Fit Friends Causing Angst?
Here's one of the great unknown culprits that can derail us from success.
Fit Friends can give us false perspectives: this of course is not on purpose, but it happens very often, mainly again because you only see parts of your friend's life and behavior.
Most people approach individuals that are often examples of extremes for fitness advice. I know one such extreme. He looks amazing. Every time someone asks him for advice, I wince. I wince because I know his diet and fitness routine are extraordinary and that less then 1% of the population could be happy living the way he does. Problem is, the people asking don't know this. They hear his story and advice, their faces fall, knowing that what he describes is something they will never do. Now that person is thinking self defeating thoughts and is discouraged instead of motivated. Please remember, these types of 3 to 4 hour training programs aren't needed. The people that do them are unhealthy and unbalanced in a different way. These people are in the MINORITY and should not be giving advice. Balance is always your key to success.
Another misleading fitness friend: the fit friend who achieved their goals many years ago and seems to be able to eat anything they want at any moment of the day. This misconceptions is about how you perceive things. You didn't see the years of training required for your friend to get into the condition they are currently in. You just see her eating candy and icecream. You didn't see the level of effort required to get her metabolism to the place where she knows her limits and understands how her body processes certain foods. The bottom-line, it took years for her to get where she is. The rules she applies to herself will not work for you. If you are new to health and fitness you will need to be much more controlled to get results. You cannot follow the example of a conditioned athlete and expect the same results,you just can't. Balance. Find you balance and begin to make your own rules based on what works for you.
Fit Friends can give us false perspectives: this of course is not on purpose, but it happens very often, mainly again because you only see parts of your friend's life and behavior.
Most people approach individuals that are often examples of extremes for fitness advice. I know one such extreme. He looks amazing. Every time someone asks him for advice, I wince. I wince because I know his diet and fitness routine are extraordinary and that less then 1% of the population could be happy living the way he does. Problem is, the people asking don't know this. They hear his story and advice, their faces fall, knowing that what he describes is something they will never do. Now that person is thinking self defeating thoughts and is discouraged instead of motivated. Please remember, these types of 3 to 4 hour training programs aren't needed. The people that do them are unhealthy and unbalanced in a different way. These people are in the MINORITY and should not be giving advice. Balance is always your key to success.
Another misleading fitness friend: the fit friend who achieved their goals many years ago and seems to be able to eat anything they want at any moment of the day. This misconceptions is about how you perceive things. You didn't see the years of training required for your friend to get into the condition they are currently in. You just see her eating candy and icecream. You didn't see the level of effort required to get her metabolism to the place where she knows her limits and understands how her body processes certain foods. The bottom-line, it took years for her to get where she is. The rules she applies to herself will not work for you. If you are new to health and fitness you will need to be much more controlled to get results. You cannot follow the example of a conditioned athlete and expect the same results,you just can't. Balance. Find you balance and begin to make your own rules based on what works for you.