Fit Villains: Selfish, Shameless, Sassy, Fitness.

This is a lesson I took away from one of my clients this week and it was successful for her.

Where you put your focus can make the biggest difference when it comes to living healthy. Focusing on results is ass-backwards. You need to focus on what will get you those results; nothing else.

Consider this: you’ve decided to start working out and eating healthy. You make small changes here and there, but decide the best way to monitor your progress is by weighing yourself everyday. You feel like you’ve worked hard, but when the scale says you’ve only lost a pound (or that you’ve gained two), you feel like all that hard work was in vain. At this point, all the work you’ve done seems pointless and you might be tempted to go back to old habits. Afterall, that old way is easy and if the results aren’t worth the effort, then what’s the point?

You see how this can play out?

If you’re too focused on your results, the process is undermined. All those hours at the gym that you may have enjoyed. The new healthy food that your body is relishing. The new healthy habits that are good for you, whether or now you lose a pound.

Focusing on results doesn’t improve OR change them. Focusing on what gets you the results will.

Results are the by product of effort: the more significant the effort, the more significant the results. Focusing more on effort will guarantee better results; vice versa doesn’t work. Not only are you more likely to see better results in the mirror, you’ll see it in your strength, stamina, endurance, skin, hair, mood, relationships…

1. Instead of focusing on toning a specific area, focus on going faster, deeper, heavier during your workout. You’ll surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.
   
2. Instead of focusing on those last 5lbs, focus on learning to fuel your body better with powerfoods and energy boosters. You’ll feel better, lose bloat & be more active during the day.
   
3. Instead of focusing on fitting into that dress by a certain date, focus on trying new things, preparing your meals, getting enough sleep & staying consistent. Healthy doesn’t have a deadline or an expiration date. 

The more you focus on these things, the better off you will be.

It’s all easier said than done, and I understand that. Start small and do what you can to live healthier & push yourself to your own limit. Every baby step counts.

Since it’s hard for some to avoid the temptation to constantly monitor results, I recommend using this visual metaphor: see your results as icing on an effort cake. If the results- icing you want is amazing, but the effort cake sucks, it’s not going to be that delicious, will it? But… if the effort-cake is delicious, it will stay delicious with or without icing.

My proudest weeks aren’t weeks where I lose those 5lbs, or fit into a smaller size pair of jeans. They’re weeks when I know I pushed myself as hard as I could and I saw myself getting stronger. Losing 5lbs is great, but being able to run longer, jump higher, or complete a new exercise for the first time? AMAZING.

And the more I focus on getting the most out of my healthier choices, the better my results HAPPEN to be.

So go out and make that effort cake as delicious as you can and celebrate the moments when you can enjoy it WITH icing. :)

- Chichi Kix