Motivation to move.
Well, it’s been over a month since I’ve last posted on this blog.
And if it weren’t for my friend Rumu in Calgary, it would have probably been even longer. Thanks for the kick in the pants.
I realize I was getting fairly sporadic with my posting.
I had all the excuses.
And I could come up with a million more excuses.
All of them would be fairly valid.
I’ve been working 12 hour days at the clinic doing physical therapy, I’ve been out of town for continuing education courses and seminars, and I’ve been putting out a slew of professional fires. But in reality, if I actually look at the reasons for my absence they’re pretty weak…
Now, you’re probably wondering what the hell this has to do with motivation to move.
So here it is: how often have you created, crafted and customized an excuse not to move?
We’re all guilty of it.
Too tired. Too busy. Too (fill in the blank here).
In our mind it’s pretty easy to create justification for not only our actions, but our inactions as well.
I told myself that I was too tired, that I’d worked long hours, that I’d write tomorrow, or the day after. Somehow, I still found time in the past month to watch a few movies (I don’t watch TV, but I do have a DVD player) or just veg out. In that time, I could have pumped out a few blog posts or written a few articles.
In reality, it comes down to my poor planning and preparation. I knew my hours at work would be increasing. I knew I would have those courses and seminars. I didn’t plan ahead and for that I am at least a month behind on my blogging.
There was, however, one area where I did take a few steps in preparation.
My training.
I knew that with my increased work and education load that it would be easy to push this fairly important aspect of my life to the back-burner (or even off the radar!).
Then serendipity struck.
At the same time that these changes were taking place, about 9 weeks ago, I came across a forum post on Precision Nutrition.
In this post, a gauntlet had been dropped, a challenge had been set forth. It was a 16 week body transformation challenge where the only prize on the line was EGO. No cash. No prizes. Nothing more than self-actualization.
Putting my name down and being accountable, even to an essentially faceless group of people on an internet community, has kept me on task at the gym. That an those half-naked pics.
My goals were lofty but not body composition related.
I figured if I chose performance targets my body would change during that journey.
In the 16 weeks I am to complete a triple body weight squat, a triple body weight dead lift, a double body weight chin up and a double body weight bench press.
I hit one of the four already. Because I had to.
I am getting close on the second. But that still leaves two more that need work in the next 7 weeks.
So here’s my challenge to you.
Find your motivation to move.
And let everyone know about it.
That social accountability will go a long way in keeping your on track towards your movement goals.
I know it worked for me.
Yours in movement.
Dev Chengkalath