Hey guys, how’s everyone doing today?
I’m having a bit of a lazy week gym-wise this week. I spent a few days relaxing and am finding it rather challenging to get back into the swing of things. I’m often asked how I stay motivated and how I get started again after I take a break. The truth is, I keep up with working out because I have a support system. I’ve scheduled my workouts for next week and am now finally eager to get going again.
Those of you who have known me personally for a few years know that I have changed immensely. Inside & out!
My lifestyle was incredible different a few years ago to what it is today. If you would like to make positive changes and are finding it difficult to do so, know that we all struggle with it. Today, I preach wellness, taking care of our bodies, working out and eating right. Five years ago I would have said something along the lines of ‘we only live once, might as well enjoy it’ – meanwhile chugging a glass or five of vodka, cigarette in hand and waiting for a burger.
Now, I personally feel that both ends of the spectrum can be harmful, physically and mentally. I was always an all or nothing kind of girl. If at a point I would decide to go on a diet, which was often the case, I would choose the most extreme because I wanted results yesterday. Immediate gratification is something we’ve come to expect. There’s no allowance for waiting. I feel as though we’ve all become so impatient and the environment we live in makes this feeling justified. I would NEVER in a million years accept waiting a minute or so to say, connect to the internet or wait for more than a few seconds for a movie to start on Netflix. I feel as though we’ve become accustomed to instant gratification and that working hard without seeing immediate results is far more challenging than we’d like to admit. Whether it’s working towards better health, working on our relationships, working in business and anything else, none of us like working hard without reaping any rewards. Everything is quick, immediate and often disposable.
Knowing that it might take years of learning and working hard and seemingly failure to achieve what you’ve set out to do is disheartening. However, those years are going to go by regardless of what we do; what you have at the end of those years depends on how you spend the time in between.
When I say I’ve tried every diet, exercise class / programme and fad under the sun, I mean it!
The one thing that sort of flipped a switch for me was being seriously ill a few years ago. After having major surgery (I’ll share the entire story soon), I was healing physically but incredibly depressed and had a feeling of “why me” and “what’s the point” – until one day, I went to visit my surgeon and asked him if there was ANYTHING I could do to make sure what happened to me wouldn’t happen again. His answer was a very blunt NO.
I left feeling helpless, until I thought…. I’m going to do EVERY THING in my power to be healthy. Maybe that wouldn’t be enough to make sure I wouldn’t be ill again because I was told that since it happened once, it was likely to happen again. However, I wanted to feel in control again and thought that if my body was in its best shape, that would at least allow me to heal better and stand a fighting chance.
Having the very extreme personality that I do, I started reading, researching and trying everything under the sun. From super foods to going off sugar to stopping drinking to going to exercise classes – the works! I’d go on bouts of “this is so amazing, I feel like a new woman” to then feel “this is too hard, I can’t do this.”
This all changed when one day, I met a friend who told me about this personal trainer she was going to. My first thought was as if that’s too expensive, but she explained that his prices are really low, pretty much same price as a class and he’s really dedicated and motivating, so I thought I’d give it a go. I eventually started personal training over four years ago with Pathways Method, there I found the amazing support system I was missing. The fact that you are alone with a coach and set appointments for workouts and have so much support makes a world of difference. Here, I also found the love and support of my now partner who actually runs the gyms. Although for the longest time he wasn’t my trainer, he was my support system. He’s the one who encouraged me to start formally studying nutrition – and here I am today. With three advanced nutrition diplomas under my belt, clients whom I care for deeply, feeling healthier and more confident than I ever have and loving the life I live.
I’ve been reluctant to write this because it’s like I’m simply saying this because I’m promoting my partner’s business. But, I’ve seen so many beautiful transformations come out of that place that I couldn’t not write this.
They are a community of trainers who care deeply about their clients and everyone who comes through their doors. The team is incredibly supportive and dedicated and the community of wonderful clients, young and young-at-heart, fit and not so fit (yet), from people who’ve never trained in their lives to people who would never miss a session. Whatever your age, size, level of fitness (or lack thereof), they can genuinely help! They offer one on one session, two people at a time (for couples or friends) and small group classes, mum and child classes and so much more!
The reason personal training has helped me so much is because I would NEVER keep going long term previously. Here, I started building a friendship with my coach and incredible satisfaction because with every session, I would find myself becoming more able to get through the session and advance to the next stage. The workouts are always so much fun and so different to anything I’d ever tried before and the fact that I had an appointment with my trainer, knowing that I had committed to going, I would go to my session even if I didn’t feel like.
Remember, you NEVER regret doing a workout. And I find that it’s when I don’t actually feel like working out, I actually need it and benefit from it most. Working out has given me so much more respect for my body and so much more confidence. I’m not a size zero today, nor will I ever be. My body is not built that way, plus I love food too much – so no! But I’m fitter, happier and more confident than I’ve ever been. Working out has had a lot to do with that.
Finding your tribe and support system has a lot to do with it too. Which is why, regardless of who runs the business, I would always very genuinely recommend Pathways Method – their prices for personal training are also the lowest on the island – so whether you go there or find your tribe and support system anywhere else, I do strongly believe that trying to do it all on your own is not the best way to go.
After all, there is no shame in going to a doctor when you’re sick, so going to a fitness professional to work on your fitness is very much the same thing.
If you’d like to get in touch And get started, you can contact Pathways Method on their Pathways Method fb Page (just click on the link) or call on +356 99945553.
There are TONS of options today, from helpful blogs and support groups on Facebook, to gyms and classes to workshops and events. Whatever you do and wherever you choose to go, knowing that you are not alone in this and finding people who help each other and support each other on their journey to better themselves is absolutely priceless.
So there it is, how I stay motivated and how I keep going has a lot to do with what I’ve learnt over the many years of trial and error and the wonderful people I’ve met along the way. It now also has a lot to do with the beautiful people reading this now – your support, encouragement and following means the world to me. Sharing my journey with all of you to hopefully help, encourage, educate and inspire means more to me than you will ever know, so if you follow me here, on Facebook or Instagram, thank you for being a part of this.
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Sarah’s Healthy Eats – @holisticnutritionninja
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Thank you for taking the time to be here and read this ❤
Until my next post, be well xXx
HNN by Sarah 