When I was in university, I used to be consistent. Consistent in giving up. Now, stay with me. Every beginning of the year when the new year’s resolutions would roll around, I would promise myself that this would be the year of fitness.
2016 was the year of fitness. Not.
2017 was the year of fitness. Not.
2018 was the year of fitness. Not.
To my credit. 2018 was different, I did more than buy cute gym outfits, and go to the gym four times and then quit. I made a vision board and put amazing pictures of body goals. Stay with me here, if you recall when I wrote the article on how to make your vision board, I had my vision board as an example in that article. I will have you know that if a goal makes it onto my vision board, I do not quit. Which is exactly what I did, I did not quit. I may have quit for three consecutive years, 2018 included, but this is 2019!
How has 2019 been any different to my fitness goals?
Honey let me tell you!
I made it to the gym more than four times this year. Now this, this is a true achievement mind you, I mean I am writing an entire article about the time I made it to the gym more than four times a year. The thing is, this fitness journey has been a long time coming and I have written about it, talked about and went shopping to motivate me, but it never really stuck. Now, I am not going to act like I do not struggle to get up every morning and get myself to the gym, but I would like to share on how I finally managed to stay committed for three months, going five times a week. This is to motivate you who cannot seem to move past admiring Instagram pictures of people who look snatched and finally become the person who you want to be.
It is not about being thick, fat, slim or slender. It is about ensuring you look good for you!
How I finally got myself to join the gym and stay committed.
I found a motivation
When I tried going to the gym for three years straight and could not manage past going one week and never again, it was because I was going but I was not motivated. I had no true goal, all I wanted was to look like an Instagram gym model. Although that can be a goal on its own, it is too vague, as it feels hard to achieve. The first thing I did was to identify one thing I truly wanted. A body is made of many components and my goals had to be specific to get me through the days I simply do not want to go.
I wanted a six pack. With all my heart and all my soul, I have always wanted to have a six pack, I simply did not believe I could ever have that. It seemed like something that was so farfetched, a reality that belonged to everyone but me.
The moment I realised I too could have that, I had defeated the mind. Fitness and commitment to the gym start in the mind before it can translate to the body.
I recognised my weakness
The thing that I always struggled with was never starting. I knew how to start, I knew how to get up on day one. I knew how to go shopping for gym outfits to ensure I get to the gym the next day, staying in the gym was my problem. I always and I mean always went for four days and skipped Friday, Saturday and Sunday and never went back again. I knew this as well as I knew that I really wanted to get fit.
My weakness was staying in the gym. Consistency did not exist for me. Commitment was something I struggled with, because when it got hard, I simply quit, and I knew this is something I struggle with.
I strengthened my weakness
Soon as I realised what my weakness was which was consistency and commitment, I decided that I will make my sacrifice and find a trainer. Yes, it was to become an additional cost, but I needed to decide how badly I wanted it. I decided I wanted it badly enough to make the financial sacrifice and get into a gym and get a personal trainer.
Finding the personal trainer was not hard and I had to be honest with him from the get-go, the biggest problem he will have with me is getting me into the gym. This became something we understood and had to find means around.
I started
Soon as I defeated the mental challenges of doubt, I started. I made a decision, set a goal and decided let’s get it. Starting has been one thing, getting up every morning has been another. However, I decided I will take it one step at a time, one-foot in front of the other.
We can. We shall. We will.
Soon you will call me six pack bae! Ambitious? Yes! Heck yes! Why else do you think I sweat up a storm in that gym? This isn’t a game!
So, how badly do you want it? Badly enough to start. Let me know and send me an email – eliasmavis@gmail.com
*Mavis Braga Elias is a Civil Engineer by qualification and a Marketing Officer by profession. A philanthropist at heart and founder of the EM Love Foundation. She won the Vivid Philanthropist award in 2015 and the Queens Young Leaders Awards 2018. Find her on Twitter- @mavisbraga