3 Principles For Overcoming Fitness Obstacles

If you're anything like me, your battle to maintain a healthy weight seems daunting. As if achieving fitness wasn't challenging enough, there are often additional challenges to overcome, such as time management difficulties, health problems, or a lack of bravery or energy. Even if you've been working out for a while, there are always new obstacles to overcome. So, how can we put this all in perspective?

That's precisely it, according to Tom Turner, executive liaison for the Spina Bifida Association: Perspec...

That's precisely it: perspective, says Tom Turner, executive liaison for the Spina Bifida Association. Furthermore, he asserts that no mountain is insurmountable. Tom would be aware. He has been paralyzed below the waist since birth, and at age 35, he exercises around three times each week. He claims that he really couldn't function without exercise.

So, in my search for the definitive answer to conquering fitness hurdles, Tom and I got on the table and jointly came up with three fundamental ideas that would aid in dispelling anxieties and intimidation while attempting to achieve fitness ambitions. (After all, shouldn't the fact that he can exercise regularly be motivation enough for anybody to try it?)

Rule No. 1: Enter the fear.

Tom advises me to "train your mind to believe that no goal or mountain is too high to climb." Basically, it's all about addressing your anxieties head-on and confronting them. Aim to identify your anxieties, admit them, and then overcome them in accordance with this approach. What about yourself causes you to feel uneasy? Have you allowed yourself to slack off and are worried you won't ever get back in shape? Do you fear your body because of an injury you've suffered? You can control your anxieties if you can creatively envision them. Imagine yourself in the ideal light. Keep in mind that your body is a loving creature that is capable of complete self-healing. You merely have to listen and believe it.

What message is your body giving you?

Trusting your intuition is the second principle.

It's crucial to start paying attention to your body's quiet, little voice as you learn to overcome challenges and boundaries. Most of the time, we all want the consolation of having someone tell us what is permissible and what is not. Our own truth, though, is what matters most. Not that the approval of others is unimportant—far from it—but ultimately, choices must be made within.

Look at how you feel when you are up against a task or an impediment. What do your gut feelings tell you? Often, all it takes to shift your perspective and broaden your awareness is your gut. Tom tells me, "I wasn't about to let the wheelchair stand in my way. In actuality, he claims that all he needed to do was alter his attitude about it. He claims that in order to set a boundary for himself, he first had to become aware of his limitations. He informs me, "We all have limits." Obstacles are as distinctive as people themselves, whether or not they can walk. Knowing your limits is therefore, first and foremost, recommended.

Then Tom says he wants to stay within those limits. "I start by soaring as high as I can while staying within my capabilities. I give myself as much time as I need to reach my little objectives, whether they include adding additional sets, reps, or endurance. I'm constantly amazed at how fast I can accomplish a big objective by taking tiny steps.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night is the third rule.

What about fear, then? I was curious. What if dread meets us there, if we step into the fear and face it head-on? So, Tom, do you ever feel scared? “I've actually learned to live with fear now that I've had 19 procedures in my life," he claims. It actually boils down to our oldest fear, which is the dread of dying. You may let death go and instead decide how to live once you comprehend that it is all part of God's great design. In order to avoid being terrified of death, I chose my course of action.

What is the lesson here, then? During our conversation, Tom brought up the line from Dylan Thomas' poetry, "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night." Here, it feels fitting. The bottom line is that resisting our fears prevents us from living fully. Tom tells me that having a good attitude is important since "life is all about attitude." He also states that he could succumb to terror, but he doesn't. "I wouldn't want to miss being a part of tomorrow," he says. So, what phobias are preventing you from achieving your goals? Make today the day to confront them.

Life Beyond the Boundaries, to sum up

What happens when you've overcome your worries and stretched the limits of your comfort zone? I was curious. Tom beams. Find a new peak to scale, he advises matter-of-factly. It is what makes life enjoyable. I am aware of my concerns. I'm aware that on certain days, I'll need to remain in bed and relax while my braces are adjusted. I choose what I want to focus on in those moments when I am alone with my thoughts.

Note from the author: I've picked my brother Tom as my role model in my own desire to live above the norm. We often turn to the media for these sources, yet they are frequently deceptive. Look around you; there are angels everywhere! There are "real" people everywhere doing wonderful things! Discover from them. Choose a person whose values you respect, admire, or look up to. Make plans and scale mountains! Start with purpose and take pleasure in the beneficial procedure.