How I Finally Got In Shape
I’m a software engineer and I spend my days (and many nights) sitting at a desk building software. After years of eating pizza, drinking pop, and failing to take care of myself, I had put on about 30 pounds of weight and was very unhappy with the way I looked and felt day-in and day-out. I told myself for years that “this will be the year I lose this weight and get in shape.” Sound familiar? I was only 29 years old, and I was shocked to realize that I had spent my twenties as an overweight, unhappy person. I was lazy and uninspired to change my lifestyle.
While I was in college, I made some great friends that introduced me to two sports that changed my life completely: rock climbing and snowboarding. All through college, I was an avid snowboarder and climber. But by the time I started working full-time jobs, I found myself going to the mountains less and less until I was only snowboarding a few times a season as opposed to a few times a week.
Once I started making some real money out of college, I took trips out west to snowboard in British Columbia and Colorado. I could get down anything on any mountain I visited, but I was constantly injuring my back and lamenting the fact that I couldn’t ride as well as I wanted to.
Two years ago, I got really serious about climbing and decided to seek out some training from qualified guides and instructors. I was head-over-heels in LOVE with the sport, but I was terribly weak and knew that I didn’t have what it took to climb as much as I wanted to.
Something had to change. Seriously. I was dying if I couldn’t enjoy these two sports, which were at the center of my universe.
One regular day, quite unexpectedly, I was browsing Facebook and was blindsided by inspiration. A friend-of-a-friend shared a video of Steve Cook performing a hypertrophy workout on his arms. I watched in awe as he completed his workout. I was immediately impressed by his attitude and effective and friendly teaching style. Here, on this random day, I had found a mentor and my life has been completely changed.
The very next day, I was at the gym.
Now, this wasn’t the first time I had started an exercise program. The last time I was in the gym was two years ago and this had lasted for about eight months. How was I sure that this time would be any different? I wasn’t. However, I did have something this time around that would prove to be a game-changer for me: My absolute love for climbing and my newfound will to overcome any obstacle that would prevent me from enjoying my time in the mountains.
That was seven months ago. As I write this story, I’m still in my gym clothes from this morning’s workout and I can tell you that this go-around IS different. My motivation is ten times stronger today than it was on my first day and I’ve changed my lifestyle so much that I know there’s no going back.
On my way home from the gym this morning, I decided that it was time for me to pay it forward and make an attempt to share with others what has worked for me, hoping that it will inspire you, too.
Figure out what motivates you
For me, it was climbing and snowboarding. For you, it could be anything. The truth is that it doesn’t matter—just figure out what makes you truly happy and focus on it. I don’t know how else to put it other than to say, “you’ll know it when it hits you.” Your motivator is exactly that: YOUR motivator. This is something for you and only you. It’s special. Make sure it’s rock-solid because it’ll be the foundation for everything you do from here.
Find a mentor
For me, it was Steve Cook and eventually Arnold Schwarzenegger. Neither of these guys are climbers or snowboarders, but they are wonderful, inspiring teachers who brought out the absolute best in me. I spent a LOT of time watching Steve Cook’s videos on YouTube and learning from him. I’ve benefitted from seeing Steve’s and Arnold’s outstanding work ethic. Personally, I got more out of their work ethic than I did from learning specific exercises or anything else.
Recognize that it’s going to be a lifestyle change
Beginning an exercise program was about more than dragging my ass to the gym a few days a week. I had to change the way I lived my life. I had to get used to getting up at 5 AM every day and driving 20 minutes to my gym. I had to get used to constantly being sore. My family had to get used to dealing with near-constant moans and groans as I recovered from my workouts. I had to change the way I ate and the way I shopped for food. My attitude had to change completely.
It’s impossible to fail
I’ve had so many days where the alarm went off at 5 and I just turned it off. I still eat pizza and I still skip days where I had planned to work out. So what? There’s no finish line here. The journey is the destination. Blah blah blah. It’s true. I’m not going to let a bad day discourage me. I wouldn’t even call them “bad” days—it’s life. If your motivator is strong enough, you’ll be back at the gym tomorrow and you won’t worry about a thing. Don’t worry about failure because you’re not going to fail.
You’re working for yourself
Unless you’re self-employed, you’re probably working 40 hours a week for someone else. Your time at the gym is the time you spend working for yourself. This isn’t for your spouse or significant other. It’s not for your friends or your family. It’s for you. Build some excitement about that fact and it’ll help you exceed any goal you set for yourself.
Don’t worry about what other people are doing
Everyone is different. The guy next to you at the gym might be lifting more weight than you are. So what? You’re not him and he’s not you. You’re there to achieve your own goals and he’s there to achieve his. What should be important to you is working hard and keeping your focus.
Train your mind harder than your body
For my sports, it’s important to have mental toughness. The same goes for your exercise program. If you’re lacking the discipline to stick to your personal commitments, you won’t be able to get out of the house to exercise. If you don’t know the proper way to train, you’ll constantly be suffering from injuries. Spend time learning about your body and how to care for it. Take in all of the information you can find about muscles, nutrition, exercise, and supplementation. Do all of this in the name of your motivator. I never personally cared about nutrition until I realized the deep connection it had to climbing and snowboarding.
Find what works for you
This process never stops. What worked for you last week might not work for you this week. Get used to the fact that it’s not always going to be business-as-usual. You might not be too excited to get up at 5 and head straight to the gym like I do. That’s FINE! Just go. If you go after work and can’t stand how busy the gym is, use that as motivation to get up early and go tomorrow. It takes time to find the right balance for everything—your budget, your work schedule, your time with your family. Everything will change.
I hope that one person finds inspiration in these words just as I found inspiration in Steve Cook’s hypertrophy training video. You’re the only one that can change your life and you’re the only one that knows if you’re working hard enough. Never forget that every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.
All things are temporary
It’s said that the only things in life that are certain are death and taxes. A few years ago, a friend of mine lost her husband suddenly to cancer. He was 37 years old and he had two small boys and lots of friends. One day, he was diagnosed with cancer and 10 months later, he was dead.
This story isn’t about my friend’s husband—it’s about you. You could be gone tomorrow or in 10 days or in 10 months. Why spend another moment of your time on earth unhappy? Resolve to use this day and all days ahead in a positive way and you’ll be a happy, healthy person.
