Everywhere I look lately I am being reminded that Success (in any area of one’s personal life) is achieved through discipline, and by discipline I mean having the self-control to follow a specific set of behaviors over and over again on a daily basis that will lead you in the direction you want to be headed. Or, by having the self-control on a daily basis to NOT give into specific behaviors which will sabotage your goals, dreams, and success.
Small things repeated again and again become big things, and these big things can be positive or they can be negative depending on the behaviors we repeat.
Progress
As we make lifestyle changes, it isn’t always easy to see and feel the progress we are making. As our bodies adjust, we adjust, which means that regardless of how far we have come, we still have bad days. We still encounter challenges. We still struggle. Because of this, sometimes it’s hard to tell if we are making progress or not.
Of course, we can track our progress. We can look at the numbers and statistics and know that things are improving. But FEELING the progress we have made, that is entirely different. Actually FEELING the progress we have made is so much more satisfying and encouraging.
The Proof is in the Pudding
Recently, I had the opportunity to really FEEL the progress I have made since beginning to exercise regularly last January. I was at my parents-in-law’s house celebrating my niece’s thirteenth birthday. My brother-in-law, who is the same height and build as I am, and who is very close in weight to me, was there too. When the talk turned to our weight, which it often does, I said that I have been weighing-in pretty consistently at about 79 kg lately. As it turns out, my brother-in-law has been too, which gave everyone a good laugh because while I have been making a consistent effort to do strength-training exercises for 10 minutes a day over the past five months, my brother-in-law hasn’t.
Despite that, we were still the same weight, which everyone seemed to think meant that my daily exercise was all for naught. In five months, with daily effort, I had only managed to lose three or four kilograms. Meanwhile, my brother-in-law, who had made no lifestyle changes at all, had also managed to lose three or four kilograms in the same period of time.
When dinner was finished and everyone was sitting around the table talking, attention turned to my (and my brother-in-law’s) now bulging stomach. All there seemed to think that my weight, and my post-birthday-dinner-feast-stomach, was proof that my exercise routine was ineffective and needed to be changed.
At some point, while being slightly harassed and ridiculed, I chided my brother-in-law into doing a few exercises with me in front of everyone. What ensued was very eye opening. I got to see exactly what kind of shape I had been in five months ago and how different that is from the condition that I am in today.
While my brother-in-law struggled to overcome the rounded mass of his stomach to accomplish doing even one sit-up, I was able to do them almost effortlessly. While my brother-in-law sat down to take a break after doing five squats, I was able to do twenty or thirty without breaking a sweat. When I showed my brother-in-law how to do Mountain Climbers and other exercises, he remarked that he couldn’t believe how mobile I was. And while I watched him struggle to keep his balance and fulfill the full range of motions that many of the exercises required, I, too, was surprised by how mobile I had become, and by how much my body had changed in a relatively short period of time.
It was a great feeling! I realize, though, that I was lucky to have had this opportunity to clearly track the physical progress I have made over the last five months. Often, it isn’t easy to see the changes that have taken place within us. Often, the only thing we have is a vague sense that things have gotten better. And sometimes, that vague sense isn’t all that reassuring.
That’s why it is important to remember that small things done over and over again on a regular basis really do have big results. Whether they are small additions to your life like ten minutes of daily exercise, or small eliminations like checking your e-mail twice a day instead of five or ten times a day, they will lead to big changes down the road. You can count on that!
This Week’s Accountability Report
Exercise:
Five out of Seven Days: Last week I decided to try to move away from the walking and running that has become routine for me so that I could get back into the interval training/strength-training exercises that I was doing more frequently in January. In the beginning of the week I followed through on my plan, but shortly afterward I began feeling exhausted and decided to lighten my exercises for the week. Rather than stop entirely, I moved back to my walking routine and continued the strength training on a very reserved level.
I’m not sure what the reason for this exhaustion is, but it something that affects me from time to time. I think it may have something to do with the changing seasons and the weather being slightly warmer, especially at night when I’m sleeping, but it could also be that I’ve just worn myself out and need to take a little break. At any rate, I plan to get back into the strength-training exercises as soon as I can.
Weight:
79.4 kg: I weighed in today one kilogram heavier than I was last Thursday. It is what it is. As I said above, I took my workouts very easy this past week. Additionally, I attended a birthday party on Sunday where I ate a lot and had quite a bit to drink. On top of that, the dinners that my wife prepared for me this week, which also double as my lunch the following day, were a bit bigger and heavier than usual. I’m guessing the combination of larger heavier portions and shorter, lighter workouts probably has something to do with the slight weight gain, but it could be something else entirely. I’m really not worried about it right now.
For the past month, I have been maintaining my weight below 80 kg. I’m very happy with this.
Looking Forward/Looking Back
With the weather warming up, I want to take it easy until I get my regular energy levels back. This, however, does not mean that I want to excuse myself from my exercises. If I have to continue doing them at a lighter level, that is fine, but I don’t want to excuse myself from doing them entirely.
As the weather warms up, I also want to be very mindful about the amount of water I drink. In the summer, I have a tendency to stop drinking water and start drinking iced coffee all day long. When I began drinking more water I noticed that I had a lot more energy throughout the day, I didn’t crave coffee nearly as much as usual, and I didn’t find myself feeling as hungry between meals (especially before lunch) as I used to. These are all positive changes that I don’t want to see disappear.
Wish you could have seen my smile as I read about the exercise competition...way to go! Little but consistent efforts producing great gains reminded me of a stream carving, over the eons, a deep and wide canyon. Keep it up. You're doing great. Those little pauses are you easing your grip on the rope to reach ahead, grab hold, and pull even harder!
Those are some great metaphors there. When I visit Watkin’s Glen over the summer, I’ll think of that. This is what all those morning walks and evening workouts are leading to. Thanks!
I can only imagine just how eye opening it was for your brother in law!!! Well done that is very inspiring!
Thanks. Yeah, my brother-in-law was pretty shocked at the condition he has gotten into. I was too about my own condition when I started trying to exercise five months ago.
woohoo thats an awesome feeling, congrats! Glad you were able to prove to the entire family all at once that your hard work has been paying off immensely and its not just the numbers on the scale that matter. GO you!!!
I've been trying this 1 Minutes rule thing. Have you heard of it? If it takes you less than one minute to do it, just do it now.. Not later. Some days I find myself doing a million 30 second tasks and I feel unproductive but when I stop to look around my house is less cluttered and I'm spending less time cleaning up or wasting on one specific thing in the long run.
I feel like I’ve heard something similar before. I want to say that Tim Ferris recommends that basic idea in his four or five hour work week book (I can’t remember the exact title).
That sounds like a great habit to consciously practice for an entire month. By the end of the month it will probably be a pretty established part of your lifestyle. I need to put that into practice when it comes to asking for things and communicating plans. I always wait for the right moment, or the quieter moment, or until the kids are’t around, but more often than not it doesn’t work out.
I am the same way! I like to wait for opportune moments, but sometimes that moment never occurs and my communication is stuck in my head. Must be where a lot of my anxiety stems from - all those important thoughts that I'm keeping organized until the right time to let them out hahaha.
I think like the one minute rule, if things can be said, they probably should be at the first opportunity. I’ll work on that this week.
Let me know what you think! At first it makes me feel crazy, but as the day goes on I appreciate it.
I didn’t stick with this one very long so it’s back to the drawing board to try again;)
hahaha yeah its hard. And I still feel crazy when Im half in the middle of a project and I stop to do 4 less than one minute tasks. I get too distracted, I could do a zillion 10 second tasks before getting back to what I should be doing. So...I also have a new method. I dont stop myself if I feel the need to do a 30 second thing, but if I start getting anxious and scattered, I write the task down in my book for tomorrow. Chances are I get to it later today, or even 5 minutes after ive written it down, but it lets my mind relax and not have to worry about forgetting the small thing. And no pressure because I've chosen tomorrow as the deadline, and not the current day.
Very inspiring story !
i also started making a change in my life not too long ago, I also started working out daily after work and have managed to do it on daily basis 6 days a week for more then a month by now. Hopefully i will continue this journey and make a change not just for me but to show my family also im more dedicated!
i think by being able to be more disciplined in a positive way, you will also influence others positively somehow.
That’s great! Keep it up. Proving to yourself that you can remain dedicated to your goals creates an amazing feeling. And I think, as you said, that it really can have positive effects on the people who are near you.
Week 20 ! 体重が80キロを以下を維持されていることに満足されているようで良かったです。
私は @boxcarblueさんがこの企画を楽しんでいるように感じています。
楽しんでいますよ。ちゃんと運動を続くと良い気持ちが出ます。そして、毎週こういう記事を書くと自分が感じていることや発見していることを深く知られます。