We live in the land of get rich quick schemes, lazy Sundays, and full service everything…to think that this wouldn’t affect all of us is a bit naïve. Recently one of my coaches was venting about how people aren’t willing to put in the work to see the results. I thought he was being a little harsh because he simply said people are just lazy. At first I was personally offended! I am not lazy…but when I really thought about it he was right. I am a highly motivated person and I am pretty rigid when it comes to my schedule and eating habits. But even at times I have complained that my training program or current eating plan wasn't working even though I was putting in all this work. But really, deep down inside, I know I wasn’t being consistent with my diet or keeping up with my workout schedule as best as I could. I desperately wanted to accomplish my goals but complaining about them wouldn't get me any closer to reaching them.
This got me thinking, are we really just lazy? We want to have our cake, eat it too and have someone else bake it for us. We put in 50% and expect to get 100% back. While this may work in some areas of life it definitely will not work when it comes to health and fitness. Now we may admire certain athletes or fitness models and think that they were just lucky. That they’ve always been athletic, they have always had that body, and that they were just “born with it”. But that is just lazy talking because the truth is no one is just “born with it”. Yes, people may be naturally talented and genetically gifted in some area but anyone who was ever truly great worked their butt off to get there. Day after day, week after week and year after year these people pushed their bodies and minds to the limit to get to that podium, that championship, or that level of expertise.
So this brings me to my realization. Some people are just not willing to work for it. As I said before I was a little caught off guard by what my coach said, but he was totally right. How many times have you started a new healthy plan, a diet, a workout regimen, or bought a gym membership and just didn’t keep up with it. Most of us give up after the first couple of weeks or months. We have no determination, discipline, or patience. We want the results now! If we don’t see them we assume that the program just doesn’t work for us. Instead of blaming our own laziness we blame our trainer, our workout program, or our busy lives. We are experts at making excuses for ourselves; I’m too old, I’m too tired, I have no time, I’m injured, I’m a picky eater, and my personal favorite I can’t afford to eat healthy or go to the gym. *face palm* Who said eating healthy was expensive and who even said that you need a gym membership? I promise you that grocery shopping and making your own food costs less than eating premade meals or restaurant food.
If we really want to see change we need to be willing to put in the effort. That means sacrificing dessert, going to bed early, waking up earlier, taking time to grocery shop, cooking meals at home and sometimes missing out on other things! Not for one week or one month but for the long run. Now I don’t expect everyone to be willing to sacrifice all of that but if you really want something that bad you should be willing to give something up in exchange for it.
I hope after reading this you don’t think that I am scolding you. I am not. I’m being honest and I’m being tough. I am trying to show you that you CAN do it. You CAN accomplish your goals whether they are fitness related or not. But I am also telling you that it will be difficult and you may want to quit. But don’t.
Sometimes we need to hear the truth and take responsibility. I know every person out there has the potential to do more and be more but not many tap into that part of themselves. No one wants to struggle. But if you want to see change, YOU have to change and sometimes it hurts. It’s not always easy and it’s not always fun but the benefits far outweigh the hard times.
Be better than lazy. Be better than average. Be better than you were yesterday.
In Health & Happiness
Kristen