What You See Is Only The Tip Of The Iceberg: My Personal Journey Back to the Gym
Perception vs. Reality
What you see is only the tip of the iceberg… I’ve got a story to tell you.
It’s quite a personal one and very, very recent.
It’s a story about what you see vs. what goes on.
It's about slow and painful habit change to build the life you want.
It’s a story to remind you that you often only see the tip of the iceberg, especially on social media.
So, What You See Is Only The Tip Of The Iceberg: My Personal Journey Back to the Gym
So what's the story about?
This week I went back to the gym. Easy right? Nope. It was hard. This is how I did it...
This story actually starts years ago.
But we’ll start back at 20 weeks pregnant. I hadn’t been to the gym in months.
My body felt big, my muscles felt like jelly.
But I knew how good it would make me feel.
Taking the First Step
So, I bought a class pass and went when I felt like it. No pressure + big enjoyment. I loved it so much I was still going at 36 weeks.
I bought another pass knowing that I’d likely want to go back.
I put this in place before Charlie even arrived. The passes last a year, I never planned to go back this soon.
At 3 months I wanted to...But the door was still heavy.
And needed help. I asked myself what the barriers were putting me off getting back to the gym.
Money.
Fitness.
Distance.
Nervousness.
Social Interaction.
Slowly I began to break them all down. Into Tiny. Little. Steps.
Finance Barrier: "Gyms Cost Money"
Money: I already had my class passes. 3 of them. The first 3 classes were free. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have to buy more. This removed the pressure of having to ‘pay’. I’d already locked in my intentions back when I was in a good headspace, knowing it would be a challenge postpartum. Barrier gone.
Physical Preparation: "I'm Not Fit Enough"
Fitness: At just a few weeks postpartum I started doing ‘intentional movement’. Very gentle workouts for my mood and to keep my body moving. At 2/3 months I progressed to weight training and some HIIT. It felt really good.
Logistical Steps: "It's Too Far Away"
Distance: So, I like F45 in Wanaka. My silly choice. At 3 months postpartum I started going back to Wanaka for work and just walking up Mt Iron. This made the distance feel more normal and manageable mentally.
I put this weekly work day in my schedule with Scott (hubby & Dad) who does Daddy day care for me one day a week as it stands, before we can work out the next steps.
I even started getting in the car the same time as I would if I was going to a morning class. I started to build this habit, once a week.
Addressing Anxiety: It's Just Too Hard
Nervousness: I’ve been going to the gym for about 2 decades. Yet, every time you take a break it feels as scary as the first time you opened that door. After other breaks from the gym (thank you COVID) I knew I could do it... I remembered how goddam good it felt.
Social Concerns
Social Interaction: Most postpartum women will know that feeling that lingers. Like you kinda want to get back to the world...and you kinda don’t. What if people look at you weird? Everyone will ask questions about baby. Ergh.
Reminding myself that no one ACTUALLY cares and are all there for themselves was helpful! Everyone is actually really friendly. This was 100% in my head.
This Week I Made It!
It felt so damn good. I can’t wait to go again.
The moral of this story is that it can feel bloody hard to start.
And you don’t see 90% of the work.
But by breaking it down into tiny steps, invisible to the outside world you can move miles.
Reflective Questions For You.
Time amplifies your habits and builds confidence.
It's not about more willpower, it's about making it easier for yourself to say 'YES'.
Where do you need to apply this story?
Where could you remove the pressure?
Where could you make tiny changes that will give you big results over time?
What are you putting off because the barriers are just too high?
What habit could you put in place today to make your GOAL habit easier?
If you'd like support in habit change, check out our guides or drop me a message.
Comments