Hey out there wild kin!
I thought I’d share a couple of deal makers that are having the most impact on my health goals these days. Please feel free to hit reply and share yours, I love hearing what you are up to!
These are the top 3 things that have provided the best results for me in terms of moving the needle no matter what I am working on. Right now, I am focused on building strength, but this has applied in the past to injury rehab, and even non-fitness goals like writing or work.
1.Discipline > Motivation. I first learned this concept years ago from Stephen King in his book On Writing. He talks about how you can’t wait for your most motivated or inspired moments to get things done. You just need to put in the work. Those days when you are solidly in the zone, firing on all cylinders – they are fantastic! But they aren’t our reality most days, and if we want to meet our goals sometimes we have to get it done even when we aren’t feeling it.
It’s easy to get workouts done when I am stoked for them. It’s not so easy when I am a little tired, feeling bogged down by bad weather, or really busy with work or family. I had to learn to focus on my why and not wait to feel motivated.
I thought I’d share a couple of deal makers that are having the most impact on my health goals these days. Please feel free to hit reply and share yours, I love hearing what you are up to!
These are the top 3 things that have provided the best results for me in terms of moving the needle no matter what I am working on. Right now, I am focused on building strength, but this has applied in the past to injury rehab, and even non-fitness goals like writing or work.
1.Discipline > Motivation. I first learned this concept years ago from Stephen King in his book On Writing. He talks about how you can’t wait for your most motivated or inspired moments to get things done. You just need to put in the work. Those days when you are solidly in the zone, firing on all cylinders – they are fantastic! But they aren’t our reality most days, and if we want to meet our goals sometimes we have to get it done even when we aren’t feeling it.
It’s easy to get workouts done when I am stoked for them. It’s not so easy when I am a little tired, feeling bogged down by bad weather, or really busy with work or family. I had to learn to focus on my why and not wait to feel motivated.
Often when we get started with a new goal, we have that motivation, at least for a few weeks. That is why it’s so predictable to see an influx of people into health and fitness for New Year’s resolutions and a few weeks later, the vast majority fall off. Most often, they are relying on motivation and not discipline.
There’s nothing wrong with stoking motivation! I do that, too. I’ll put on a workout playlist, read a passage from a favorite book, or put on an inspiring video or podcast. But sometimes even those don’t help and I need to, as my parents would say, “put my nose to the grindstone” and just do the work.
The other day we were out of town all afternoon, including during the time I normally workout. I was hungry, tired and did not feel like working out one bit. I got ready (which almost always does the trick) and still was not feeling it. I even went to my workout space and turned around to bail.
But in the end, I did the workout. It wasn’t the best workout I’ve ever had, but 100% of the time I feel better after I exercise, and that is one of my “whys” when I am not feeling it.
There’s nothing wrong with stoking motivation! I do that, too. I’ll put on a workout playlist, read a passage from a favorite book, or put on an inspiring video or podcast. But sometimes even those don’t help and I need to, as my parents would say, “put my nose to the grindstone” and just do the work.
The other day we were out of town all afternoon, including during the time I normally workout. I was hungry, tired and did not feel like working out one bit. I got ready (which almost always does the trick) and still was not feeling it. I even went to my workout space and turned around to bail.
But in the end, I did the workout. It wasn’t the best workout I’ve ever had, but 100% of the time I feel better after I exercise, and that is one of my “whys” when I am not feeling it.
Having an automated process and a dedicated time is what works best for me. Whatever I need for the next day is ready to go and when it’s time, I just go. I don’t have to think about it, I make sure I prioritize it on my schedule, and I get to work.
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
― Stephen King
2. My nutrition is set up to support my workouts
I used to think that as long as I had a protein shake after a workout, and kept my diet decently clean that was all I needed. I’ve learned that in order to maximize the work I put in, my nutrition really needs to be built around my workouts all day long, not just in the hour before and after.
Simply eaten cleaner and hitting protein is a major help for fitness goals. But if you find yourself setting higher goals, refining your nutrition around that goal can help a lot. Not only with the biology (making sure you fuel your workouts and properly recover from them) but also with mindset.
The first thing I think of in the morning is “What is on my workout schedule today and how do I need to fuel it?” That sets up my entire day to be focused on my goal. That doesn’t mean I obsess over it every second, it just means that I ensure I am not just ready for my workout, but also optimizing the rest of my day.
Rather than aiming for my total protein (about 150g a day) and getting most of that in around my workout or dinner, I eat more frequently. Usually 5 times a day, with each “meal” having about 30g of protein. It’s generally better for our bodies to have a steady stream of nutrients, including protein, throughout the day and into night time. I find it much easier to get my protein when it’s 30g increments instead of trying to figure out how to get 60g at dinner when we have pasta on the menu.
Tracking food intake isn’t for everyone, and if you don’t like doing it then no worries! Definitely do what works for you. I enjoy tracking because it keeps me accountable and helps me ensure I stay focused on my goals. I usually plan my meals for the day and put them in my tracker ahead of time. It helps ensure I hit my nutrition goals and makes it obvious if there are any holes so I can adjust it beforehand rather than try to get something in at the end of the day. It also keeps me from grabbing the bag of chips because then I have to be honest and enter it when I didn’t plan to eat it.
I definitely notice a difference in how well my workouts go, how well I sleep, and how well I feel throughout the day overall when my nutrition is more balanced and I’m eating more often. It means my goal isn’t just something I work on for an hour day, but basically all day long. We’re all different though, and if something else works for you, then stick to it!
3. Once it gets easy, it’s time to change things.
“You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential." – David Goggins
“You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential." – David Goggins
We don’t have to let random variations in our daily lives distract us from our goals. When our health or safety is at risk, then absolutely. We need to rest when we are sick or injured. We need to mind dangerous weather. But the only way we get better at doing hard things is by doing things we don’t like to do.
I think that’s something that’s been lost a bit in our society. It’s easy to do a hard thing that we love. I love backpacking, and sometimes it’s really hard. But there are so many rewards that the hard part is not only worth it, but part of the fun. I have never once been getting ready to go hiking or backpacking and thought, “UGH I just do not want to do this.” It might be physically challenging but it’s not challenging the part of my brain that thrives on doing things I don’t enjoy.
There is no fun in Bulgarian split squats. I hate them every single day that I have to do them. But I need them, so I do them anyway. I think too often we say no to hard things we don’t like in favor of something a bit easier or more fun. But if you only do the stuff you like the best, then you’re missing an opportunity to challenge yourself in ways that it otherwise doesn’t get challenged. Doing hard stuff that you don’t like doing breeds resiliency that carries over into other parts of life.
The only way we continue to grow is by constantly challenging ourselves in those areas. You don’t get better at split squats by refusing to do them. You don’t get better at difficult conversations by refusing to have them, either. They might seem unrelated, but the part of the brain that enables you to do them is the same. To realize that this might really suck, but not only will you not die, you will benefit from it.
The only way we continue to grow is by constantly challenging ourselves in those areas. You don’t get better at split squats by refusing to do them. You don’t get better at difficult conversations by refusing to have them, either. They might seem unrelated, but the part of the brain that enables you to do them is the same. To realize that this might really suck, but not only will you not die, you will benefit from it.
Tl;dr:
Develop discipline instead of relying on motivation.
Use nutrition to set up a day that is focused on your goals.
Do hard things that you don’t enjoy.
Have a wild weekend!
Develop discipline instead of relying on motivation.
Use nutrition to set up a day that is focused on your goals.
Do hard things that you don’t enjoy.
Have a wild weekend!
-Kim
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