The Times They Are A-Changin
Re-release blog by Brad Carroll! We are bringing this one back as it is so relevant to our current Winter Transformation Challengers! A great read enjoy!
The Times They Are A-Changin
“Come gather ‘round people wherever you roam, and admit that the waters around you have grown, and accept that it soon you’ll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you is worth savin’, then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone, for the times they are a-changin’”
Bob Dylan
Change is everywhere and it is inevitable. It is also very confronting and daunting at times but without change, we do not learn and thus do not grow as people.
We are currently into the 4th week of the challenge and this should be the time that you should start witnessing changes with your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. You hopefully can start noticing little changes in your physical appearance such as looser pants, going down a notch in the belt buckle and seeing little changes in posture and definition. Hopefully you have also noticed a change in your mental strength too. The discipline with your diet might be stronger or you have forced yourself to do a workout that you didn’t want to do at the time. These things have signified the start of brand new habits and thus causing change.
Personally, I have made a physical change. I have reacquainted myself with 6 long lost friends known as my abdominal muscles and the fat is shedding off me like one of those rotisserie chickens you see at a charcoal chicken. Feeling really great at this point in time and although the physical changes are noticeable, the mental changes is what I am most happy about. Meal preparation, diet, sacrifice and sticking to my plan has really been on point right now and I feel like I have more energy and focus in my life at this point.
Change is scary. Change is a bitch-slap from reality. Change is like getting pushed off the 10m diving platform at the pools when you didn’t really want to jump in the first place! But alas, change is the law of life and those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future. There has been a huge change at 4 U Body Fitness. I have seen people posting advice, recipes, meal ideas, workout results, jokes, motivational quotes, progress pictures, well wishes and the mood of all the trainers are buzzing because of this. We are all going through our own personal changes yet we have banded together to help each other take the next step and change our lives for the better. We have seen regulars post more, trainers post more and some new faces have opened up and let everybody into their personal journey which is a hard thing to do but we are all grateful for it. It might not seem like a massive deal but the process of change is not instant. How many times have you told yourself that this is the time that you are going to lose weight and 2 days later, you are neck-deep in a huge bowl of ice cream? I know that I have…sometimes I save myself the drama of getting a bowl altogether.
It is incredibly difficult to change and break your old habits. For the last 10 years, perhaps you consoled yourself with a block of Cadburys chocolate when you got a little bit sad or angry or depressed or anxious and now all of a sudden, you have to change and adapt your comfort zone to cater for this change. It is not easy at all. For some of you, the thought of standing of a set of scales sends chills down your spine and fear into your hearts and now all of a sudden, you have to get weighed in and face your fears. For some of you, the fear of not reaching the lofty goals that you have set for yourself over this 8 week challenge might be plaguing your mind but in the end, we are all willing to change in order to progress and better ourselves as people and find a little bit more self-acceptance and drive.
Change doesn’t come overnight. Change is ongoing and sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever. A client of mine who has been training with me for close to 2 years, didn’t change one bit physically over the first 12 months of training with me. There were too many obstacles that this person had to overcome on a mental standpoint and therefore was not willing to make the necessary changes to lose the weight and better their life. Then all of a sudden, something clicked. The knowledge that I rambled on for countless sessions and hours started to take effect and the willingness to accept change was evident to see. The weight started falling off. 75kg, 70kg, 65kg, 60kg. This person started running for leisure, making healthier choices with meals and was self-disciplined. Was this person doing everything perfect? Far from it but made the necessary changes to change their life and grow as a person because of their previous mistakes and their past. Your past moulds you into the person that you are today however it doesn’t define your future as you all have the strength and willpower to make changes to improve your quality of life. All of my clients have made positive changes for the better even if they haven’t realized it for themselves just yet.
You might have noticed change in your own journey over the first 3 weeks of the challenge. You might be a leaner, stronger, sexier version of yourself. You might have the discipline of a shaolin monk. You might show that sacrifice is not just evident in Nicolas Cage movies. You might have proved to yourself that not even the Gods themselves can stop you from being the best darn you that you can possibly be! You might not have noticed any of this yet… but don’t you worry. For the times they are a-changin.
“Time may change me, but I can’t trace time”
David Bowie
Brad Carroll
Mobile Personal Training Specialist
4 U Body Fitness
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