Physically empowering yourself
Why should you want to change your physical appearance? Maybe you want to be bigger across the shoulders and chest. Maybe you want to be leaner so you can attract a better partner. Or maybe you just want to feel better and wear those jeans you haven’t been able to fit into for a while. If you’re reading this you’ve probably figured out that your physicality within society sets you apart from the pack. Unfortunately for most of us, we’re just not born with it. It needs to be earned.
You already know what it takes to change your appearance and physique. And that’s effort. Others seem to possess and maintain a physique that the marketing profession has elevated to such a point, where unless you’re a professional athlete, it is almost impossible to attain. So, let’s get realistic. As a man who cares about his health and well-being, trying to look like a male model in a fitness magazine is unrealistic. The amount of time and discipline those men dedicate to maintaining that appearance is a full-time job within itself. You don’t have time to work out twice a day for 2-3 hours each session whilst living off seven meals a day of steamed chicken and broccoli.
Your first challenge is to stop worrying about how you look or what people might think at this stage. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you start. Confucius once said ‘a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step’. Your first step needs to be towards eating healthier (that’s another blog) and making small changes in your daily routine. Trying to make a massive correction all at once doesn’t work. It actually sets you up for failure because huge change is unsustainable and it needs to habitual. Before diving deep on diet, let’s just cut out excessive sugar and start exercising.
Small changes matter
The cutting out of sugar can start just by not adding it to drinks like coffee or tea. Start there and then progress to cutting out carbonated drinks. More on that later, but right now it’s about starting to get more active. It’s nothing to be afraid of and you can do it today. Just start walking. If you’re coming off the couch and that’s the best you can achieve, then start there. Walk for at least 30 minutes a day every day, either morning or night for the first week. You don’t even need fancy shoes yet. Just walk at a brisk pace where you maintain an elevated heart rate and respiratory rate for the whole 30 minutes. If you’re so overweight that your confidence is shot and you worry what you look like, do it at night. But do it. Walk everyday like your life depends on it. Because it does.
Now that you’re out and hitting the road every day, start documenting your walks with a fitness application on your smart phone. Download one like ‘Strava’ and create a profile. You don’t need to share it if you don’t want to, but I recommend you do. Think about accountability and the positive reaction your friends will have when they see you are stepping up and swiping your man card. You’ll be able to see after just one week that your 30 minute walks are now starting to cover longer distances in the same time. The results you’ll see in ‘Strava’ will give you a little more motivation to walk faster.
Your confidence will start to grow and you’ll want to do more. Why? Because men are naturally competitive and need to be. Embrace it and start competing against yourself and your own doubts. Then step up your game to walking twice a day. Morning and night. Don’t over think it. Just do it. Sacrifice a little sleep and get out there whilst you start the day in a positive way.
Give yourself no excuses
Right now if you’re walking for a total of one hour a day and you’ve cut away all the extra sugar you should start feeling better. Be confident and don’t overthink it. Of course your physical goals will take time, effort and sacrifice. Anything worth aspiring to takes those things. Especially time. Don’t start thinking there are get ripped quick programs. They don’t exist. You have to put the work in. Your goal should be to start making small changes right now. Later will take care of itself.
Doing something physically difficult is important for men to do every day.
Go!