Another “dig deep” workout yesterday; Working out when you don’t feel like it.

As I mentioned a couple of times recently, this past week I’ve been having trouble sleeping past 4:45 AM or so. Yesterday morning I manged to catch a few extra winks, but as my afternoon workout time drew closer I was yawning and and struggling to find the energy to do even the most mundane tasks. I knew the workout was going to be a challenge, but skipping it was absolutely out of the question…

The beginning of my workout was a significant test of will: I simply didn’t feel like training. My strength was there, but I was having a lot of trouble getting fired up. As I warmed up and started my deadlifts my intensity was not even close to the level I demand. I cranked up the music, slapped my face and jumped up and down between each set. When I completed the final set of deads I was feeling considerably better–especially because I managed to hit my target reps with +10 pounds over last week’s weight!

As I churned though my workout I felt progressively better. By the time I took off my sweat-drenched wrist wraps that tired/lazy/unmotivated feeling I had when I laced up my shoes was nothing but a bad memory. I managed to add weight to every exercise for the fourth straight week, and I did it under less than ideal circumstances. Job well done!

No matter how much you enjoy it, there are times when you just don’t feel like training. Experience has taught me a valuable lesson over the years, and that lesson is simply this: if I don’t feel like working out, I am always glad when I force myself to do it, and I always wish I had when I don’t.

Over the past 10 years I’ve seen people make amazing transformations, and I’ve seen people fail miserably. What separates the people who go all the way with their transformations from those who peter out are two things: heart and desire. Over the past decade I’ve become pretty good at discerning those people who truly want it from those who are merely wishing for it. In fact, I can almost always predict who will be successful and who will fail based on nothing more than a couple of forum posts, an email exchange or a short conversation.

Don’t kid yourself–transformations are hard work. You’re going to have to dig deep, train hard (especially when you don’t feel like it), overcome obstacles, ignore temptation and bust your ass every single day until you reach your goals. What I can tell you with 100% certainty is that all that hard work will be extremely well rewarded. I’m talking life-changing rewards. I can’t even imagine going back to the shell of a human being I was almost a decade ago.

If you’re sick of being overweight, out of shape and unhappy then there are really only two options: change and become the person you long to be, or stay just as you are.

This is your life–it is all you have, and probably all you’re ever going to have. Every day you spend miserable and wishing for change is a day you could have spent happy because you’re actually making change.

So what are you going to do today?

Another "dig deep" workout yesterday; Working out when you don't feel like it. , 10.0 out of 10 based on 7 ratings