Is it your season?
Is it the right time for you to focus on a fitness goal?
Is it a good time to plunge into a fat loss phase?
We hear it all the time in social media posts…
“Now is the perfect time!”.
“No time like the present!”
But I beg to differ.
Now is not always the best time to have a fitness or a fat loss goal.
Fitness, much like life, often ebbs and flows.
And all that really means is that there’ll be times in our lives when there’s actually too much on our plate.
Someone in our family needs more of our time.
Work is more demanding.
A divorce is pending.
The illness of a loved one places an extra burden on us.
Our kids require more of our time.
And yes, life simply gets in the way.
So maybe… just maybe, hopping on a fat loss goal or trying to squeeze in fitness may not be the best idea for you in this season.
Here’s the thing… I am 100% totally in favor of prioritizing health, wellness, fitness and performance goals.
Consistency is key. Every small bit counts.
I preach this all the time!
But I know in my life, there have been seasons where the last thing I’ve wanted to do is workout.
My mental headspace was too crowded with way too much that a workout actually felt too overwhelming in that moment.
So what should we do?
Do we just ditch the healthy fit life when things get hairy?
Maybe yes. Maybe no.
How do we know we’re not just making excuses but actually cannot (or should not) set a new goal ?
Ask yourself these 3 questions to help guide you when you’re on the fence:
If I’m in an emotional or stressful situation… what daily movement will benefit me more, a walk, a lifting session or just some easy stretches? Visualize yourself doing each one and determine which one helps to relieve the stress best… then do it.
If I take a full week off from training/exercising, what benefits can follow? What issues might arise?
If now isn’t the right time for goal-setting, when in the weeks or months to come will it be a better time? Look at your calendar and see where things may be smoother sailing for you.
Friendly Reminders…
Life is not always smooth sailing. In fact it often isn’t.
Fitness goals can often be put on the back-burner… and that’s totally OK and normal!
From a mental health perspective, sometimes pulling back is what’s needed in order to move forward.
Both training and being in a caloric deficit are stressors. And if your life is currently in a stressful state, maybe the last thing you need to do is compound it by adding more to your plate.
Final Thoughts:
Sure, working out can absolutely be a stress reliever. Even a small dose can make a big difference in our mood, perspective and hormonal balance.
Of course, following a healthy nutrition plan that yields fat loss results is amazing. Eating nutrient dense foods is the foundation for fat loss.
BUT sometimes we need to take audit and be clinical about what we want and if in fact, it will benefit us… at this time.
Knowing when it’s the right season for change and when it may not be is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle journey!
Give yourself the grace when you need it.
Your body and mind will thank you.
What season are you in?
Coach Lisa
