I can see it now, the first month has passed and I'm extremely pleased with my progress. Heck, I lost over 12 pounds in only 4 weeks, of course I'm pleased! But something is happening. I don't think about my goals as often - they fade to the background. Perhaps I've already experienced a setback and feel discouraged? Maybe training is not progressing as fast as I'd like? Whatever the case, my training and diet are not positioned prominently in the front of my mind as they were when I first began. Instead, they've receded to the back of my mind and only appear when the fragile habit I've been cultivating for the past four weeks reminds me it's time to train or it's time to drink yet another bland protein shake or, worse yet, eat more vegetables.
Motivation is beginning to wane. And I'm now vulnerable to temptation; vulnerable to my old eating habits and lazy desires. My shield of willpower is getting pierced and I need to do something. But what does one do?
Eventually, our mettle gets tested. Eventually, we will run into a wall and we'll begin to question ourselves; we'll question whether the depravity we're putting ourselves through is really worth it. Can we somehow force ourselves to envision our ultimate aim and gain motivation thereby? How do we stay on track?
Food will most likely be the greatest temptation. I know I hate to cook but I love to eat. And all the planning and effort that goes into daily meal preparations will grow old quick. The call of fast food will be deafening. Here I am, a confirmed hater of all things vegetable, and I'm forcing myself to "eat like a rabbit." Oh, how I long for a burger and milkshake; how I long for some traditional Spanish deserts. And yet my "meals" consist of a few ounces of (guess what?) grilled chicken breast and broccoli kept in small microwavable containers and enjoyed with tasty bottled water. This sucks!
Or, maybe, training will be the real temptation. Goodness! Exercise seems like torture sometimes. It's so much easier to sit on your ass and be entertained by television. I am the proverbial couch potato. Isn't it natural to conserve energy? Why, then, must we drag our asses into torture chambers (read: gyms) and put ourselves through hell?
Did it happen during a business trip? Did I finally convince myself that I'd be better off getting the extra sleep in preparation for tomorrow's important meeting instead of dragging myself to the hotel's shitty gym? Or did I succumb to the ease and convenience of indulgent room service and gorge myself on Crème brulée?
What will I do to prevent these scenarios? What do elite level athletes do when their training and diets are threatened by the natural impulse to indulge in things that make us feel good? Is their success simply attributed to keeping a steady routine? But don't we all lead such hectic, frenetic lives nowadays that make routines difficult to keep?
I know my goals and plans seem strict. I've designed them this way because I know that I'm the type who will "take a mile if given an inch." I'm simply an all-or-nothing kind of guy. Cheat meals? Forget it! It wouldn't take long before a cheat meal turns into an all-out junk food binge. Heck, I just made a trip to a local grocery store and spent $35 on junk food alone! Nothing else!
But I continue to wonder what I will need to do when I'm first confronted by temptation. Strict dieting and training for six months straight will not be easy. I'm beginning to worry...
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