“I want to get started with my fitness goals, but I’m going to wait until after…”
…my vacation.
…life slows down a little.
…the holidays.
Whatever it may be, there are many situations that could lead to us putting off a lifestyle change. While it may seem innocent on the surface (after all, we want to make sure we are able to give 100% of our focus and attention to our goal) this mentality reveals a lot about how we view the demands of a healthy lifestyle.
Whenever I hear sentences like the one above, it tells me that you believe that health and fitness, and REAL LIFE, are mutually exclusive… that you can’t have both at the same time. And this can present in a variety of ways. On one hand, you may be someone who refuses to embark on your fitness journey until a special occasion has passed. On the other, you may be hell-bent on sticking to your overly rigid fitness plan whenever a special event comes up, causing you to lose touch of some of the enjoyment of that time in your life.
Essentially, when we resort to saying we want to wait until after *fill in the blank*, we are saying “Health and fitness = restriction and deprivation.” And I know how this feels because I have been there! But I am here to tell you that when done right, a truly healthy lifestyle is not life-depriving. It is life-giving because it is how we care for ourselves on a physical, mental, and emotional level. If you believe that health and fitness are going to be all about hating your life and getting rid of all of the things that bring you joy, of course you would want to put it off and wait until the fun is over! But this very way of thinking is what’s going to cause you to fail at reaching your goals in the future.
Because life is full of constant change, what better time to start thinking about how you can improve your health when you’re in the middle of something that is out of your daily norm? Show yourself that it is possible to do both – to live an enriching life and take control of your health and well-being. Again, it SHOULD be both! Use the opportunity to implement that growth mindset we’ve talked so much about. See it as a new challenge that will allow you to grow stronger and more adaptable, and get you closer to the person you want to be.
