Leading By Example

Leading By Example

Leading By Example

So while January starts to bite and the early doors motivation starts to slip, it’s important to take a moment and refocus. What has gone well over the last 10 days or so that you would like to build on and what was harder than you thought?

When setting out to change your lifestyle, lose weight or perform at a new sporting level we all know it can’t be done in a week. The old cliché rings true “Rome was not built in a day”.
Reflect on you initial successes and build on them in the coming days and weeks. Don’t dwell on the slip up’s and struggles, if you had a drink then let it go. After all the only failure is stopping altogether.

Ask yourself if you followed the plan you set out last week? For example did you follow up with planning your meals as intended, did you get out for a run with your friend as planned? Whatever it was you intended on doing, take the steps needed now to make it a reality in the next few days.

Leading by Example

Now those familiar with this blog will know I always try to reframe problems, struggles and thinking around lifestyle change. I also value the importance of leading by example. I never make light of the fact that my own weight issues growing up have had a significant impact on how I think and how I motivate my clients today. I understand these struggles as I still walk the same path today despite my position as a fitness professional.

It is for this reason that I think its important that I lead by example to inspire and show it can be done. Last year as many of you know was all about running a successful New York Marathon while balancing the demands of running my busy business Fundamentally FIT.

Building of the back of 2017 I have set myself an even loftier goal and one I have dreamt about doing for many many years. 2017 will see me return to the world of Triathlon racing. For those who are unfamiliar with triathlon, this is a single endurance race that includes swimming, cycling and running, each completed consecutively.

I have set myself the goal of qualifying for the Great Britain team for the 2017 World Championships. Triathlon allows amateurs to compete in age group races and compete for qualifying slots for the year end championships. Age groups are broken down into brackets meaning you must race your peers in the age group you are allocated. Each Age group carries a set number of qualifying slots and each will be hotly contended.

As I sit here writing this today my 2017 could not have started worse in the pursuit of my goal. I have suffered as many have with a terrible cough and cold meaning I have not trained for over a week. My cooker also broke down meaning that all of our meals have been cooked on a single burner camping stove and a lot of soup and bread, which is less than ideal.

It could have been very easy to eat out, or dial in takeaways over the last week. But we didn’t. Despite some real temptation my goals for 2017 are far too important. I knew that in the first week of the year the best thing I could do was rest, keep hydrated and eat as well as possible. This would get me back on my feet as quickly as possible and then I could start putting in the real training.

I could have tried to train though the illness but this would have been fruitless and miserable. I would likely still be unwell now as it would have supressed my immune system further. Focusing on health, hydration and healthy eating made for a successful week one despite the lack of training.

Now the goal of qualifying is by no means a full gone conclusion. I would love to write the follow up blog in May and say I have been successful, however the field will be mightily competitive and I will need five months of solid consistent training just to be in contention. This means managing my diet, training, home life and of course the fast growing Fundamentally FIT and my clients.

This is not going to be an easy goal in any way, but it is achievable. I will keep you all posted on my training and progress along the way. The fact that this goal gives me butterflies and makes me anxious means it’s the right challenge.

So ask yourself the same question, does your goal make you a little anxious and nervous? Do you feel like it’s achievable if you work hard enough but know it won’t just happen by luck or chance?

If you answered yes the only thing between you and success is consistency, hard work and an attitude that just won’t take no for an answer. If your goals don’t make you feel like this then maybe go back and give them a rethink to see how you can really get the fires of motivation burning hot in 2017.

Good Luck and I will see you on the starting line.

By Andy Strong
Fundamentally FIT Ltd

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