It's not about Perfection

Wow, what a week!  Tonight's post is all about being real with y'all and talking about something that I believe is key to our success on our fitness journey, the idea of perfection, or really, the lack there of.  If you've been following my posts for awhile, you probably know by now that I am very "Type A".  It has taken a long time, and many set-backs for me to overcome my personality type when it comes to health and fitness. A few years ago when I was starting and failing at losing weight, I would take one slip up, one missed workout as a reason to quit.  Now I wasn't telling myself I was quitting, just starting over, but when you have to "start over" enough times, eventually you give up.  This was a vicious cycle for me. 

Trying to be perfect doesn't work. It's not sustainable.  It's the reason so many people start a diet or exercise plan and burn themselves out, quitting because of the stress to do everything exactly they way it's written, following all of the rules to a "t".  This doesn't work. Life will get in the way at some point. You will have a bad day. Your kids, or even you will get sick.  You will have to travel.  There will be holidays, parties, and events with temptations.  It's how you handle these obstacles that will determine your success.  What do you do when you miss a workout?  How do you feel the day after you cheated on your diet?  Do you use these obstacles as an excuse to quit or do you acknowledge that you made a bad decision, or you had a rough day and vow to better today?

Like I said before, a few years ago, I would have made excuses, I would have started over or quit. Nowadays, I view setbacks very differently.  I acknowledge them and move forward.  What's changed? I gained perspective.  4 years ago, right around this time of year, I started yet another diet plan.  The difference this time? I took it day by day.  I didn't look at my plan as a month long plan or even a week long plan. I took it day by day. And I saw great results.  Did I stumble along the way? Of course I did!  And you know what? I saw those mistakes on the scale, but I also noticed something.  Those mistakes reflected on the scale were temporary!  After a day or two back on track, I was seeing progress again.  If the mistakes I made were only temporary. If the mistakes I made didn't negate all my previous successes, then why the heck had I been "starting over" or quitting every time I slipped up before? I had just gained perspective. 

This week, I've been sick. Not like nagging sniffles sick, rather full on fever, can't breathe, can't swallow sick.  This was week 3 of TurboFire for me.  Did I get all my workouts in? Unfortunately, no, but I got most of them in.  Was my eating on point?  Some days yes, some days no.  Salads just aren't appealing with you have a sore throat, you feel me?  The old me would have looked at this week and vowed to start completely over on TurboFire.  I missed a workout, doesn't it make sense to start Week 1 all over again?  Sounds so silly to me now, but the old me seriously would have tried to do it, and you know what? I would have gotten discouraged, and quit.  The new me is simply a day behind on my workouts.  Will I sacrifice a rest day to catch up? Maybe, I am only one workout behind, but if I end up feeling like I need the rest day, I will take it.  Knowing that my eating wasn't perfect, I will be staying off the scale for a week to let everything sort itself out again.

You see, it isn't about being perfect all along your fitness journey.  Every small step you take, every positive decision you make, is bringing you closer to the you that you are working to become.  Now I am not giving you my blessing to cheat yourself, but if you happen to stumble, maybe you already have, acknowledge that you messed up, own it, accept it, and move forward.