Find victory...

It's not a fight...It's a battle.

There we are, our day is going great. We're chugging along, happy, content...and then we realize we still have 30 minutes or more of exercise ahead of us. Even those of us that LOVE exercise still realize it's work and hard work at that.

All summer, exercise fit into my schedule only in the evening. I would arrive at the gym each evening; possibly grumbling, possibly floating...all depends on the day. After a few minutes of glad-handing my buddies, and other regulars, I headed to the locker room to change into my gear.

Changing may be the key to proper mindset. I always change into a set of workout clothes different than my street clothes (bear in mind, I wear workout clothes for a living). This is like a code switch in my mind. It's time to focus, time to exercise, time to forget what came before this time, ignore what will come after this time.

Right now I want all of you envisioning a slow motion scene with a powerful score playing in the background. I dress, I lace up my shoes, I pull on last years Hanuka gift (a Nike wrist-band watch, that does a better job of looking cool than it does telling time). My fingers run through my hair, I stand up, a little bead of sweat forms on my brow as I step onto the fitness floor. Yeah, that's a nice image. But in reality, it's how I feel. I feel like I'm suiting up for a battle.

This battle is not against another person, it's against the intangible, the invisible. This battle is between me, and myself. Can I push it harder, can I go further, can I do more? Every workout is an adrenaline fueled battle royale (that's right, battle royale), but it's not a fight.

Don't view your exercise as a fight. A battle is glamorous and graceful. A fight is dirty and low-brow. You're journey in creating that perfect you, whatever perfect is, is a glamorous and graceful battle.

Once your dressed for battle, the actual battle tends to smear hazily by. In what might seem like the flutter of a humming-birds wings, you'll be out the door. You'll might feel satisfied. You'll might feel defeated, vanquished...but ultimately, no matter how you feel...you ARE victorious. Every workout completed, every clean meal eaten, every step taken, every minute off the couch is a victory.

So, like I said...it's not a fight, it's a battle.
--BA
Fit2You Fitness, LLC
www.fit2youfitness.com
Philadelphia and Main-Line In Home Personal Training, Yoga, Nutrition and Corporate Health and Wellness