Stop Waiting for “The Perfect Time”: Why Your Fitness Journey Starts with Imperfection
“Have you ever felt like you were finally making progress, only for life to get in the way and leave you feeling completely derailed? You aren’t alone. Learning how to get back on track with fitness is one of the most important skills you can develop, yet it’s often the one we talk about the least. We focus so much on the ‘perfect’ start that we forget that the real magic happens in the ‘restart.’ Today, I’m sharing why I’m getting back to basics and how you can join me in choosing movement over perfection.”
We’ve all seen the images: the “perfect” fitness influencer with the pristine gym, the flawless meal prep, and the unwavering motivation. For a long time, I thought that was the standard I had to meet to be a leader in this space. I thought I had to be the “perfect” example of health and fitness every single day.
But here is the truth: The “perfect” fitness pro is a lie.
Recently, I’ve had to take my own advice and get back on track—again. And in doing so, I realized that the most important thing I can be for you isn’t a “perfect” example, but an imperfect ally.
The Trap of the “Perfect” Start
We often tell ourselves we’ll start our fitness journey when:
- The holidays are over.
- We get back from vacation.
- Work settles down.
- We feel “motivated” enough.
- We have developed the “perfect” workout routine or meal plan
We wait for a Monday, or the first of the month, or a New Year. But “perfect” conditions rarely arrive. When we wait for perfection, we aren’t actually waiting—we’re stalling.
The Myth of “Figuring It Out”
I have had many clients ask me when they would get off this fitness roller coaster and get it all figured out. Unfortunately I believe that many of us never do. In my own journey, I’ve learned that progress doesn’t happen in a straight line. It’s messy. It involves setbacks, missed workouts, and days where “getting back on track” feels like a mountain to climb.
However, what you do figure out is how to recognize that you have gotten off track and you develop the tools to get started again.
You seriously don’t need a perfect fitness schedule, a super healthy meal plan, or the BEST workout to get started or make progress. Just show up as you are, right now, in the middle of the mess.
How I get back on track
Even though I know that all I need to do is to just get moving again and cut out some of those unhealthy diet choices, I have a “process” that I have used faithfully to get myself back on track with fitness. This “process” has become a signal for me that it is time to get serious again.
For me this starts with an assessment. Completing an assessment before getting started may be another way that I am procrastinating but this process feels comfortable to me and has worked many times in the past.
I’ve always been drawn to numbers and statistics. My Economics degree might be a reflection of that. I enjoy understanding where I stand in comparison to others and watching my data progress as I put in the effort. However, I’ve also found that this information can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help. Improvement isn’t always linear. I’ve learned to accept this and strive not to let the numbers undermine my motivation as I continue on my fitness journey.
This morning I have begun my assessment with a cardio assessment and biometric screening. I will be sharing all parts of this assessment with you in separate posts over the next several days. However, I started with the cardio and biometrics because these numbers will be the first to change as I get started and I wanted to get started TODAY. I didn’t want to fall into that trap of waiting until my assessment is complete and having the perfect plan to get started. I decided that TODAY was the day that I got back on track with fitness.
How You Can Get Back on Track With Fitness Today
If you’ve been feeling “off track” lately, stop beating yourself up. You haven’t failed; you’ve just had a human moment.
- Lower the Bar: If you can’t do a full workout, do 10 minutes of something.
- Focus on the “Next Best” Choice: Don’t worry about the whole day; just focus on the next meal or the next hour.
- Ditch the Guilt: Guilt is heavy baggage that makes it harder to move forward. Let it go.
Let’s Get Back on Track with Fitness Together
“Your fitness journey doesn’t have to be a lonely uphill battle. And it certainly doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective. Let’s embrace the ‘imperfect action’ together—moving forward with what we have and where we are right now. Whether you are recovering from a setback or just haven’t felt like yourself lately, I would love to help you get started, AGAIN.
You don’t need to wait until you have it all figured out to reach out. Send me an email or schedule a time for us to chat. Let’s take that first messy, imperfect step together and turn your ‘eventually’ into ‘today.'”
