23 Jan When the Going Gets Tough

We’re almost a month into the new year. According to Statistic Brain, a little over half of New Year’s resolutions actually make it to February. What happens is that people get really excited about the positive life changes they’re going to make, and then they lose motivation. If your resolutions are in danger of being left behind, here are a few things to remember that might help you stay on track.

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day

It may be a cliché, but it’s true. For the majority of our goals, patience is key because progress takes time to manifest itself. The pounds won’t drop overnight, and our muscles won’t start bulging after a week of going to the gym. What we really need is a combination of patience and persistence. If you’re putting in the effort, you will see the results, but it will take time.

Sometimes, it’s really easy to give up when it feels like we’ve put in the time and aren’t seeing the results we want. If you find yourself in this position, take a minute to reevaluate your goals. Be honest with yourself. Are your goals realistic? Are you doing what it takes to reach them? If you need to readjust your goals or your efforts a little bit, then do it. If you think you’re doing what you need to, but you’re not seeing the results, consider bringing up your concerns with a health professional (LT Men’s Clinic can help you with that, by the way).

90% of Life Is Showing Up

Sometimes when we think about the goals we’ve set for ourselves, it’s overwhelming. If you want to lose weight, you constantly have to watch what you eat, and then you have to make time to go to the gym regularly. Instead of going home and watching Netflix, you have to put on your running shoes and drive to the gym, then workout and get all sweaty, then come home and shower. Honestly, that takes a lot of time and effort. Even though it’s well worth it, it’s not always easy. Just thinking about going to the gym and everything involved is overwhelming enough to make someone think twice about how they want to spend their evening.

But here’s a secret: you don’t need the willpower to get through your entire workout. You just need enough to put on your shoes and get in your car. Once you get to the gym, autopilot will take over because you’ve already done the hard work of getting there in the first place. So next time you face this predicament, don’t wear yourself out thinking about what you have to do at the gym. Just put on your running shoes and get yourself out the door.

Cut Yourself a Break

We’re human. Sometimes we sneak a cheat meal or skip a workout (or several). We’re inclined to think that when we’re anything less than perfect with following our goals, we should just give up on them entirely.

Does that make sense? Really?

No, it doesn’t.

Sure, it’s disappointing when we get off track from our goals, but that doesn’t mean we’ve failed at them. Instead of throwing your hands up in defeat, make a decision to do better tomorrow, and then follow through with that decision. We’ve only really failed when we’ve stopped trying.

If you have a goal to be healthier, don’t quit on yourself. LT Men’s Clinic is here to help you along the way! Schedule an appointment by calling (817) 416-5698 today.