Break the Format. (GIF EDITION)

Real life can really suck. You work 40 hours a week at some job, you may or may not receive any satisfaction in and you come home with one thing on your mind. Relaxing. But wait! You wanted to work out today because you sincerely want to take a step towards being healthy, but you are understandably bushed and don't really want to go running. Hell, you might of planned on the morning but its day 3 of your work week and shit, you were tired even before heading to work.

Surprisingly Exhausting.

This is the part where sanctimonious assholes like Jim Wendler (RIP my respect for him) would tell you that your are some ineffectual weakling and you don’t' make things happen because you aren't dedicated. Which is, in short, FUCKING. BULLSHIT. There are people that beat themselves up daily (myself included) because we can't use all 24 hours in the day in a productive manner. When we miss those workouts, even though we were dead tired after work, we spend hours agonizing over how we fucked up. It's a vicious cycle, this curb-stomp routing on our self-esteem creates a feedback loop that really screws with being successful the next time around. Slippery slopes and shit. So, after running yourself into the same wall repeatedly blaming yourself for the wall being really sturdy and hard to break (this wall is a metaphor you see) what do you do? Seeing as you can't break it, you go around or you make the wall irrelevant, because this (metaphor) wall is the only thing standing in the way of your goals.

So close yet so far

This brings me to my point. Breaking the format, in which you find smart and great ways to pursue your goals without having to slog and grind your way through the wall. A really easy example of this is games like BandFuse and Rocksmith. Learning guitar can be a grind, memorizing chords, doing drills, and practicing scales over and over. Well, you've got video games that turn all that into fun games and activities. If you've played and enjoyed Rock Band and Guitar Hero this is infinitely more gratifying thanks to real world carryover. By making it fun, rewarding, and generally “addicting” you remove the willpower drain.

Diets on the other hand aren't so cut and dry. We tend to agonize and focus on them with such intensity that you can't help but get burned out on them. Plus, when you're having a trying day at work the last thing you want to do is slog through some fucking celery when what you really want is one of those donuts your coworkers picked up for everyone out of the kindness of their heart (and their unconfirmed hatred for your real heart). Situations like this repeat themselves for a month and suddenly you've ordered four full combos at your fast food eatery of choice, and have sent your diet packing with no hope of returning. There are ways to alleviate that stress however, a lot of people have done stuff as groups, always a good way to go, being part of a team is a very powerful motivator and can help alleviate some of the drain on your psyche. You aren't alone, you've people backing you up and going through the same stuff. This is a big reason why weight watcher is a thing. Also, just trying to be creative can be a huge piece make it more than just what you eat. Trying to make super tasty but healthy foods is a huge challenge to some, which helps fuel their dieting success. Make the food taste good and satisfying and suddenly dieting doesn't altogether suck anymore. Another simple way is to play it smart. IIFYM (If it fits your macros) is a diet protocol that basically states if at the end of the day your carbs, fat, and protein are in line then you are good to go. This diet works very well because it is very effective and hits all the right points. Start worrying about shit like “If its Paleo” after you've got down how much of each thing you should be ingesting.

I actually find this activity fun

Exercise is the only thing that you can't break the format. There is no miracle pill, there are video game like things you can subscribe too but at the end of the day its the means to the same end. YOU. YES YOU. HAVE TO BECOME PASSIONATE ABOUT WHATEVER EXERCISE THING YOU END UP DOING. PERIOD. I love DDR, it's a video game where as white person I can feel like I have rhythm by stepping on arrows at the right time.



 I can do it on a consistent basis because I love the game, this translates into consistent cardio workouts that I wouldn't normally get. Here's why its not “breaking the format” so to say, because it is the same motivation that people train for Iron Man Triatholons, because they want to. The work never stops being hard when it comes to exercise. It does become manageable when its something your passionate about, enjoy doing, or brings immense gratification. You have to find those pieces that fit for you. If you have fond memories of sports in High School find the adult leagues in your area and recapture that fire because it probably isn't residing in that recumbent bike at the gym. By making something “play” you remove the bullshit real life piles on that weighs you down. Be creative.

BB Out