Weight lost: 1-2ish lbs.
What went right: Pretty much everything. I’m still struggling to get in my classic bodybuilding inspired strength workouts but otherwise I’m accomplishing all of my physical and nutritional goals. This month there’s a badge on Garmin that can be earned by completing 10,000 steps a day for 10 consecutive days. I had already earned the Marvel one for running back in May so I figured might as well do this one.
Now, last year I managed to maintain a 10,000 steps/day streak for something like 10-months. I also managed to keep my weight under control in this time. At times, this meant walking around my house during a hurricane. It was ridiculous but I did it. I was motivated. Getting steps in was easy. But that was all I was doing. One night, I saw pictures of myself from when I was an aspiring natural bodybuilder just a few years prior and became dejected. I was so close to achieving the physique I wanted but became disenchanted with the number of people in the gym pushing PEDs and internet personalities leading people on with false expectations of what was really achievable naturally. So like any normal person faced with a harsh reality I quit. Then the pandemic happened…blah blah blah. After that night of self loathing, remembering what was – I went ahead and quit my step streak. Ah, a pattern emerges! I was supposed to use the step focus/time and reestablish my weight lifting routine and motivation. It didn’t happen and well, here we are.
The thing I learned through this yo-yo process is that motivation is completely individual and reliant on essentially a personal perfect storm. What works in one instance, for me at least, may not work in the next. It’s critical to find the things that motivate you and obsess about them in as positively of a way as possible.
On Thursday I hit the 10th consecutive day of 10,000 steps and earned my badge. It was a great distraction during such a crazy week. It was something that I decided to do and it kept me motivated despite the challenges during the week.
What went wrong: This was an incredibly stressful week between work and home. To try to de-stress after work, we went for some long walks at Disney Springs. This also meant indulging in a little Pizza Ponte. However, despite it all – the last beer was had on Sunday. So as I sit here on Saturday night – I have successfully made it one week without caving.
