A True Mind Sport

Everyone wants to look "good" and be "in shape", but as many of us have learned through experience, it's much easier to "kinda" want something than to truly want it. It's no secret that training and dieting protocols used to achieve a toned/muscular build and a low body fat percentage are challenging activities and even more daunting when implemented together simultaneously. Although this may be obvious, it's also no secret that both key elements must be implemented together in order for one to achieve his or her fitness dream of looking "good", regardless of specific goals. The only difference between personalized fitness goals is the degree of intensity at which both dieting and training are applied together.

The reason why I refer to the activity as training, is because I'm not solely talking about lifting weights; I'm referring to whatever the word training brings to your mind that resonates with your personal goals. If you're a runner or swimmer, training may be numerous sets of sprinting or distance intervals. If you're a soccer or basketball player, training may be endurance conditioning exercises and drills, on drills, on drills. If you're a bodybuilder, training will then, be defined as lifting weights for sets and repetitions with an addition of cardio sessions.

Regardless of the activity, a sound diet and a proper training regiment will pave the way for success...right?

Partially. A proper diet combined with a training regiment is only half the story to success. The other half is your mental outlook on the relevant activity itself. What is it that I truly want? Where do I want to be? What steps can I take to get there? There's a saying, "The dream is free, the hustle is sold separately". Everyone can dream about their ideal physique or physical capabilities, but the key difference reveals itself when the individual decides as to whether his or her dream should stay an illusion or should evolve into something more refined: a goal. With a goal, measures are set. Plans are formulated, sacrifices are expected, drive and discipline are born. It is at that moment when the first step is taken: the mental outlook of the hopeful shifts from creating fantasies to planning realities. With that blunt shift in perspective, nutrition and training plans can be created and the individual can now effectively embark on his or her personal journey to athletic success.

But what specific nutrition and training regiment will lead me to my goal? How can I formulate this? I'm willing to commit, but only if I know that my regiment will lead me to success. Otherwise, how will I know that I won't just be wasting my time trying?

If you have transitioned your dream into a goal, then you are already on your way to achieving your personal physical successes. There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to formulating a diet that resonates with your athletic goals, as well as formulating the athletic goals themselves. Never be afraid to hire a personal trainer or a health coach to cover topics that are hazy to you, especially if you are first starting out as an athlete. The rest comes down to trusting the process of your journey. Always keep in mind that Rome wasn't built in a day, and results will not come immediately. But just because you may not notice any significant physical changes during the start of your journey, know that your body is slowly adapting for the better by the day. Consistency, grit, and genuine dedication in seeing your goals to the end are what will pave your path to success, every single time.