Last Updated on May 22, 2023 by Michael Brockbank
When it comes to diet and exercise, a lot of people make sacrifices to achieve goals. Unfortunately, many will fail because these sacrifices are beyond their realistic expectations. Which is why I choose to focus more to compromise health and fitness and not give everything up altogether. Let me explain.
First, let me state that not everyone will experience the same problems when trying to reach a certain level of health and fitness. Some people are just better prepared to achieve their goals.
However, some of us are less likely to follow a strict routine completely, which often leads to frustration and giving up.
Why You Should Compromise Instead of Sacrifice
Sacrifice often leads to resentment. This is true whether it’s in a relationship, at work or in your health and fitness routines. Although some habits are ideal to surrender, such as smoking or drinking too much, there are some things that may impact how you view a healthy lifestyle.
I know a lot of people who view exercise as some form of grueling torture. It’s this negative mindset that makes it more difficult to keep oneself motivated. Instead of committing to something you’ll wind up hating, it’s easier to focus on something you’ll completely enjoy.
Case in point, I don’t really like full-on aerobic or exercise routines from physical trainers. They just don’t engage my mind and feel more like chores. Instead I focus on playing the Xbox Kinect, which does an excellent job for me to work up a sweat.
When you have to sacrifice something you truly enjoy, it is often disheartening. If you don’t have the most stellar will-power, it’s easy to go back and indulge in the very thing you’re trying to avoid.
Health and fitness isn’t merely about losing weight or looking like a model. A great deal of it also has to do with your mental state. It means very little to have an amazing body without an amazing mind.
Filling yourself with negativity is not conducive to being healthy. Personally, I find it easier to compromise health and fitness elements to make sure I have a better chance of remaining positive.
Don’t get me wrong, there will surely be things you’ll have to sacrifice to attain your goals. Just understand you shouldn’t have to give up everything if there is a logical compromise that will still help you achieve better health.
It’s OK to Modify Diet and Exercise Routines
When you compromise health and fitness routines, it’s not a failure. On the contrary, finding a balance to achieve an objective should be praised. I think it shows more aptitude to resolve issues than to conquer them with force.
Like I mentioned earlier, I put a lot of effort into the Xbox Kinect instead of getting a personal trainer or looking up exercises on YouTube. Although I still try to break personal records in things like push-ups or planks, these are not my entire focus.
Same with dieting. Instead of sacrificing sweets and snacks, I find it easier to limit myself to proper portions. Sure, I probably would lose weight faster if I jumped on a mainstream diet plan, but I don’t like them…which will impact my overall success.
When you don’t believe something will work, it has a greater chance of failing. This mostly has to do with creating a self-fulfilling prophecy on a subconscious level.
The trick is to know when to compromise and when not to. For example, I monitor caloric intake through MyFitnessPal. In the past, I would deny myself certain foods if I already ate too much to begin with. As a result, I’ll wait until the next day to eat the snack I wanted to have.
However, there are going to be times and elements you’ll have to get rid of to achieve optimal health. For instance, I quite smoking and it’s made a huge impact on my life. Sure I still vape, but it’s truly not the same thing. For one, I don’t smell like an ashtray. And two, I spend far less money every month.
This, to me, is a good compromise.
Don’t be afraid to alter diets and exercises to fit your own needs. Everyone is different, and you can’t expect to have the same experience as some of these models and expert fitness gurus. Personal situations, physical needs and mentality will all affect how you go about eating and exercising.
Don’t Over Compromise Health and Fitness, Though
One thing to remember when reaching for your fitness goals is to not over compromise the experience. For example, counting calories is a good way to lose weight, but not if the calories you eat throughout the day consist of nothing but cake and cookies.
By bending the experience too much, you can easily hinder your own performance. Eating too much of the wrong foods will make losing weight more difficult. Avoiding certain exercises will make it more difficult to tone muscle mass.
My point is you don’t want to compromise yourself right out of health and fitness altogether. It requires a bit of rationality and logical thought to maintain a good balance.
Having a large chocolate donut for breakfast probably isn’t going to kick-start a heart attack. However, you will feel the difference in how your day progresses. Is it worth the compromise at that point?
Positive Examples to Compromise Health and Fitness
So, what are some good examples of a positive way to compromise health and fitness? For the most part, that is completely up to you. But here are some of the things that help me stave off the last 60 pounds while working to burn off the next 50.
Keep Yourself Engaged in Fitness
Think of exercise as physical activity in general. You don’t need to subject yourself to a grueling routine if you’re still capable of working up a sweat. Like I said, I play the Xbox Kinect for more than an hour a day and not workout DVDs that I’ll wind up hating after a time.
It’s all about finding something that will keep your mind engaged. The moment you start sighing before a workout, it begins a negative mindset that makes continuing the experience more difficult.
Don’t Over Snack
Having chocolate in the house isn’t a bad thing if you’re capable of eating proper portion sizes. Instead of a whole big box of Valentine candy, limit yourself to a few pieces per day.
Of course this is going to rely on having excellent control of yourself. Some of us simply cannot resist the urge to snack. If this is the case, then sacrificing it altogether may be the best course of action.
Personally, I’d rather conquer demons like this myself and maintain a balance. I like chocolate, but I also include healthier foods throughout the day to make sure I get proper nutrition.
Understand Your Needs When Working Out
Some diets are extremely restrictive when it comes to carb and sugar intake. Unfortunately, these kinds of diets are not helpful when it comes to intense workouts. In other words, you’re not eating foods that will supply the body with the energy you need to continue moving.
The body turns carbohydrates into energy. If you deny yourself certain types of food, it makes it more difficult to maintain a high-level of physical activity. The end result is often being overly exhausted. For me, it’s about dropping my blood sugar level to the point of going into shock.
It’s always best to find a good balance for nutrition and exercise based on your own physical needs. Don’t rely on what some book or professional tells you. It’s OK to get some advice, but realize everyone has different needs – and what works for one person doesn’t guarantee it’s going to work for another.
Find Your Limits and Surpass Them
A compromise is never a bad thing. In fact, it shows your willingness to bend your own rules for the sake of accomplishing a goal. Not enough people realize this and become too rigid in their beliefs. In many instances, this leads to an inability to make something happen.