On Patience

So. It’s February, and your resolution zest might be waning . . . or even more likely, gone by the wayside altogether. It’s so common. I know, you were fired up for change, but then life got rolling again post-holidays and so many things got in your way . . . work, kids back to school and schedules, horrendous viruses. Life.

And it’s soooo haaaard. I can hear your voice from here. The planning is tedious. You’re tired. It takes time to grocery shop. You need to have a beer/glass of wine/cocktail to relax in the evening. And what’s that you say? You weren’t seeing results, anyway.

Stop there. What?

If you started January 1, you’ve been at this, tops, 4 weeks. Can you get truly satisfying, life-altering results in 4 week’s time? Rude awakening alert: Likely NO.

Can you make small changes? Start whittling away at bad habits and creating new ones? Yes, yes yes! But will you be feeling svelt and buff and ready for prime-time swimsuit season after 4 weeks? No freakin’ way. No matter what Men’s Health & Women’s Health & Oxygen & Self & Cosmo & Redbook & all the other mags out there tell you, the answer is no. No 20 lbs. in 4 weeks. No fab thighs with 3x/week stretchy-band leg workouts. No six-days to a six-pack. Nope. Sorry, Charlie.

So you probably are itching to “switch it up,” or throw in the towel. No and no. Not a good idea. The only way this stuff works is when you STICK WITH THE PROGRAM. Now, that doesn’t mean you don’t evaluate as you go along, see what’s working and what’s not, and tweak accordingly. That does mean that you give things a good 6 weeks to start to move . . . taking into account data as you go. Is your weight moving up or down? What about measurements? How are your clothes fitting? Can you see any changes in the mirror? Has anyone else? How is your hunger throughout the day? Are you energetic? Do you have cravings? How does your body feel overall? Are you enjoying your workouts? Are they challenging? Do they leave you wasted tired? Energized?

Here’s the hard truth. This is tough work. It’s tedious. It’s boring. It’s SO not sexy and exciting . . . and your job right now is to double down and keep that nose to the grindstone. A wise woman once said, “It’s all good when it’s all good,” meaning – it’s easy to stick with a program when life is humming along smoothly . . . but let’s get real. How long does that go on? There are hiccups on almost a daily basis in everyone’s lives . . . the real key to success is learning how to be flexible, adaptable, and ready to roll with them. It is possible. You might not be 100% perfectly compliant, but you can live through a lot of crap and for the most part, still stick to your program. And THAT, Sweeties, is how you get those results you want.

It’s cold right now, but before you know it, it’ll be tank top & shorts weather . . . do you want more wine? Or do you want to feel strong, confident and proud of yourself? I bet I know the answer.

You got this!

Spill it: Everyone’s got something: What are you struggling with the most right now? How do you keep yourself motivated to stay on track?

© 2014, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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