Obstacles in Life
One of the most important discussions I have with myself and my patients is the obstacles to exercise and healthy eating. It seems like we are always struggling with making healthy choices in the face of circumstances, seemingly out of our control. This current time of uncertainty makes it even worse! When I first started in my fellowship and the practice of Integrative Medicine, I would beat myself up, because I too let things sideline my own health. I swear I would do a load of laundry, rather than go run and then be mad at myself the whole rest of the day. I have come to realize that it makes me more empathetic with patients. This is one of those many times that humility is a great thing. I get it! It is hard!
Common obstacles to consistently following an exercise routine and healthy eating include (but aren’t limited to);
Lack of support from family and friends (my saboteur partner/friends undermines my resolve by constantly ordering pizza at the restaurant , pushing food on you and/or bringing cookies home from the grocery store.)
Poor sleep or no energy (My child was sick and kept me up half the night, I can’t possibly workout today - I am so tired.)
Habits (Old habits die hard. Why? Because habits help decrease anxiety. So that daily bag of chips at 4 pm, or two glasses of wine after work may be your comfort foods. Stopping unhealthy habits away by cold turkey is often followed by an increase in anxiety, which does not feel good).
Time (there are never enough hours in the day to get it all in, let alone go and exercise)
Traveling/Vacation (it’s so hard to take time away from family and friends to exercise when I’m on holiday or vacation).
Special occasions (I can’t say no to cake and wine at my best friend’s wedding, birthday party etc)
Stressful times or hormonal and time-of-the-month cravings (Guys, this is not just for us females, when I am at work and stressed I want to eat - All. The. Junk.)
The theme being that, anything other than our normal, well-controlled environment tends to result in us going off-plan.
The thing is, only rarely are we ever in that "normal, well-controlled" mode.
I don’t know about you, but my life is one big circus, especially lately.
Each week is different, presenting it’s own set of challenges to staying true to my fitness routines and goals. There will always be obstacles to healthy living. Only you can control your journey .
It seems to me that rather than creating structure around exercise and nutrition, we really need to learn the arts of adaptability and resiliency.
Adaptability is the art of making do with what you have. No access to the gym? Head to the outside. Kettle bells taken? Sub out a similar exercise that only requires dumbbells. Only burgers and fries on the menu? Go ‘bun’-less and ask for extra vegetables.
Resiliency is the ability to rebound quickly after a set-back. Beer and chips while watching movie over the weekend’? Eggs and veggies for breakfast on Monday. Back from an ‘exercise-free’ holiday? Schedule your workouts for the next two weeks as soon as you’re back.
There will always be obstacles to navigate. The trick is to remember the goal.
And to remind ourselves that no one can force us to do something we don’t want to do. The only person in the end that can control how we react and what we do is us!
"The key is not changing everything. It's changing one small thing at a time and doing it often."
Do you ever find yourself wondering why other people seem to be more successful than you at reaching their health and fitness goals?
Why your best friend can enjoy wine and dessert without ever gaining a pound, while you diligently stick to your lunchtime salad and can’t lose one? Why my husband can lose five pounds skipping lunch and I walk by a cookie and gain five? Why the guy on the spin bike next to you hardly breaks a sweat during a steep climb, while you’re barely keeping up and there’s a lake under your bike at the end of class? How the woman who’s always in the pilates class at the gym never seems to miss a day of training, while you struggle week after week with consistency?
Wondering if your brain is hampering your progress?
Here are 5 signs your fitness mindset is holding you back:
You hate to try anything new, even when the old way isn’t working (remember that quote the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results)
You use limitations as excuses (time, energy, equipment, injury…)
You have unrealistic expectations and are quick to judge yourself - media doesn't help with this, either. It used to be more applicable for women, but have you seen GI Joe or movie heroes lately? The pressure is on men to have those bodies as well. I am 5' 1" - I am never going to look like a tall thin model. I am also not as young as I once was. Photoshop in pictures does not help either.
You’re threatened by other people’s successes, and you are constantly comparing yourself to others.
You’ve been convinced by the media that weight loss and fitness are easy. "If you just take this pill you are there." Getting healthy is a bunch of small steps that add up to a great result and losing weight is just one part of it.
People who succeed share a few key attitudes:
They focus on abundance and growth, rather than restriction and limitation. Exercise isn’t viewed as simply a way of cutting calories, they do something they enjoy and move. Food isn’t ‘good’ or ‘bad‘, just a way to fuel your body to perform well and feel good. There is an abundance mentality of all the good things out there. There are so many good healthy things to eat. They are open to exploring new things. They see change as potential, not something that threatens and scares them. They also learn from when they mess up, don't just quit. It is not an all or nothing mindset.
They concentrate on what they can do, rather than what they can’t. Limitations can either stop you cold or force you to work around them. Whether you’re working through a broken foot, don’t have much time for exercise or are traveling and don’t have access to your regular workout equipment and foods, focusing on the things you have control over and letting go of those you don’t is key to feeling good about the process.
They have realistic expectations about outcomes and don’t beat themselves up when they don’t quite reach an anticipated goal. Difficulties and obstacles to success are part of the process. When you expect and plan for them, they needn’t derail your progress. It’s easier to enjoy the process (and all the benefits) when you’re not so focused on the end game. You have to enjoy the journey. I always tell Clark, that this life is not a dress rehearsal - it is the only show we have.
They aren’t threatened by the success of other people. Success isn’t a zero-sum game. Just because your girlfriend can run a 10k doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to some day as well. Her victory doesn’t come at the expense of yours. Celebrate the successes of other people and use them as motivation and inspiration rather than letting them trigger thoughts of inadequacy and failure. Stay in your lane, don't compare yourself.
They don’t expect it to be easy and aren’t afraid of hard work. The biggest myth perpetuated by the fitness and weight loss industry is that results are it is a quick fix and trick us into thinking that our goals can be met quickly and without very much effort. Expect the work to be challenging, but rewarding. Both during the process and ideally, for the rest of your life.
Take it one step at a time and stay positive, persistent, and patient. This is a marathon not a sprint. Try and remember you are living the way you want to live the rest of your life. People who succeed the most often make small changes and see big — and, more importantly, lasting — results.
All material gathered and researched through my amazing fellowship program, The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
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