The Long Haul
What is a long haul? By definition, it is a prolonged and difficult effort or task. It means you are determined to continue with something until it is finished successfully. But what does that mean for us? What does it mean for fat loss? For body recomposition? For building muscle? It means LIFE! LIFE is the Long Haul. No matter where you are on your journey, you should be in it for the Long Haul. Every choice you make should be making that Long Haul easier, more peaceful, more consistent. Forming routines and habits to make those stretches of “highway” along your Long Haul something you can take in the beauty of and learn along the way.
Some people who “diet” still have a problem embracing the Long Haul mentality. They ride a hamster wheel, going in circles, spending time doing donuts in a parking lot, repeating behaviors that take them on detours, often in the complete opposite direction of where they actually want to be going, instead of getting on the highway and turning on Cruise Control. Sure, maybe the donuts in the parking lot were fun in the moment, but then you have to deal with the lost time and wear and tear on your vehicle…YOU are the vehicle.
A car has many moving parts and many processes it needs to accomplish to get movement. Gas, oil, transmission fluid, wiper fluid, keeping the body free of rust…Not any one thing is more important than any other, they work together. Just like your macros, electrolytes and training, in the proper amounts and tailored to you and your goals, your body will respond to move you along your journey. Playing around with alternative stimulus and energy sources is not going to get you where you want to be and eventually your body is going to respond, and not in the way you want it to.
The program itself may be for 8 or 16 or however many weeks or YEARS, but what you IMPLEMENT, the lessons you learn, should be for the Long Haul. The longer your journey is, the easier it should become, and the more you should be able to enjoy it, not struggle through it. With time comes wisdom and growth but if you are stuck in the parking lot doing donuts what are you gaining? The first step is to straighten out that steering wheel, drive towards the on-ramp and get on that highway. Maintain your vehicle and let it take you where you want to go.
