Overcoming Obstacles

Overcoming Obstacles   

If you have been training for a while or if you are just contemplating getting started, there can be many barriers that have the potential to stop your progress.  Some of them are real obstacles and some are self induced excuses that can easily be overcame. I want to help you realize the difference between the two and help you overcome as many of each as possible.  If I have to tear you down a bit in order to make you stronger, then so be it.  Please keep in mind that I do not want to make you feel bad about yourself after reading this, but I want to empower you with the knowledge that you can get over or around almost anything if you have the desire.

First, let’s talk about excuses.  We have all made excuses to someone else (or to our selves) to get out of doing something that we didn’t want to do.  It’s too hot to do this or it looks like it might rain so we can’t do that.  You know what I mean.  How about “I can’t diet because I’m hypoglycemic and I get the shakes if I don’t have a Twinkie every five minutes”.   Don’t forget my favorite “I can’t work my legs because (fill in the blank)”.   If most people were honest with themselves, they would say, “I don’t work my legs because its too hard and they are so easy to cover up”.  Also, what if I told you the reason you keep getting the shakes is because you stuff a Twinkie in your face every five minutes?  Ok, how about “ I can’t find time to workout because I have a life”.  I’ll bet that 95 percent of the people in the gym have more of a life than the people who use this excuse.  How much time do you spend watching mindless television each night and complaining that there is nothing on?  You could be bettering yourself with that time.  I think you get the idea.  Realizing they are just that and changing your way of thinking can easily overcome excuses.  So, if you are an excuse maker it’s time to put up or shut up.  You say you want to workout “but”.   Work on what’s really behind your “but” then get your butt moving in a positive direction.

What would life be like if there were no real obstacles to overcome?  Would we all just sit around eating grapes with no need to cover up our perfect bodies?  Well, I don’t know if we would be better off without obstacles but I do know that overcoming them to accomplish a goal feels like heaven to me.  The whole concept behind resistance training is built on overcoming obstacles.  In fact, in order to receive muscle growth the muscle must first be torn down.  It’s the same with life.  We must be challenged once in a while in order to grow and increase in mental strength as well as physical well being.  I’m not talking about the big tragedies that actually change our lives forever, but the little day-to-day things that we often blow out of proportion.   Most of us have very busy schedules and new things are always being thrown in to the mix.  Anyone who knows me can tell you that I like things to be in order.  I like knowing my schedule ahead of time so I can plan out my meals and all activities around my workout.  Sometimes in life I can’t control everything.  You have no idea how hard that was to write.  Anyway, when I can’t control what time I might get through putting out the emergency fires that life throws at me, I go to the gym before I start my workday.  Sometimes, when it’s really crazy, I cook all my food the night before and carry it to work in a huge cooler so I have no excuse not to eat right.

Now, I’m going to tell you something else that’s very hard for me to say.   I know that there are more important things in life than working out.  Sometimes you have to give in to true barriers that life throws at you and your loved ones in order to survive, but more often than not most obstacles can be overcome with a little creative thinking and positive drive.  If you really want to get in shape, you can find a way to make it happen.  For me, it is the one thing that is truly mine in a world where I am constantly trying to please everyone else.  I’ll tell you one more thing and then I’ll leave you alone to think about it.   If you will stop making excuses and overcome the obstacles that block you from taking the time to improve yourself, you and everyone you know will benefit from the overall sense of well being that you will receive.