The goal isn’t to be better than others; instead, you must exceed yesterday.
My lifelong battle with weight taught me something important. I learned that my journey, my health, and my fitness look nothing like that of those around me.
Did I Always Exceed Yesterday?
I remember my first time in the gym. Looking around, I saw mostly fit people confident in their routine. For some time, I admired them and fell into the habit of comparing myself to people in a completely different part of their journey.
Fast forward a few years to when I started to take my gym habit more seriously, I showed up six days a week for up to three hours a day. I put in the time on the dreaded treadmill or elliptical then hit the weights. With weights, I found my happy place, the place where I outperformed others.
To answer the question, did I always exceed yesterday? Well, maybe, but probably not. I wouldn’t know because I didn’t focus on improving me. Thinking back, I cared most about doing more than the person next to me. In the long run, I gained the weight back after I lost it, and, ultimately, I gave up and stopped going after several years of consistent work.
Mindset Shift
Over the past couple of years, my mindset shifted significantly. I recognized that what worked for others in the gym and with food did not work for me. Also, I noticed how this bad habit I held for so long created unhappiness in my life.
It took effort, and I suffered setbacks, but I learned that I could only improve from the standpoint of myself. I stopped caring what others think of me and began to design the person I want to be.
My switch to the carnivore way of eating played a considerable part in this adventure. Without excessive carbs, fiber, and processed foods, my mental clarity improved dramatically. And, eating an all-meat meal certainly raises questions and comments.
I understood from the first day of my carnivore journey that this way of eating wouldn’t appeal to everyone. When asked about my weight loss or newfound energy, I told the truth but never advised others to participate in the same way. While it feels necessary for me, I hope others have more leeway, and I would prefer to see others do what works best for them.
I Stopped Comparing Myself To Others So I Could Exceed Yesterday
Now that I am back in the gym surrounded by fit people, I noticed that I changed. I no longer worry about doing more cardio or lifting bigger weights than those around me. As a result, I feel fulfilled and happy at the end of each workout and eager for my next session.
I’ll admit that this happened naturally – not comparing myself to others in the gym. But, I feel it is a testament to how much I’ve changed and grown in the past two years.
For the past week, I tracked my food and water consumption without setting any hard limitations. Also, I kept a record of efforts in the gym. For this, I included the time spent and the reps, sets, and weights used for each exercise. Consequently, I can now see exactly how I accomplished my goal to exceed yesterday.
Will You Commit?
Will you commit to stop comparing yourself to others and make an effort to exceed yesterday instead? Share with us in the comments below or email us at emails@dirtywindshield.com.
Each week, I provide an update on my carnivore and personal development journey. Subscribe to our email list for notifications on the latest articles.