When is the last time you kept doing something you didn't like to do, even though you didn't absolutely have to?
Like, never? Or MAYBE for a short time.
Like running, for example. Maybe you started running because you wanted to lose weight, but hated every single second of it. Eventually it became a HECK IT situation. As soon as it got inconvenient or didn't go as planned ya hecked it right off and quit doing it.
If my character runs that counts as me running, right?
We all have things we truly enjoy, things we like a little bit, things we tolerate fairly well, and then there's those things we absolutely hate. Here's my example list for gym things:
Truly enjoy- just about any exercise for the back
Like a little bit- shoulder exercises
Tolerate fairly well- leg day or anything ab focused except for...
I hate standing cable crunches. They're the worst and I want nothing to do with them.
This leads up to the third thing I wouldn't do if I were just starting out on my wellness journey:
I wouldn't force myself to do things I don't like.
This could be eating certain types of foods, trying to build particular habits, aiming for a super early workout time when you're a night owl, and several other things.
Let's go back to that deplorable standing cable crunch. I've never been a fan of any kind of cable crunch, but I tried it anyway since it was programmed for me. I hated it. Part of it was that I wasn't feeling it right (because I wasn't doing it right) and it just felt weird on my elbows. While I did figure out how to do it correctly, and feel it where I was supposed to, I chucked it out of my workout for 3 reasons:
1. I didn't like it.
2. I'd tried it several different times and still didn't like it.
3. There are a shit ton of other things I can do to work my core that I actually DO like.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I didn't chuck it right off the bat. There's a line you got to be aware of when you're trying new things. Here's a situation where the opposite happened with one of my clients:
I programmed her Bulgarian split squats which are particularly challenging not only because of the work on your leg muscles, but also the balance and coordination needed to complete the movement. Observe:
This fella makes them look easy.
Of course she hated them. Just getting the balance right was a pain in the peach. Not to mention the pain you get in your peach doing the movement. She didn't want to do it and she made that clear with all her grumblings, but I encouraged her to keep doing it anyway, because over time it would get easier. And guess what? It did. To the point that she'd even request them in her workouts sometimes.
You have to know the line between "I hate this because this is just not for me" and "I hate this because it's really challenging but there's a good chance I could get better at it/like it more if I keep pushing".
If you're leaning towards this really isn't for me then ask yourself, "Is this really the ONLY way I can achieve the result I'm trying to get?"
Likely, if there is something you absolutely can't stand, there's probably an alternative that can get you the same or similar results. If my client would have decided Bulgarian split squats were out of the question after several tries, then we would have done something like regular split squats or reverse lunges instead.
If you've tried running and you hate it- don't do it. There are a ton of other ways to get cardio in.
If you tried weightlifting in the gym and you hated it-then don't do it. You can do strength training at home instead.
If you can't stand cooked spinach then try it raw in a salad or eat romaine instead.
If you don't like eating yogurt by itself (same, same, friend) then put fruits, nuts, granola, or something else in it. Or don't eat it.
Listen, Ma'am or Sir, you're getting stuck trying to improve your health and wellness because you have this idea in your head that you HAVE to do things a certain way or you're not going to succeed. Which just leads to you failing, right? Think about the last time you tried 6 am workouts and it lasted 2 days. Or the last time you tried to force a gallon of water in and that didn't even work for a day. Or the last time you went for a run...LOL...just kidding! You don't run because you tried it and hated it, but keep telling yourself you gotta do it because that's how you'll get healthier.
I gotta ask...when did you decide that? Maybe it's running, maybe it's 2 hour gym workouts, maybe it's journaling- *insert healthy behavior here*. When did you decide it HAD to be that thing?
Because it doesn't.
Most of the time it's not an issue of you needing to try harder or have better self-discipline or stronger willpower. It's because you need to stop trying to force yourself into something that doesn't work for you. (Not to mention the parts where you're trying to make it all happen NOW.)
Whatever you choose to do needs to work for YOU, in your current situation, with your current resources, and current abilities.
The only option you DO NOT have is to not do anything at all. In my book, anyways.
If this is speaking to you and you need some guidance, then what are you waiting for? You don't actually have to wait for New Years to get started, do you? This type of situation is just another thing I help my clients navigate so they can cease and desist on the whole start-stop-start-stop pattern. That's a pain in the peach and your peach needs a break. If you'd like to talk more about how I could help you break past this pattern then shoot me an email at janna@jl-wellness.com
Keep an eye out for the fourth thing I wouldn't do AND what I'd do instead coming soon!
