First You Have to Start

“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”

If you want to get to your goals you have to do the hardest thing ever, start. It doesn’t come from a fancy gym, new gym clothes or 100% organic food to succeed. Success comes from you doing what you can with the things you have! You can have just as much success with your goals working out in your living room in your pajamas and eating frozen veggies as you can at the hottest gym wearing $100 leggings and shopping all organic.

Let’s break down the quote above because I think it says more than it says;

“Start where you are”

You must start in order to finish; you must have a point of beginning. Guess what? The best time is now, not when the new year comes, not when the month is over, not Monday. When you wait you just are creating an excuse not to do it, giving life more time to insert itself in the way. When you start you are going to have a hard time at first, you are going to be unmotivated most days and feel like its not working. Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes to get into the shape you want or to make the changes you desire. It takes time to reach goals but when you start you have done the hardest part and the part most people don’t do.

“Use what you have”

You can make many strides with zero equipment and no gym membership. If you do not have access to anything you have a gym of your own, your body. Strength can be gained from body weight exercises, becoming leaner can also happen, you can gain more coordination and balance, you can also achieve bigger muscles. One thing to understand is you are just starting out, once you reach a point of feeling like you need more, you can find other things to use for weight! Filling a backpack or bag with books, empty milk jugs filled with water, even just laundry soap. Creativity is important if you are trying to challenge yourself at home.

“Do what you can”

When you first start you won’t be the fastest, strongest, flexible or most agile. You may look silly doing many of the exercises, that is completely alright! Over time you get better and the technique gets easier to understand. Let yourself be a beginner, a newbie, let yourself learn a new skill of exercise. You also may not cook as great either, you may burn things, may not look like a pretty plate either, if it’s a healthy built plate 80% of the time who the heck cares! All that matters is how it tastes not how it looks!

If you are doing the best, you can then you are already succeeding! Your best is all anyone can ask, even yourself. Keep pushing, keep trying and you will get better and better the more you try.

So when you are unsure of staring and are scared or nervous what will happen when you do start just remember “Start where you are, Use what you have, Do what you can” and as always keep it simple and Be Fit. Be Well.