Process over Outcome.. Keep it Going:)

Written by: Stephen James CPT at Prescription Fitness (CLE, Ohio)

The human body demands patience of us when we try to make changes to it or make changes to our normal routine. What patience looks like in this scenario is having the understanding that the results may not come as fast as you want or happen in a nice linear fashion. This is why it is important to focus on the process that will lead to the outcome you desire instead of just focusing on the end result.

For one, when we are striving to make changes to our bodies the commitment to having a certain look or feel has to be a life-long commitment otherwise you will end up right back where you started. If you have a certain goal in mind related to say, strength or body composition, reaching that desired goal does not mean you can stop doing what got you to the end from where you started. Sure you accomplished the goal that you set for yourself, but you still have to maintain the habits and actions that got you there in the first place. So, while you are on your journey towards a desired destination, take pride in and celebrate the small steps and habits that put you on the right path. Control the things that are under your control. For example, if someone wanted to lose 20 pounds to achieve their desired body composition, or look, it would be important to focusing on all of the positive steps that will lead them into the direction they want to go. That means you should be celebrating good habits like working out a certain number of days per week, choosing to have your food grilled instead of fried when out a restaurant, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator versus only celebrating when the scale shows you lost a pound. All of those small “wins” add up over the long term and will make maintaining each new level of improvement easier to maintain.

Our bodies can be stubborn at times to change because we are creatures of habit and routine. It can be very easy for someone to drive themselves crazy checking on improvement towards their goal after a great day or two of great decision making only to have nothing to show for it. So instead of getting caught up in the lack of a result from those efforts, congratulate yourself on working your butt off and realize that doing that repeatedly over time will lead to the results you are looking for. The basics that lead to creating changes in the body, activity and food intake, are under your own control at all times so take ownership of where your ship is sailing and focus on enjoying the journey heading towards the destination.