Okay?

 

 

We are ALL feeling the same way right now… no one is feeling all that fit, healthy, active or happy with their current routine.  And you know what, we shouldn’t.  It’s impossible to feel consistent and healthy when we don’t have a “normal” routine to stick to.  We’ve all eaten a little more, drank some extra beverages, snacked more, stayed up later, slept in later, watched more Netflix and maybe even moved less.  And that is okay.  We survived a pandemic, guys…what more can you ask of your body?!

 

So now, as gyms are getting ready to open back up, if you’re putting your energy towards beating yourself up about “losing progress”, stressing about your body shape, weight or size, and envying other people (whose stories you do not know), you are missing out on huge opportunities to make positive progress when we are back in control of our lifestyle and routine.

 

 

Sure, we haven’t been perfect, we’ve eaten a little more and maybe moved less but ultimately you need to find it in yourself to forgive yourself and be patient and flexible and grateful for everything you’re going through right now.  THAT is what will make the biggest difference in your progress towards your goals.

 

So, I challenge you…

 

Be SO KIND to yourself that it hurts.  We are all working on this right now, it’s a hard time frame…no one is loving the habits they’ve gotten into, no one is feeling successful or consistent or fit or healthy.  We’re all in the same boat…so instead of adding hurtful, negative thoughts to the (extensive) life-stressors-list right now, love on yourself a little by thinking positively, show yourself some appreciation with things that make you happy! (While yes, junk foods might make you happy and might be the thing that helps you mentally relax, find other avenues to help yourself feel good that are not food related too!)

 

I want you to just do your best.

 

Do your best to control how you talk to yourself and love yourself….fuel and nourish your body and keep moving it as best as you can in these circumstances until we can get back into the gym. You’ve actually probably been doing more moving now than when you were feeling constantly busy and stuck sitting in the office or in traffic.

If you feel like you have been staying active, doing workouts and eating relatively well yet you still have gained weight / your pants don’t fit right, stress will make your body retain water and make you feel bloated, those hormones will make you “puffier”, and honestly, you may have stored a little extra body fat because if we were feeling panicked about the end of the world, it’s our body’s internal job to keep us living and body fat is the way to do it!

 

I know it isn’t fun not loving the body you’re in, but that’s also up to you!  You don’t need to wait for it to look a certain way to love it.  You can appreciate and love it now and continue treating it well with exercise and nourishing meals and just simply doing your best.

Don’t make excuses, don’t be a victim to your circumstances, but don’t be so hard on yourself that it stalls your progress when you are able to get in control of your habits and lifestyle again.

 

And whatever you do, do not let me hear you making comments about your body when we get back into the gym.  Appreciate it, love it, and get fit.

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