Done is Better than Perfect
Done > Perfect.
Perfect is a myth.
Whether it’s a workout or a healthy meal, don’t make excuses. Just get it done.
I want y'all living your best lives and achieving your goals in 2022, so we've talked about how to set SMART goals and how to set yourself up for success, as well as things that might be holding you back, like limiting beliefs, unwillingness to actually do the work and....
Making Excuses.
You probably know by now that I am NOT #TeamNoExcuses, because sometimes in life we actually have very reasonable and valid excuses for missing workouts or eating fast food or not getting "enough" steps in a day.
Life happens and that's fine and normal...but also, life always happens so we do need to learn to adjust and work around it if we want to optimize our health and progress toward our goals.
When it comes to progress, doing the best you can at the time is going to get you much further than not doing something at all because you forgot your shoes, didn't grocery shop, don't have much time, etc.
Regardless of what you see on the internet, you do not have to wear any certain clothes or shoes to work out. If you can move in whatever you're wearing and changing clothes is going to be the barrier that keeps you from moving, don't get changed! Just start moving.
Numerous clients have texted me from the parking lot before their sessions because they forgot their shoes. No problem! I might not have shoes they can borrow (sometimes I do), but there's a lot we can safely do in personal training sessions without shoes. Is it ideal? Not always. Is it worth skipping the workout altogether? Not usually. (Group fitness, cardio equipment, etc. are a different story, BUT you could always pop in to a yoga class or do something at home!)
If it's not the attire, sometimes it's the workout itself that deters people. Perhaps they're sore or tight in a certain area and don't want to use that part of their body. First, movement can be medicine. Often -- not always -- the place that is sore or tight will feel better with movement, so skipping the workout just prolongs the discomfort.
And when it comes to specific injuries, most of the time we can still find another muscle group or body part to train without impacting the injury. It might not be a full body workout or a workout at the intensity that you'd prefer, but continuing to do something allows you to maintain a certain fitness and strength level that will make it easier to "bounce back" when you're fully cleared for activity.
Food is the other major area where our excuses, more than our actions, can completely derail us. If you've ever decided to start a specific diet, eaten something that wasn't on your plan, felt guilty and then decided to scrap the whole thing, then you've been there.
Instead of feeling like you've already blown it so you might as well keep indulging and try the diet thing again another time, you could actually just move on and make the next best choice at your next meal.
If you forgot your meal prepped lunch, or didn't have time to go to the store, what can you order for lunch that will be comparable? If you have to grab fast food or you overindulge on a restaurant meal, just get back to a more-balanced choice at the next meal.
You don't need to wait for a certain day or time to start over or try again. You just keep going, taking each opportunity to make the choices that will support your goals.
Your workouts, your meals...none of it has to be perfect. None of it ever will be. But making a consistent effort, even when it's messy and less than ideal, will still get you to a pretty darn good place.
