I Do!

I promise.

With those two words, I began what I call my fitness journey. I considered myself fit before last summer, but when I made the decision to follow my coach’s direction, fitness took on a whole other dimension. I learned so much about nutrition, training, and the mental aspect of changing one’s body. Many people saw this as incredible or (perhaps masochistic) self-control. For me, it was as simple as promising to myself and my coach that I would just do it. I would stick to the course, and we would see where it took me. I took those words “I promise” seriously, and the commitment I made was no different than the commitment I made to my husband on our wedding day. I would never cheat on him, so why would I cheat on my diet?

Much more important than willpower is the ability to commit for the long haul. I think for anyone struggling to change their body (by losing weight or changing their body composition), the most important thing is to realize there is no quick fix or overnight solution. This makes it all the more important to choose a “diet” (I use the term to mean a more permanent way of eating and not necessarily a way of eating for a few days, weeks, or months) that fits in with your lifestyle. Pretty much any diet will work, under the condition that a person sticks to it! For many people, simply making healthier food choices (eating clean) is something they’re able to stick to. For others, IF (Intermittent Fasting—in this diet, you eat nothing most of the day and take in the majority, if not all, of your calories in the span of a few hours) is easiest to fit into their schedule. Personally, I’m a fan of IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros—I count grams of proteins, carbs, and fats per day and make sure to hit my targets. The sources of these macronutrients are not of utmost importance, as long as I also hit my daily fibre goals). I find that IIFYM allows me to achieve my athletic goals without making me feel restricted. I can eat anything I want—no food is “bad”—but I have to make sure I work it into my macros (so a muffin for breakfast, a piece of pizza for lunch, and a Snickers bar in the afternoon would NOT fit into a day for me, but I could have one of these things each day if I so desired).

Anyway (I didn’t want to make this post about me and how I eat), the take-home message is this: Choose a “diet” that you can live with and fit into your lifestyle forever because changing your body isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. It’s a long process, so you might as well enjoy it! If there are foods you “can’t live without,” find a plan that allows you to incorporate them into your diet without sabotaging your goals, or simply learn to give them up. Whatever it is, it’s just food! There’s so much more to life than that! Don’t let the taste of something have so much control over you! (Healthy foods taste delicious anyway and make you feel much better than any junk!) Of course, balance is an important part of life, but especially in the beginning, forming healthy habits is the most important thing.

I like to use the analogy of a mountain to describe the journey. Sure, you might stumble and fall down, and some sections will be more difficult than others, but know that you will eventually get there. Trust in the process, and then simply do it. If you do stumble, don’t scrap your plan and tumble back down to the bottom. Keep on climbing, and soon, you’ll realize it wasn’t as hard as you made it out to be in your mind! The first step is always the hardest (be it at the start of a new way of eating or out the door to the gym), but you won’t regret it!

I’ll be posting more on the mental aspect of transforming one’s body in the future, but today, I just wanted to hammer home the importance of commitment. It’s so important to commit to a healthy lifestyle because you’re worth it! As frustrating as it can be to see improvements happen at a snail’s pace, if you stick to the course and keep your promise to yourself, the end result will be so rewarding!