I firmly believe in two things:
You learn from other’s experiences or you learn from your own.
Now, everyone is different. Not everyone can watch a video on being a successful entrepreneur and snap their fingers--BOOM! You own a billion-dollar company.
That’s not how life works, sadly, not that you can’t work your butt off and quit your full-time corporate job and work from home.
As I said, it depends on the individual.
BUT--
As an individual that has had to learn most of everything she knows from grasping straws and hoping they’ll stick, I believe it would be a disservice to not share with others trying to better themselves.
I’m going to debunk a few myths that are constantly making rounds online and by mouth.
1. Weightlifting does NOT make you look like a man.
This one drives me INSANE. I’ve found that the older generation firmly resides in this fact that weightlifting will without a doubt cause you to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and that the only way to lose weight (WHICH ALSO BUGS ME! The goal should be to lose FAT not weight, but anyway) is to starve yourself.
I’m going to tell you now--stop. STOP thinking like that. Get rid of that misinformation spouted to you when you were a kid/young adult, whatever, that was mainly used to get women to buy all of these impractical detox teas, waist trainers, and all that other crap. It’s a cycle used to take advantage of women so that we can spend MORE money to conform to society’s ideals. Don’t fall for it. Stop. PLEASE.
The ONLY way to get that big is to not only train hard and consistently, but your nutrition/macros need to be specifically catered to those needs (i.e. caloric surplus--meaning eating above your BMR/maintenance calories/more than your body needs).
2. Progressive Overload is a NECESSITY
In simpler terms, if you’re not challenging yourself then you’re not going to see a whole lot of results. If you don't use it, you lose it.
Our body naturally adapts, it does this to survive. God knows we need to adapt to survive in Florida’s heat or Pennsylvania’s cold weather. Without it, we wouldn’t have survived this long.
Progressive Overload can come in different forms.
For example:
Instead of 3 sets add another set (4 sets)
Instead of 10 reps. Add 5 (15 reps/repetitions)
If you normally use a 10 lb weight, switch it up and make it 15 lb.
Do you jump squat for 20 seconds normally? Make it 30 seconds.
Time under tension (TUT)--slow down your eccentric motion (lowering motion/phase)--ex. 4 seconds lowering phase into a squat rather than 1 second. OR 3 seconds lowering phase in the bicep curl.
3. No one cares what you look like at the gym.
Unless you’re hogging the squat rack, texting your buddies, and scrolling through TikTok, then no one cares (unless they wanna hit on you/admire your physique, which happens).
The gym is a place to work on YOU. Everyone starts somewhere. I know it seems impossible, that you will never get where you want to be but let me tell you something.
That fit chick over there that you’ve been staring at and admiring?
They were at their lowest 5 years ago and they took a stand, not for anyone but THEMSELF. They wanted change, needed it. BAD. And they worked for it, to get where they are now.
If they can do it, why can’t you?
“Don’t let Satan steal your joy”--my mother told me this when I was 19 years old, struggling to find myself after being cut from my college volleyball team. This will forever stick with me.
Don’t let others get in the way of your success. What I mean by that is---
don’t let other’s ideals, opinions, and comments chip away at your motivation to better yourself.
This is your journey, not theirs.
Hope this article helped you in your fitness journey! Remember to do your research!
Comentarios