How much longer is this going to take? Am I doing something wrong? Is all this hard work going to pay off?
We lifters often ask ourselves these questions. We slowly start to doubt the whole process. Because of this we start to get sloppy. Eventually, progress stalls. The problem is that we want results NOW. But there is no same day delivery or quick fix for health and fitness. Strength training isn't just about getting stronger. It's about changing your lifestyle from being sedentary to being active. The impressive physiques you see on social media are the results of either great genetics or years of training or both. But for people like me with average genetics, this process is a long journey.
The best option we have is to learn to enjoy the process so that time is no longer an issue and we can make our health journey something we want to do for the rest of our lives. If you don't enjoy eating well and taking care of the only body you will ever have, how do you plan on sticking with it? If you don't learn how to enjoy resistance training, how long can you hold onto your motivation?
Friend, don't love only the end result. Learn to love the process. If you do, discipline will no longer be a problem. Instead, it will actually feel weird if you DON'T exercise. You learn to accept the ups and downs and you never give up. So what if it takes a bit of time to get there? I'm very grateful for my 69-year old self that got started, but I'm also very grateful for my 71-year old self that makes consistent though never spectacular progress. I am really thankful to God for how far I have come and I am enjoying every step of the journey. Because of that, I've never worried about achieving a "perfect" physique, whatever that means. Likewise, if you stay consistent, if you continue training, your results are inevitable. Be patient, and just keep on swimming.
Keep up the great work my friend!
