Do you find yourself wondering why your friend who never passes on a slice of pizza stays thin as a rail? You are giving up on even trying because you just never seem to get close to seeing real progress? Or are you maybe working really hard barely keeping your head above water with work/life balance and you are literally too exhausted to even think about hitting the gym. Falling out of shape is something most of us have done at one point or another. Rather than an immediate event, it usually involves a process that is gradually fed by biological, emotional, and societal factors. Let’s unpack this multi-dimensional journey and see how we can shift the focus from self-criticism to authentic health and joy.
The Gradual Decline: How It Happens
So you’ve skipped one day and feel guilty, but two months later, you start skipping gym a week at a time, and before you know it, you think I am wasting my time – it’s not worth it. It seems so minor at the time. But then time passes, and these small decisions turn into habits. This phenomenon is what I refer to as the snowball effect of inertia. Soon the self-doubt creeps in, and the internal monologue starts to be more ruthless:
What’s the point, anyway? I’ll never get back to where I was. This can breed a toxic spiral, so it goes, for many, as a factor of feeling stuck.
The Role of Metabolism and Genetics
Yes! It does play a big role no matter what “Big Rick” from “Muscles Before Brains” is telling you. It simply is not as simple as calories in and calories out. Each body is so unique it can never be compared. Before beating yourself up about it, know that biology does play a part. People don’t have the same metabolic rate, and genetic background plays an important role in how fat is laid down and burned. While some people naturally tend to gain fat with ease, others can hardly add one pound to their body weight regardless of their calorie intake.
Consistency Over Perfection
Ditch the all-or-nothing mentality of workouts since you really do not need to alter everything in a split second. In time, small, achievable changes create huge impact. A basic example would be this: instead of immediately setting an hour-long workout each day, try just moving your body for 10 minutes, whether it is a quick walk around the block, stretching or doing compound movements with your fabric resistance bands up to you. A useful mantra: Some movement is better than none. Some progress is better than no progress. Even on low-motivation days, showing up for yourself- even briefly -keeps the habit alive.
The Power of Small Wins
One of the more forgotten pieces of getting back into a routine is giving yourself permission to celebrate the small wins. Ran for a minute longer than last week? Give yourself a high-five. Cooked a healthy meal instead of ordering in? That’s a win. Each success further convinces you that you are actually capable of changing. And change begets more change. Once you start to notice what’s working for you-better sleep, better mood, or more stamina-then you’ll want to continue. Slowly, these small wins build into durable habits.
Final Thoughts: Your Journey, Your Rules
Stop feeling shame for where you are at! Stop punishing yourself! Stop thinking it is all or nothing! A six-pack is not necessary – and let’s be real – the dad bod is making such a comeback that soon, the six-pack will be unpopular. The point is forming healthy habits makes you feel good which in turn heightens your quality of life. Your take on it might be as unique as you are.
Featured Image from Pexels
We hope you enjoyed this post on why and how people fall out of shape. If you have found yourself out of shape recently, do not despair. All is not lost! Please let us know any tips and tricks you have found useful if you’ve gotten out of shape in the comments below.
