*Dan’s Note: I’ve been slacking on writing on my page, for a few reasons. In keeping with the theme of today’s post, one of my goals for 2018 is going to be to write more. My original vision of the Strength Journal was longer format articles. I’m going to transition into some shorter length pieces, much more informal, probably little or no graphics, with the sole purpose being to write more. I’m a huge fan of Seth Godin’s writing, and his blog reflects what I value in reading, which is to say a very clear, concise, and consistent message. I’m going to be putting out a new post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It won’t (likely) be long, but maybe its the short message you need to kick off the day. Enjoy!
New year, new resolutions. A new you. But not really. You’re still the same you as yesterday. Sure, you may have made a resolution, but statistically you’ll likely give it up within about 6 weeks. Part of the problem is the goals we set. Goals are great, and having a vision is important. More important, however, is to understand the process. Instead of having a goal of losing a certain amount of weight, make the goal oriented towards a habit that will get you there. “Eat a serving of protein at each meal”, or “Only eat single ingredient foods” are better because they deal with the process of weight loss, which is more within your control.
The other problem is being unrealistic. Sure, you want to start going to the gym 5 times a week in January, but you previously had been going 0 times. Going from 0-5 is not sustainable for most because it’s far too large of a lifestyle change. You’ll inevitably miss a session, which in turn will cause you to feel like a failure. Start with the lowest possible barrier to entry. Are you positive that you can do 2 times of training per week for 30 minutes? Good, start there. Build some momentum, and when the habit has stuck(maybe 2-3 weeks), add another training day. First commit to something so easy you know you cannot fail. Build the habit, then slowly amplify it. Have a goal, but understand the process. Make it so simple and easy to start that you build positive momentum. Start with these in January and you’ll be farther ahead than anyone come February.
If you want to learn more about this, I recommend reading James Clear’s writing (and if you’re specifically looking for information about weight loss, head over to Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum’s Barbellmedicine.com)
