The past few months have taught me a very valuable lesson. A lesson that I am still working on mastering fully, but a lesson that I wanted to share with you nonetheless. This lesson has been in patience.

As Americans, we learn day-in and day-out that we are living in a fast paced world and we better keep up. Everyday, new options become available to make resources bigger, faster, and more readily available to consumers.

If we want something, WE WANT IT NOW. Fitness goals are no different. People are constantly searching for a magic pill, a quick fix or an easy solution to obtain the goals that they want. I have fallen victim to this NUMEROUS times, and the best lesson I have learned is that the best things are worth the wait. The best results take a lot of time, a lot of effort, and even more PATIENCE.

I know you do. WE ALL DO.
But I’m here to explain why your “fitness journey” should really be titled your “patience journey”.

A couple weeks ago, I was at the gym with my beautiful friend Tina. Tina is a 5 foot 3 ball of fire. She is one of the strongest, most inspiring, passionate and incredible women I know. (She also wants it to be known that she is an undefeated handstand champion–completely irrelevant, but feel free to challenge her to a contest if you think you’ve got her beat)

Tina has always been someone that I could look up to or turn to for fitness advice and guidance, and this time at the gym was no different. We were right in the middle of our lift when I turned to her and said “I love this whole ‘building phase’ since I can eat a lot and lift really heavy, but BOY I sure can’t wait until it’s time to cut down and reveal all of my hard work. I know it’ll suck, but I just want to be lean.”

I looked up at Tina like a lost puppy dog, and it was at that very moment I knew my life was about to drastically change.

Okay, so that was a TAD dramatic, but it makes for a better story. ANYWAYS…. Tina smiled and said

“Look at it this way… Don’t think of your time right now as a “countdown” to when you get lean, or even as a timeline for when you will start cutting or look a certain way. Think of right now as a lesson in patience. Think of it as a time where you will challenge your self control and your ability to WAIT for success rather than wanting immediate results. Immediate results are impulsive and don’t last. PATIENCE in your success will ultimately reap the most long-term benefits, and you will have the chance to learn SO MUCH about yourself along the way”

BOOM. Just like that.

Suddenly my “road to fitness success” turned into a huge lesson in patience and will-power. I may want it NOW, but I will be much happier looking back on my progress if I have PATIENCE and go about it the RIGHT way.

I know that sometimes it feels like you are making no progress. It feels like the results are taking forever or like all of your effort is being wasted. But I am here to tell you right now that it’s NOT. You aren’t going to see changes over night, you might not even see changes in a week or perhaps even in a month. The body is a wonderful, amazing, beautiful creation, but remember that it is still HUMAN and that the best results take the most time. Quick fixes and immediate results also yield quick “relapses” and immediate problems. ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY, and human flesh and muscle takes longer to assemble than bricks and concrete.

BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF. LOVE YOURSELF EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. FORGIVE YOURSELF WHEN YOU MAKE MISTAKES, and above all else, remember that THE BEST THINGS ARE WORTH THE WAIT.

Til next time, xoxo
Mac