YOU ARE POWERFUL MOTHERFUCKER
5 weeks ago, when gyms closed their doors from COVID-19 pandemic, let me tell you, Baltimore’s sidewalks and parks were bustling with new fitness enthusiast. It was actually hard to run and keep physical distance, as my running routes where now overcrowded.
But here we are, 5 weeks later, I find myself once again running these same streets alone. The more we flattened the curve of COVID-19, the more we flattened Baltimore’s motivation to keep moving the body and I am sure this is happening in all major cities, towns, and villages.
If the streets of my city are a direct correlation of what’s happening in people’s home gyms, then the struggle is fucking epic. But in truth, I shouldn’t be surprised. This actually happens every year, 5 weeks post New Year’s resolutions.
Stop blaming the pandemic for killing your fitness dreams. The only person killing your dreams is you. It’s your same bullshit that stopped you 5 weeks into 2020 that is stopping you now 5 weeks into the global pandemic lockdown.
Don’t be ashamed. It happens to most of us.
Here are 5 easy steps to jump back in the wagon:
1) Reset Motherfucker
You lost motivation? No big fucking deal. Motivation actually has a shelf life and the less you do, the less you want to do. It is time for a major reset and this time focus on staying in action. Action builds momentum and the more in action you are, the more inspired you will be.
2) Be Realistic as Fuck
Maybe your original goal was to workout 7x a week, or drop a shit load of weight, or run a marathon… just maybe this could have been a bit unrealistic if you haven’t worked out consistently or you haven’t run in years. Listen, I am all about setting big, bold, and audacious goals. Goals are awesome tools to keep you in track but if you set them to high, you are truly setting yourself up for failure. Have patience. Goals grow as you crush your existing bench marks… I call this goal expansion. Edit your pandemic fitness goals and give yourself room to gradually expand.
3) Find Your Jam
Pick ways to move your body that makes you feel good, happy, and alive. Maybe zumba is your thing; maybe lifting heavy as fuck weights is your thing; maybe running is your thing, or doing handstands empowers you so you can crush the handstand t-shirt challenge. Whatever moves you to move more, do that! Find your jam and then put your whole heart into it. If you are missing your fitness community join a class virtually and ask your friends to join you. I teach every Friday at M.Power Yoga Studio 5PM, a virtual live streaming full body workout, and I love the sense of community connection we have created.
4) Log It
Don’t focus on the destination but instead on the day-to-day journey. Set short-term daily and weekly goals that you easily cross out and feel good about. Keep a log or upload your workouts to an app to track your progress. I personally love tracking the progress of all my clients through Training Peaks. By tracking your workouts, it allows you to analyze your session, determine any adjustments for the following week, and hold yourself accountable. Keep the plan simple. Establish a schedule. And stick to it in order to become part of your life, part of your routine.
5) Focus on Your Why
Remind yourself why you want this? Why are you challenging yourself? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to improve? When all else fails, you will always have your why to inspire you and keep moving you forward. Never ever give up motherfucker. Remember your WHY.
More than ever before we need to keep moving and sweating for our mental health well being as well as for the well being of others around us. Be kind to yourself. If you missed a workout, let it go, it happens to the best of us. None of us had planned to experience a global pandemic in our lifetime. None of us had planned for the year of the Metal Rat to be so fucking challenging. But listen motherfucker. This is the year we got. Fear kills more dreams. Control your thoughts more than ever before during your lockdown.
Remember you are powerful.