I Can't Train Like I Did Before!

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Today is time for Tip number 2. I'm sharing a tip every fortnight for as long as I have tips to share ;-)

Today's tip is more of a mindset shift than a tangible nutrition/fitness tip, and it is particularly relevant to those of you stepping into your 40’s and beyond.?

If you are not in those years yet, then great stuff, but thinking about this philosophy ahead of time will serve you well.

It only occurred to me the other day when in the gym.

I Can't Train Like I Did Before!

I don’t know about you but the hardest person on myself is..... myself! No one can beat me up as well as I do myself on occasion. I am so good at times that I usually don’t even notice I am doing it.?

The little digs and untruths we tell ourselves here and there, chipping bits of confidence off of us, while we're totally unaware that this process is even going on.

The good news is that once we do become aware of it, we can take steps to counter it and actually boost ourselves up! But becoming aware of it is the key!?

One of the internal chipping aways that is relevant to this article and fitness is I’ll say, “I can't train like I used to before!”?

In my head, this is seen as negative, and I have been saying it a lot over recent years, it seems. Now I get close to fifty years old, the sound volume of my critical side has been creeping up slowly but surely!

It was only when I caught my subconscious saying it the other day that I took the time to think about it! Whenever we say something to others or even ourselves, we can become self-fulfilling prophecies.?

It’s like the classic line where you are told to clear your mind and then to absolutely, under no condition, do not think of a pink elephant.?

What is the first thing you are thinking about??

Yep it’s the pink elephant.

We make statements all day which can inadvertently help or hinder us.

Back to my statement of me not training like I did before.?

Can I train as heavy as I used to? Nope, I cannot.?

Can I train as hard as I used to? Nope, I cannot.

Am I as fast as I used to be? Nope, I am not, and I have had a few injuries along the way for good measure, which really helps my statement.

However, is it possible that with work, I could turn this all around? The answer is yes! It’s unlikely, but it is possible!?

So in reality, the statement in each case should not be, “Nope, I cannot”. It should be “I cannot right now, but I could!”

However, what does this really matter??There will become a time when this is no longer possible anyway. So to put another frame on things;

Am I training and using my body? Yes, I am!

Am I using weights which challenge me and am I using enough training volume to get an effect? Yes, I am.?

Am I training smarter than I ever did in my twenties and thirties due to a much better understanding of my body and how it operates? Without a doubt, the answer here is a big yes too!

The key is to make sure we respect and appreciate the body we live in and make the most of its potential, whatever our age!? And to watch our self-talk.

This is Tom's Tip #2.

I repeat:?

Respect and appreciate the body we live in and make the most of its potential, whatever our age! And, watch our self-talk.

I say this to you now, but remember, as stated a few paragraphs above, our subconscious is always listening (kind of like Alexa) to whatever soundtrack you play it! It’s in our power to change that soundtrack to one that serves us much better!

If we can exercise, we are privileged to be able to do so. There are many people in this world who are not as fortunate, and would love to be able to exercise their bodies as freely as we are able to, and sometimes this can be the reminder we need to re-commit to respecting our bodies and doing what we can, when we can, to enjoyable move and strengthen it.

Sure I had a brain haemorrhage nearly 5 years ago, from the time of writing, and you bet I use this as an excuse to often not do things. (An important point, in some cases this makes sense, and in other cases definitely not, but I can’t let that define who I am now.)

When I exercise smartly around three times per week, then I feel all the better for it. When I get up earlier to walk the dog, I feel better for it. You get the picture. Better in myself but also in how I show up for Jess, Olive and those around me.

Theodore Roosevelt said “Comparison is the thief of joy”. Often this is used to relate to others, especially in these days of social media when everyone can seem to have a better house, life, body, car, etc. (fill the gaps) than you, if not careful.?

We need to ‘Stay in our own lane!’ as they say, and focus on us.?

However what happens when you do focus on you too much, in your own lane, and the comparison you are making is with your old self? If we are not careful, the end result can be the joy getting stolen in just the same way as a comparison to others.

Now I know all of what I say is generalised and there are outliers, but also remember what I said earlier where there is always someone supposedly worse off than us, making a better job of their situation.?

Adversity in some people really gets them to step up their game, and they achieve more in their seemingly tougher circumstances than many of us do in our normal circumstances.

Anyway what is my point and how can you start to change this and alter any non-serving self-talk??

(By the way this is just from my experience, so take it as just that and if you need more specialised help then seek it sooner rather than later. The mind is infinitely complex, so a slight misfire somewhere may be easy to fix by the right person who specialises in that area.)

Well, for me, it starts with being kinder to myself and realising I am just human, and we all have ups and downs.

Next step for me is tuning into when I am saying stuff to myself or others that does not serve them or me.

After that, it is trying to reprogram what I am in the habit of saying to myself (when it is negative) and replacing it with something constructive.

The next step is to make an effort to get in the habit of saying more positive things than otherwise.

It all takes time and effort, but it is worth it!!

In place of me saying "I can’t train like I did before!". I now say "I am very happy, and grateful to be training right now!"

In my next 'Tom’s Tips' I will talk a little about something else that is starting to really make a positive uplift in my life and how it could do the same for you or anyone else if you apply it. Once again, it was something that I knew about, and you will too, but I had got out of the habit of doing it. So crucial to moving forward.

Have a great day, and I hope today's message relates and positively impacts your life.

Tom