I started this two months ago, too. My motto is "Showing up is the victory."
Once I'm in there, I give it my best. Some days my best sucks. I don't worry about that. I got my ass into the gym. It's the habit that matters.
It's about consistently showing up.
For context, I'm 34 and clinically considered morbidly obese. My relationship with exercise, like virtually all obese people, is one of yo-yo diets and countless failed attempts at getting fit. I never before lasted more than a few weeks.
A big part of the problem, I came to realize, was being too results-oriented. I'd be highly motivated those first couple weeks when the pounds seem to drop so quickly, then lose all motivation when the weight loss slowed down to a healthier rate. Then I'd get depressed, quit, and binge eat until I reached a new low of physical fitness and self-esteem, and start over.
This time around, I just get my ass to the gym. That's it. I don't care what the scale says. I do try to eat better, but I don't beat myself up about it when I fail -- because beating myself up just causes me to binge some more. I just pick myself back up and hit the gym the next morning.
Here are some results so far:
1) I've discovered I actually LIKE lifting weights. So I do mostly that. I look forward to the feeling of my limbs being like jelly. It feels like accomplishment. To be clear, I've never, ever liked any form of exercise before. By changing my focus to "just show up", I've freed myself to find something I like, rather than trying to keep up with anyone else.
2) I've been tracking my weight, and after an initial loss of 25 pounds I've put back on another 10. But, my waist line has gone down 3 belt notches, so I try not to take the number on the scale too seriously. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down.
3) My focus at work is through the roof. I just feel better. Less sluggish. Able to concentrate more, which is mega important as a programmer (preaching to the choir, I'm sure).
4) I sleep better and wake up on time without much of a hitch most of the time. I'm still not super chipper first thing in the morning, but I don't hit snooze either.
5) I have more energy to give to the people I love, i.e. my kids and my partner. I'm still not superman, but I'm not sitting on the couch begging to be left alone either. I play. I do stuff.
Sounds like you're on a great path, and I have a couple comments. First, results oriented is great, but health and fitness is a life long thing like breathing. The journey is what's important here.
Second, don't beat yourself up when you fail. We all fail at times. What you can't do is let a simple failure snowball. Recognized you failed and get back on track. A trick I use is not to wait until tomorrow to go to the gym, go right then even if you've already been today. And when I say right then, I literally mean right then if you can.
Finally, don't focus on the scale. Focus on doing the right things every minute of every day and the scale will follow. Again, it's the process and finding how you can live your entire life as healthy as you can.
Once I'm in there, I give it my best. Some days my best sucks. I don't worry about that. I got my ass into the gym. It's the habit that matters.
It's about consistently showing up.
For context, I'm 34 and clinically considered morbidly obese. My relationship with exercise, like virtually all obese people, is one of yo-yo diets and countless failed attempts at getting fit. I never before lasted more than a few weeks.
A big part of the problem, I came to realize, was being too results-oriented. I'd be highly motivated those first couple weeks when the pounds seem to drop so quickly, then lose all motivation when the weight loss slowed down to a healthier rate. Then I'd get depressed, quit, and binge eat until I reached a new low of physical fitness and self-esteem, and start over.
This time around, I just get my ass to the gym. That's it. I don't care what the scale says. I do try to eat better, but I don't beat myself up about it when I fail -- because beating myself up just causes me to binge some more. I just pick myself back up and hit the gym the next morning.
Here are some results so far:
1) I've discovered I actually LIKE lifting weights. So I do mostly that. I look forward to the feeling of my limbs being like jelly. It feels like accomplishment. To be clear, I've never, ever liked any form of exercise before. By changing my focus to "just show up", I've freed myself to find something I like, rather than trying to keep up with anyone else.
2) I've been tracking my weight, and after an initial loss of 25 pounds I've put back on another 10. But, my waist line has gone down 3 belt notches, so I try not to take the number on the scale too seriously. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down.
3) My focus at work is through the roof. I just feel better. Less sluggish. Able to concentrate more, which is mega important as a programmer (preaching to the choir, I'm sure).
4) I sleep better and wake up on time without much of a hitch most of the time. I'm still not super chipper first thing in the morning, but I don't hit snooze either.
5) I have more energy to give to the people I love, i.e. my kids and my partner. I'm still not superman, but I'm not sitting on the couch begging to be left alone either. I play. I do stuff.
6) I just plain like myself more.