How Bad Do You Want It?

As a former figure competitor, my social media news feeds are filled with other physique competitor and coach's fitness accounts. With the fall contest season in full swing, I am seeing a lot of posts about "not wanting it bad enough." It's a unique mentality and now that I've got a little distance from competing I see it with a new perspective.

Once upon a time, I shared the mentality that if you aren't willing to do the work, then you don't want it "that bad." Competing is a very big commitment and requires great sacrifice and dedication. It's not for everyone. And it shouldn't be for everyone. Competing requires giving up most of your social life and free time in exchange for training, eating, sleeping and posing. It is draining physically, mentally and emotionally. It is a selfish hobby that requires one to completely focus on themselves and their physique. Been there, done that...20 times.

Well, yesterday I was in the gym doing my usual Wednesday leg workout and my body was tired. There was no "go" in me and in the midst of that workout I was relieved that I was not in training for anything specific and if I wanted to walk out of the gym at any given moment, I could. As I was thinking about this, I recalled the social media comments about "not wanting it bad enough" and I realized that this kind of mentality from coaches gives people who are just wanting to be more fit, stronger and healthier, the feeling that if they give anything less than 100%, they don't want it bad enough. (Side bar: ironically, many of the coaches saying this are those who use and advise their clients to use physique enhancing drugs...that's another post entirely.)

How discouraging!

I was contemplating how the rest of my workout was going to go down - would I cut out early, would I do a little light cardio or would I push myself through it because "I want it bad enough?" I do want it bad enough and I have learned that listening to my body is far more important than listening to the voice that says I have to keep pushing if I am going to be great. Greatness is not something you get by forcing your body to do things it doesn't want to do. All of that pushing and extreme training/dieting can have severe repercussions. (Trust me, I know!)

So how bad do you want it? How bad do you want balance? How bad do you want to be healthy? How bad do you want to be in good condition as you make your journey through life? How bad do you want to feel good in your own skin?

If you "want it that bad" you need to be smart. You need to listen to your body and not the voices of people who haven't yet dealt with the cost they will have to pay from pushing their bodies to the extreme. For what reward? No one else really cares what our bodies look like. You have to live with and in your body. Be smart.

Yesterday, I wanted rest. And let me tell you...I wanted it "bad enough" to leave the gym early. Not a single regret was had and I feel fabulous today.