It Takes A Litle Love To Keep Your Fitness Flames Burning!

It always seems so strange to me how when one of my friends has hit a rough patch in their relationship or marriage, that several others will follow suit.  I guess when it rains it pours!  If there is one thing I have learned after a few of my relationships fizzled out is that there will always be ups n downs, but its how we cope that determines the success or failure of a relationship.  Oftentimes, when u make it thru a setback, it can strengthen ur resolve to move forward, learning from the mistakes; or if u allow it to, it can cause all that u worked for to come toppling down.  The same holds true with our fitness routines.  We hit a rough patch with too much traveling, long days at work, or back to back birthday parties, and we let our programs slip so much so that we cave to the pressures of life and abandon our fitness goals.

I dont know about u, but for me it wasnt the beginning that was the hardest part.  The sheer enthusiasm and determination kept me motvated to research this lifestyle and get to the gym on nearly a daily basis.  The beginning, just like a romance, was intriguing and exciting and I looked forward to the chance to learn more about my new "love interest" of fitness.  Instead, the hard part for me came after I had accomplished fitness goals.  I thought back to the initial effort I put into acheiving my fitness goals and how I was devoted to the task of keeping a dialy food log and journal.  I also faithfully weighted my food portions and maintained a perfect schedule for supplementation.  I was like a well oiled machine, eager to fulfill my daily requirements.  When I came back to the realization that I needed to get the passion back into my relationship, I broke out of my comfort zone.  I committed myself to masterning new things.  Soon enough, thanks to new certifications I am taking like cardio and nutrition, TRX, boxing, and learning new ways of training...I excelled at the gym. 

Its funny how a little bit of upset in our lives can force us to re-evaluate our priorities.  Whether its a faltering connection with our partner or perhaps an unexpected illness, it takes a jolt of realism to force change.  But, does it need to be that way?  Anything worth keeping for the long term requires regular maintenance.  We take our cars in for regular service and inspection and constantly want to stay relevant and contribute at work to maintain our careers, so why not other areas of our lives?  If the desire to maintain your health is strong enough, then just like our relationships, they need constant attention.  What effort u put in is a direct correlation of what u get out.  Showing ur partner love on a daily basis will understandably yield better results than once a week.  The same holds true for ur diet and exercise routine. 

So how much effort is enough to maintain ur fitness?  If ur goal is heart health, then u need at least 30 minutes of cardio three or four times a week.  However, if u want to maintain tone, lifting weights at least three or four times a week is also necessary on top of this!  Its not easy to manage a consistent schedule of training, cuz if it were, everyone wud b in great shape!  How important is it really in ur life??  If u want it, u must be willing to work for it! WORK HARD!  If u consistently eat clean, u provide the insurance to maximize ur efforts in the gym.  Plus, the days that ur forced to miss, cuz life happens...wont lead to feelings of guilt, but rather a feeling of preparedness cuz u have the peace of mind of consistent effort.

Dont wait til change is forced upon u or u come to a breaking point!  If it takes setting a milestone goal, like a marathon or a vacation, then do it!  Allowing complacency to settle in can really be tough to recover from cuz u will be forced to dig deeper for motivation.  If u find that ur at the point rite now in ur life with ur relationships or ur fitness routine, then think back to the beginning, when things were new and exciting!  Recreate events as they unfolded in the past n u will hopefully tap into some of the magic that instigated that initial spark.  Think back to the first time u experienced results from ur dedication to the gym.  Remember when those first lines of definition made their appearance in ur physique?  Or how about the first time u realized that a clean meal could satisfy ur craving for junk food?  Nostalgia is a beautiful thing!  It is even more beautiful if the excitement follows that the best is still yet to come!!!