-by Mindy Irish
I was in a conversation with a gal who has been competing for years in Figure competitions. We were talking about the “fitness lifestyle” and she says to me, “It takes a sacrifice to get a transformation.” That really hit me and I had never thought of it like that. I started to pay more attention to the small, daily sacrifices I was making in order to make progress towards my goals.
When you set a goal, it takes routine work and good habits to get you closer to hitting it. It takes a daily sacrifice to see eventual changes and progress in your body. For me, I started to pay attention to the sacrifice when I found myself saying, “No thanks” to regularly occurring indulgence opportunities that came my way. I believe in balance and planned treats, but it was the little “No thank yous” along the way that actually got me to where I am and will get me even further to where I want to be.
I started to keep a mental record of what I was “missing”. You know, the popsicles available after helping at my kids’ school on Field Day, the fudge treat in the bakery shop families enjoyed after picking strawberries, the ice cream cone on a dine-to-donate night for my kids’ last day of school, or the old-fashioned root beer treat on our way out of a local outdoor park after some family time on Memorial Day. Those events and opportunities all came my way within one week of each other and I chose to skip them all….it was not on my plan at the moment. I weighed my options and knew the benefits of the sacrifice far outweighed the setback to my progress or the fleeting high of the quick indulgence. Little by little, either way you chose, the progress or setbacks do add up! It’s like you’re making a small deposit or withdrawal in your “body bank” each time.
But what happens when we do partake in those ongoing treats and chalk it up to “this is just a special occasion”…..most times they come our way? For me, I would not be close to my goals or making much progress, but really it’s a personal call. Each time we hit a situation like this (and there will be MANY of them), we have to ask ourselves, “Is it worth the sacrifice to pull out a ‘No thank you’ or is it worth the indulgence”? Honestly, for me there are moments when it’s time to say, “Yes please” and enjoy. But for the most part, if you’re really wanting change and seriously desiring to set up a new lifestyle, your old ways will just get you your old self. Something’s got to change!
One of the fitness mentors I follow named Pauline Nordin, creator of Fighter Diet, has a motto that reads “discipline your dedication.” Often times when you see someone with that “perfect” butt, or those killer legs, or those sculpted abs, you’re just seeing the product of years of work and dedication. You’re not seeing the water instead of coke, the dressing on the side, the ask of “what’s in the ingredients”, the tracking, tracking, tracking, or consistency to their fitness routine. She also says, “If you want extreme results, then it takes extreme commitment, period.” Nothing happens overnight and nothing happens with minimal and hit or miss effort.
So when you desire to look, feel, and do differently, are you really willing to make the sacrifice? Each one of us has to find our own personal balance and we’re each only as strong as our disciplines. So if you’re ultimately wanting long-term physical change, then lifestyle changes have to be made. You have to be willing to make the sacrifice and be okay with it in order to get to where you want to be. Otherwise, you’ll have to start being happy with where you currently are. It’s a choice, it’s a sacrifice…is it worth it?! That’s an ongoing call you’ll have to make! Either way….love the skin you’re in and hats off to all your hard work!