Being Stronger than You Ever Believed: Overcoming the Struggles of Bodybuilding

Finding the time and drive to stick with it is one of the most difficult aspects of fitness. Making time for exercise, or “me time” in general, can be more difficult in practice than it is in theory. When you’re overburdened with school, forced to work late, or juggling a hectic home life, making time for yourself can appear selfish, even greedy.

Even if you do find time to go to the gym and prepare nutritious meals, sticking to a long-term strategy might be difficult. Sure, you can do it for a few months, but how can you keep motivated when the first few pounds are gone?

The truth is that motivation and time management are two of the most difficult fitness challenges to overcome, and there is no simple solution. We do, however, offer all of the tools you’ll need to turn fitness into a lifestyle.

Here’s how it works:

• Set reasonable, attainable fitness objectives.
• Recognize that you are worth the investment.
• Make a plan.
• Make fitness a family affair.
• Be effective in the gym.
• Mark important anniversaries.
• Create accountability.

MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY.

Although time management, motivation, and consistency are all related to fitness challenges, we’ll start with time management because it’s often the most difficult of the three. You must prioritize your health and acknowledge that you are worth the investment, whether you are an office hero, an A+ student, or a supermom.

Loving yourself and understanding how essential your health and fitness are is a vital aspect of the process. Even if you’re in charge of an entire company, your personal needs must be first.

PREPARE IN ADVANCE

If you don’t plan, you’re intending to fail. Take some time on a Sunday to plan your week. Plan ahead of time if you have a late meeting one day. Maybe you can squeeze in a quick workout at lunch or a circuit session after work. If not, make the day after the late meeting a rest day.

It’s just as crucial to arrange meetings and soccer practice as it is to schedule your exercises. “I literally have to arrange training on my calendar; otherwise, it will surely get put aside,” says powerlifter and strength coach Jennifer Blake in Kellie Davis’ “Health and Fitness Tips for the Busy Mom.” “Between clients, assisting with the development and growth of our gym membership, and expanding my own training business, the day can fly by before I even consider going to the gym for my personal workout.”

Fill out your schedule using your phone’s calendar app.

MAKE FITNESS A FAMILY ADVENTURE

Another strategy to decrease unpleasant feelings of guilt is to get the whole family involved in exercise, whether that means going for a run with your dog or going on a post-dinner stroll. Many fitness-focused families have utilized it to keep them on track and unified in their pursuit of healthy living.

While you may not have a home gym or a tightly knit network of support, even tiny changes—such as playing games outside instead of in front of the television or going for a walk after dinner—can make a big difference.

Making meals at home teaches your children the value of good eating. This will help you and your family understand that eating clean is a lifestyle choice, not a temporary sacrifice. Consider the words of BPI co-founder and vice president James Grage. “Neither my wife nor I diet,” he says. “That’s simply a nasty word that sets people up for failure and makes all of your life-changing adjustments sound like a quick fix; instead, we eat well and take care of ourselves.”

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GYM TIME

Many people believe that in order to have the body of their dreams, they must schedule at least a 90-minute rendezvous with the iron. That is simply not true. The only unpleasant workout is the one that is not done. Even a simple 20-minute workout at the gym or some time spent at home with bands and weights can work miracles.

Even if you have more than 20 minutes to train, it is critical that you maximize your gym time. Spend no time on your phone or conversing with others. When you step inside the gym, you should already have a plan in place. Do your work, then leave. You’d be shocked how much you can accomplish in 20 minutes.

Workouts should be rigorous if you want to make the most of your gym time. Keep your break times short, use difficult weight, and adopt a high-volume training technique to increase the intensity of your sweat session. Your heart rate should be increased throughout your workout, and you should leave the gym fatigued but satisfied.

The same is true for your cardio. Don’t waste time walking on the treadmill for 60 minutes. Increase your productivity by using high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT). Just 20 minutes of 1:1 work/rest intervals will provide your body with the fat-burning, muscle-building environment it requires to progress.

Cardio can be done on a bike, treadmill, or stairmill. However, you can also go for a run or a bike ride outside, do agility exercises, or even bodyweight workouts. Experiment and enjoy yourself!

MOTIVATION

Time management concerns are frequently accompanied by motivational issues. We understand how difficult it is to be completely focused and inspired every day. There are, however, things you may do to reduce the likelihood that your lack of drive will triumph.

The most essential thing to remember about staying motivated is that you don’t have to go from one extreme to the other. Tiny, reasonable lifestyle modifications will result in small changes in your physique and general health. Every difference you notice is a win. Those small modifications will add up to great gains over time.

Jesse Shand is an excellent illustration of this. He weighed 653 pounds when he began his weight-loss journey and could barely walk. Jesse began to notice changes in his physique after making small alterations such as eating seven chicken quesadillas instead of eight and taking a few more steps. Jesse now weighs 297 pounds and can fit in his shower.

While your experience may not be as dramatic, making smaller goals to achieve a larger goal might help alleviate feelings of overwhelm. A workout companion, on the other hand, can be the best kind of encouragement and a terrific way to put things into perspective. “When I met him that summer, I was amazed at the amount of progress he’d made,” recalls Joe Batic, who lost more than 100 pounds. “He moved in with me, and that was enough to convince me that I needed to do something; if he could work 10 hours and then go to the gym and run, I had no excuse.”

Whether you’ve been battling for years or have only recently changed your perspective, connecting with others who have seen extraordinary breakthroughs and being able to relate to their stories might provide the final push you need to keep going.

CONSISTENCY

People are impatient when it comes to exercise and seeing benefits. Too often, the need for the next quick fix takes precedence over the time and effort required to see true outcomes from a program. The truth is that you won’t achieve abs by working out hard half the time and munching on potato chips on the couch the other half.

It is unrealistic to expect to be perfect all of the time. Instead, the goal should be to adhere to your program as closely as possible most of the time. The longer you work at anything, the better you will get. Here are some pointers to help you keep on track:

• Highlight your priorities: Accept that you cannot achieve everything. Make a point of hunkering down and focusing on what’s important depending on your goals.
• Set defined goals: Establish tiny, doable goals with specific time frames. Determine what they are and how you want to make them a reality.
• Survive stress: If you’re short on time and want to avoid the gym, remember that even 20 minutes of exercise can make a big difference. Not only will you be working for your ideal body, but making time to meditate, lift, or simply self-reflect can be a wonderful coping method.
• Make a schedule: Keep track of your daily activities with a planner or calendar. Portioning out your day ahead of time eliminates the excuse that you simply didn’t have time for the gym. Meal planning on the weekend is an excellent strategy to keep ahead of the game.
• Create accountability by shouting your fitness objectives from the rooftops. Often, verbalizing your goals to others increases the likelihood that you will follow through on them. Joining a like-minded group, such as BodySpace, might also be beneficial.

Making adjustments to your lifestyle that you know you can maintain is the greatest approach to stay on track with your goals. Don’t strive to get from zero to hero. Begin by making little changes that you know you can stick to, and then progress from there.