Day 30 - Whoops! Gapped out...

Okay - so a little scattered this week with packing, moving, working and life in general. Pardon the absenteeness of it all! I kind of had to choose between making time for workouts, or making time for the blog. Wasn't a tough choice. ;-)

I can always catch up on writing, but once you've given up a workout, you lose it forever. You can't just push yourself harder next time, because you should already be working to the max every time you step through the door. Now let me clarify that 'max' is different for everyone. Particularly those working with physical limitations (injury and illness being the big ones). But the bottom line is:

This is something that's tough for a lot of people to fathom, because they've already got ideas in their head about what their limits are. They're full of "can't", and "quit". And it's not so much a negative attitude, as a lack of belief in themselves. One thing I've been noticing even more than the change in my body over the course of this exercise, is the change in my mind. I've got a new level of belief, because every day I see/feel myself doing things I never thought I'd be able to. And the more I push myself, the more I realize how much stronger I was and am, than I ever thought possible. The best part is, I find it translating into every day life. This isn't just about how much weight you can lift, or how fast and far you can run. It's so much more than that.

99% of this battle is mental. Convincing yourself to make a commitment, setting your alarm, getting out of bed, getting dressed, getting to the car, driving to the gym in the dark... by the time you're actually there - all the tough stuff is done. After that, all you have to do is sweat. I struggle more with that daily break-up with my snooze button, than I do with deadlifts, squats, side dips, tricep presses... even burpees. Well, maybe not burpees - they're still pretty much the bane of my existence, but that makes my alarm clock a close second!

It's a daily battle that I'm proud to win though. It's a big boost to confidence, and mental strength when you can tell yourself that you've accomplished more in one day before the sun comes up, than most people bother to do in a week. You owe it to yourself to give your brain and body that kind of power surge! And forget your limits. Set a goal. Meet it. Beat it. Do it again. "Train like there is no finish line".