Recently I was talking with a former member of the gym, and they said something that surprised me…They told me that they were afraid to restart training because they didn’t feel as fit as before and were terrified of starting back at zero.
When they left a while back, they had hit a hard point in life where the stress of balancing family time, work obligations, and being consistent at the gym became too much for them to handle and something had to give.
They were feeling a little down because when they left it was at the fittest point of their life, and they let it slip through their fingers. I understood how this person felt because I have been there…recently.
Owning a business is the single hardest thing I’ve ever done (even more difficult than raising 3 kids), and since opening (and re-opening) the gym, there have been times where I had to put the members and business before myself, and I sacrificed my fitness habits to get things done.
Hindsight is 20/20 and I should have prioritized and protected my fitness habits because now I’m also starting back at close to zero. I get where you are coming from. It sucks.
Once my physical abilities went down due to inconsistent training, I let my ego stop me from being OK with being a beginner again, which I then used as an excuse to not workout. I am an Owner and a Coach at a gym – how could I let myself get to this place? What will people think of my abilities if I can’t even figure out how to take care of myself? My one rep maxes were so much higher and my benchmark workouts so much faster.
I kept waiting for the perfect time to get going again…
The thing I realized is that there was never going to be a perfect time to start (or restart) working on my lifestyle, nutrition, health, and fitness. I also know from experience and helping so many people through this process, that it IS easier this time around.
You did it once, you can do it again. It all comes back faster. You aren’t really starting at the beginning. You aren’t really starting from zero. If nothing else, you have the knowledge and maturity to know what to expect, how to do it, and this time how to protect and keep it.
I also realized that there is just the here and now…the past is behind me, and I’m excited about the future!
We have a lot of people come to the gym “to get back into shape” and we are really good at helping people get there. And we have a lot of options to help you get back on track with your health and fitness.
I love the camaraderie of group classes, but I have been scared to get back into it. So, we have been doing 45 minute workouts 3-4 times a week on our own. If this is you – let’s schedule a month of Personal Training to help get you into the gym. Or maybe going through our Foundations Program would be a great way to ease into classes.
Maybe you really love the community and friendship of group classes and that’s what you need to get you into the gym and motivated to come back each week. A lot of people feel that way this time of year, so we have a 6 Week Intro to Fitness and Nutrition Program that might be just what you need!
Now ask yourself – are you letting fear of becoming a beginner stop you from getting what you want in life? And if so, how is that working out for you?
If you’re waiting for the perfect time to get started in anything – whether that be fixing your Nutrition or finding a training program (even if CrossFit isn’t for you) let me know, and I would love to help you find something that works for you!