“It’s all mental” is more than just a phrase that looked good on the front of Walt Thompson’s favorite hat.
That’s what he turns to whenever training gets tough, whether it’s pushing through a workout or convincing himself it’s not a bad day to hit the gym. It’s what he told himself when he got accustomed to a new diet and what he told himself while he was slogging through a full Ironman race in Louisville, Kentucky last month.
Understanding that, he said, is what got him and will get just about anyone on the right track for their health. Sometimes our thoughts and self-doubt really are the only things standing in our way.
It’s the truth. Shortly after I wrote about my experience trying Huel a few months back, I’ve taken things a step further and changed my own diet to cut back on carbs and calories (besides the occasional cheat day, that is). There were so many nights early on when I wanted nothing more than to drive to Taco Bell in the middle of the night and pick up a burrito or something just to fill myself up. It sucked. I wanted to get back to my old eating habits ASAP, but I kept telling myself to just hang in there and it eventually paid off. I’ve knocked a little more than an inch off of my waist size since writing that column, and I lost enough of my double chin to get rid of the patchy beard I grew out to cover it up.
My fitness goals aren’t as extreme as Thompson’s. I’m not tempted to ever try an Ironman or anything involving running even half as much. I just want to cut fat, build some muscle and like the way I look in the mirror. But I think my experience does help make the point that “it’s all mental” is a one-size-fits-all mentality you can win with whether you’re trying to completely overhaul your physical health or just want your button-down shirts to not struggle to stay closed anymore when you sit down.
Now that I’ve heard Thompson’s story, I’m going to have that phrase on my mind all the time. There’s nothing I’d rather do more than go buck wild on barbecue like a bear getting ready to hibernate and sit on the couch with Red Dead Redemption 2 in my free time. But I’ve got goals to stick with and I know I’m going to be my own biggest obstacle there.
We’re getting pretty close to the start of a new year and a lot of folks making resolutions. What’s your goal? What’s stopping you from achieving it? If the only answer you can think of is “myself,” then you already know which three words I’ll encourage you to live by.