A Reminder To Play The Long Game
Summer is here. Don't let this season be the only season you care about your body.
Good Morning!
Buckle Up. It’s a long one today. How do we like the 7:30 a.m. EST delivery time, by the way?
As this newsletter grows, I must remind subscribers that fitness is not a seasonal thing constantly — it is a lifestyle element (more on this phraseology in a few paragraphs) that you keep up with.
But the dominant narrative is that if you “just show up” and continue to “just show up” for however many days, you’ll get to where you want to be. Easy enough, right?
The problem with this line of thinking is that showing up the same way every day doesn’t always happen, and it lacks a lot of nuances that come with the average human’s life nowadays.
Work schedules change. People evolve. Illnesses happen. Certain things will get in the way, making it impossible to “just show up” some days.
Here’s a thought: the “grindset,” or the idea that you have to outperform your fears to achieve what you want, is incredibly overrated.
Yet it’s still being pushed by trainers everywhere. This post from The New York Times earlier this year goes as far as to say, “Trainers recommend increasing exercise intensity 10% per week.”
If the person who wrote that caption knew how hard an extra 10% a week was, they’d know that that’s a heinous overprescription of exercise progression.
Here’s how we’re challenging that narrative today, with examples of people who’ve achieved Long-Term Fitness.
How to Develop Long-Term Fitness
There are a few myths we need to bust about getting (and staying) in shape before we start to establish a baseline for Long-Term Fitness. These aren’t just myths that professionals tell us. They are the ones that are perpetuated because we tell them to ourselves, too.
Myth #1: You must be voraciously committed to always doing the work and determined never to slow down.
This is a recipe for relapse and feels exclusive to those militaristic minds with built-in discipline. Many will steer clear if we reinforce the idea that fitness is only for the ultra-committed.
Myth #2: Every last workout you perform has to be disgustingly intense, to the point that sweat is dripping everywhere and you’re struggling to move your limbs.
Workouts will occasionally look like this, but if you’re not undulating the intensities and going easy with training, you’re not leaving your body ample time to recover. This can set you backward.
Myth #3: If fitness is not a large part of your lifestyle, you must make it part to succeed.
This one feels genuine, but the language is off. Fitness doesn’t have to be an all-out lifestyle, but it should fit your life.
The word lifestyle implies it becomes a part of who you are. Too many people are too preoccupied with their careers, families, and other goals to make exercising a part of their identity. But those same people can be “in shape” and practice Long-Term Fitness without surrendering parts of their lives.
When developing a habit for Long-Term Fitness, there are five pillars to consider. Even if you can’t confidently adhere to one of them, try to check off as many boxes as you can. Which brings me to number one.
Adaptability
Now that we understand that no workout is going to look the same and that life can potentially get in the way of things, we need to become adaptable.
Humans are some of the most adaptable creatures ever from an evolutionary standpoint. When conditions for exercise change, we will need to rationalize with ourselves:
“Okay, we are moving, and I need to find a new gym. What’s closest to my new home with all the necessary equipment?”
“I’m coming off an injury that sidelined me for six months. What’s the lowest level of strenuous activity I can do without re-injuring myself while I regain strength and confidence?”
These are ways to make fitness fit your life. Circumstances change, but a response to the circumstances will always determine Long-Term Fitness.
Consistency
Now that we know consistency doesn’t necessarily mean the same monotonous routine every single day, we can define consistency for ourselves.
That can mean every other day, a certain number of times per week, a certain number of hours per week, or even a certain number of minutes, depending on how meticulous you are.
Studies have consistently shown that Americans don’t meet the minimum requirements for strength and resistance training every week, but those studies are also self-reported and don’t tell the whole picture.
When we factor in long walks, daily activity, and other non-traditional fitness metrics, we realize that we have the potential to be more active than we think.
Tracking these things in a journal, a vision board or an app on your phone is a great way to build consistency for long-term fitness.
Make it Enjoyable
Now that we know every workout needn’t be painstakingly awful, we can figure out ways to make exercise fun. If you are working with a coach, make sure you like that person and that they have a good conversation during your sessions. I don’t consider it a successful session unless I’ve made my client laugh at least once.
Find a recreational sport to play. If you’re pressed for time, see how much you can do within a short window (this isn’t ALWAYS fun). Make your exercise reward-driven. If you complete all your push-ups, treat yourself to a snack. Yes, I’m serious.
For the full list of pillars, please consider upgrading to paid. Thank you for reading! See you on Tuesday.
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