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We are nearing the end of our Core Value Series where we’re diving a bit deeper into each core value of Worth the Work Fitness in order to help you get to know us better, and to help encourage you towards a healthier mindset with your health and wellness journey. Each week we are sharing one of our nine core values that are a part of the foundation of why we do what we do, and expanding on why each one is so significant to us and why we believe each can be significant to you as well.  We embrace that hard work is part of the process, because we know the results are worth the work. There will be challenges & plateaus - that’s just part of the journey. But rather than viewing them as setbacks or reasons to quit, we view them as opportunities to become stronger, both mentally & physically. Let’s face it; our culture has become a bit obsessed with instant gratification. We want what we want, and we want it now. We want the outcomes and results, but we’re not always patient enough to wait for them to show up. Worse yet, we’re not always willing to put in the effort it takes to make them happen. And if things get tough along the way, well it’s time to abandon ship. But aren’t the best things in life worth the struggle and grind it takes to get them? Aren’t they worth digging in our heels when things get tough? Aren’t they worth the effort it takes to muster up motivation when all feels lost? Well that’s a sentiment that the fitness industry typically likes to gloss over, because a quick fix sounds much sexier than hard work and a long-term change. Can I let you in on a secret? When I first started working in the fitness industry, I was taught that in order to sell well, I needed to skip over talking about the work, because work sounds hard, and no one likes doing hard things. It’s far more appealing to highlight and focus on the results without emphasizing what it would take to get them. I always hated the idea of skipping over the work, because to me, it was leaving out the most important part of the process. You just can’t get results without putting in the work. So when I started my own business, I vowed to myself that I would do things differently. I want to be upfront about the work it takes to live a healthy life. I want to be upfront about the sweat, the grind, the effort, the challenges, and the plateaus. Because I would rather prepare you for what’s ahead and help you through it, rather than pretend it’s not there and set you up for failure. I would rather equip you with the skills and knowledge to succeed than feed into the mirage that the results you seek are easily attainable. I get it though. It’s probably not your favorite thing to hear that the results don’t come without the work, but deep down you know it’s true. You’re going to have to sweat. You’re going to have to push yourself through workouts that challenge you. You’re probably going have to make some adjustments to the way you eat. You’re going to have to work. But since you will put in the work, you will most certainly get more out of it, because it’s always more rewarding when you work hard and achieve something, rather than it be handed to you. For example, running a marathon is far more rewarding than simply sitting on a bus for 26.1 miles. Is it much harder work to do so? Of course! But the feeling of accomplishment is significantly higher. Our aim as a company is to show you how to put in the kind of work that feels worth it in the end (the kind that you can feel proud of), and to come alongside you as you do it. That’s why we’re called Worth the Work Fitness. Instead of glossing over the tough stuff, we embrace the work because we know it leads to results that are worth it in the end. So don’t let the work deter you. Don’t let it stop you. Don’t let it discourage you. Lean into it. Press onward. And embrace it. Because the best things in life are worth the work. P.S. Join us next week for the final installment of our Core Value Series where we’ll be talking even more about the kind of results that are worth it. Written by Brett Henderson and Kelly Pruim
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We are continuing with our Core Value Series where we’re diving a bit deeper into each core value of Worth the Work Fitness in order to help you get to know us better, and to help encourage you towards a healthier mindset with your health and wellness journey. Each week we are sharing one of our nine core values that are a part of the foundation of why we do what we do, and expanding on why each one is so significant to us and why we believe each can be significant to you as well  We encourage you to show up and do the best you can each day when it comes to both exercise and nutrition. It can be easy to think that if you’re not doing everything perfectly, you’re failing. Instead we want to change the standard from perfection to sustainability, and focus on making small consistent changes over time for a lasting impact. My dad used to say all the time that every good dad he ever met had two things in common: (1) they are wholly unprepared for the task of fatherhood, and (2) they show up anyway. Those words have stuck with me throughout not just my own experience as a parent, but in so many other facets of life. Because feeling wholly unprepared for a task at hand is a pretty common experience at some point or another for all of us. Whether it comes to raising a family, working your job, navigating your relationships, buying or renovating a house, or making major life decisions, there is bound to be at least one thing in your life that makes you feel a little (or a lot) in-over-your-head. But even when fear or doubt or worry are threatening to stop you from moving forward, I want to encourage you to show up anyway, because showing up is the most important part. There’s no chance of succeeding if you aren’t there to try in the first place. As Wayne Gretzky said (or Michael Scott for all you fans of The Office out there), “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” If you don’t show up, you can’t try. If you don’t try, there’s no way you can get better, and there’s certainly no way you can succeed. So rather than accepting failure from the start, instead we should show up, do the best we can, and see what we are capable of.
Now before we get any more philosophical here, let’s take a moment to apply this to our health journeys, because while my dad’s thoughts were directed towards parenting, I have found that they are incredibly relevant to fitness and nutrition as well. When we view our health with a journey mindset it can feel a bit overwhelming. I mean, say for example you’re 40 years old today, and you live until you are 85. That’s 45 more years of staying on this path. There are few things in life that require that kind of long term commitment, so it’s a pretty big deal. And depending on how much you know about fitness or nutrition, health is an area of life that can easily cause the feeling of being in-over-your-head. But regardless of your knowledge, experience, or skill, you get to show up and do the best you can each day. To emphasize the importance of the last part of that last statement (and in doing so emphasize the significance of this core value), let’s break it down a bit, piece by piece. YOU get to show up and do the best you can each day. Yes, you. Exactly as you are. Exactly where you are. Not you from 10 years ago. Not you in 1 year. Not the you who you wish you were. You, today. You GET TO show up and do the best you can each day. If you view exercise or eating healthy as a “have to” you’re much more likely to dread it. But if you can find ways to enjoy it and embrace that you have the wonderful opportunity to take care of the body that houses you, you can completely renew your commitment to it. You get to SHOW UP and do the best you can each day. We’re not asking for perfection out of you. We’re not expecting a performance. We’re not grading how well you do. We simply want you to show up and try. For you. For your kids. For whatever it is that motivates you to live healthily. Because like we already pointed out, you can’t progress if you don’t show up in the first place. You get to show up and DO the best you can each day. It takes action. It takes you putting in the work, which is oftentimes hard. But if you can figure out what kind of work is worth it for you, you’re going to be able to maintain focus and stay committed to this journey for the long haul. You get to show up and do THE BEST YOU CAN each day. While we have already established that you shouldn’t be aiming for perfection, you should still be striving to put in your best effort. And your best effort is likely going to look differently than everyone else’s best effort, but that’s ok. We’re not asking you to be someone else. We’re asking you to put forth what YOU are capable of, which is often much more than you probably let yourself believe. So don’t be afraid to push yourself and challenge yourself. You get to show up and do the best you can EACH DAY. The point of showing up is that you keep showing up. Each day. When you establish consistency, you establish habits. And those habits can help carry you through this lifelong journey of health. But each day is also likely going to look different. Some days you show up by pressing play on your workout and putting in max effort. Some days you show up by sneaking in a walk with the dog at the end of a busy day. Some days you show up by being mindful about what you eat. Some days you show up to rest so you can recover your body. Each day will likely demand different things. But if you show up to each day as it is, and as you are, you’ll be able to make the small changes that lead to sustainable growth as you go. We’ve already talked plenty in this series about how chasing perfection isn’t a sustainable approach to health. It often leads to short lived commitments that are abandoned at the earliest signs of failure. So I say chuck the expectation of being perfect every day out the window. Instead, let’s put in our best effort each day that we are given to be the best version of who we are today. And then tomorrow, let’s do it again. And then the next day, and the next day. Because finding ways to stay consistent with both our exercise and nutrition is going to lead to better results and a more fulfilling life. P.S. If you find my dad’s insightful wisdom to be intriguing, you can find more of it in his book Dad’s Top Ten Lectures. Written by Kelly Pruim and Brett Henderson We are continuing with our Core Value Series where we’re diving a bit deeper into each core value of Worth the Work Fitness in order to help you get to know us better, and to help encourage you towards a healthier mindset with your health and wellness journey. Each week we are sharing one of our nine core values that are a part of the foundation of why we do what we do, and expanding on why each one is so significant to us and why we believe each can be significant to you as well.  We believe in having fun, even when it comes to working out! You’ll see us dancing before the workouts, laughing at ourselves throughout, and finishing with a big virtual high-five! When you’re enjoying what you’re doing, you’re more likely to keep doing it. That’s why we don’t take ourselves too seriously. There will be times a movement might feel awkward, or you feel like you look goofy doing it - don’t let that stop you! Everyone has that feeling at some point, including us, and it gives us something to grow stronger in. If I were to ask you what words you associate with exercise, would the word ‘fun’ make the list? Some of you might say yes, but it’s likely that others of you might scoff, roll your eyes, or stare disbelievingly that anyone would ever use the words ‘fun’ and ‘exercise’ in the same sentence. Those are the people I specifically want to speak to today. Because odds are, if you think working out is anything but fun, you probably aren’t doing it too often, and I want to change that.
I think it goes without saying that the more we enjoy doing something, the more likely we are to continue doing said activity. The same thing applies to exercise. If we dread it, our commitment to it is probably going to wane quickly. But if we find ways to enjoy it, the more we will likely stick with it, and therefore the more we will reap the benefits of it. Think of it like this: do you remember the teacher that made you laugh in class when you were in school? The one who made what you were learning about relatable and fun? Odds are you probably paid more attention to what that teacher was trying to help you learn, because he or she made the process more fun, rather than just making it feel like the same kind of work every other class required. You retained the information a little easier or the teacher made a deeper impression on your life. So what if we made the process of working out more fun? That way you might not resent the work it involves and you come to enjoy it so much that it becomes a regular activity in your life. The challenge with this is that we all have different tastes. We all have different capabilities with our bodies. We all have different goals. So there is no one workout format that is going to be best for everyone. And yet, I think many of us have fallen victim to believing that there supposedly is. And we either haven’t found it yet, or there must be something wrong with us if we don’t like doing it. So, we start to believe we could never be the kind of person that likes to work out. Rather than giving in to that lie, let’s change the script. Let’s change our mindset and approach and try to give exercise a fair chance. So here’s a few tips for transforming working out into an activity you actually WANT to do:
So there you have it - six simple ways you can change up the way you approach exercising to make it a bit more fun. Now, I have to be honest, working out is still hard, no matter how fun you can make it be. There are still parts about it that I don’t fully love - and I say that as someone whose profession revolves around it. So I can understand and empathize with those of you who have to fight to get in the right frame of mind to workout sometimes. But that’s why I believe all the more that it’s important to have some fun while you’re putting in the work. If you can smile through the burn, it makes the process a whole lot more enjoyable. And when we enjoy it, we’re bound to stick with it for the long haul, and that’s what matters more. Written by Brett Henderson and Kelly Pruim We are continuing with our Core Value Series where we’re diving a bit deeper into each core value of Worth the Work Fitness in order to help you get to know us better, and to help encourage you towards a healthier mindset with your health and wellness journey. Each week we are sharing one of our nine core values that are a part of the foundation of why we do what we do, and expanding on why each one is so significant to us and why we believe each can be significant to you as well.  We focus on the feel-good, rather than the scale. The number on the scale is NOT a measure of your worth. What’s more important are the non-scale victories - things like clothes fitting better, getting off medications, having more energy, sleeping better, seeing a difference in the mirror and in pictures, recognizing positive changes in your mood, keeping up with your kids or grandkids, doing the activities you’ve always wanted to do, or other people noticing the changes you’ve made. Those are the victories that matter most. Oh, the scale. Such a fickle friend. It’s more often than not that people have an unhealthy relationship with their scale. Sure it seems like a good relationship when it shows us what we want, but as soon as it shows us anything different, we suddenly spiral into feelings of disappointment, frustration, anger, confusion, or stress. I know firsthand how aggravating and disheartening it can be to put in hard work, but not see the number budge, or worse, go in the opposite direction than we want it to. Like many of the methods or tools in the fitness industry we’ve mentioned throughout this series, it’s not the method/tool itself that is a bad thing, but it’s HOW we use them that can become a problem. It’s our mindset that can cause us some trouble. Let me give you an example.
I was talking with a client once when I worked at a brick and mortar gym. She had been coming to classes for about a month, so I checked in with her to ask how she was feeling. Her response: “I’m feeling the best I have in my entire life!” She went on to share how other people had been noticing changes in her; how her clothes were fitting better; how she was sleeping better and had more energy. The more she shared, the more she was glowing. Then, two days later I saw the same client and I could tell something was off with her. When I asked how she was doing, she told me she was miserable. We sat down again to chat, and I expected to hear about some family or work stress that caused the sudden shift in her attitude. But no. I came to find out that she had stepped on the scale that morning and she hadn’t lost any weight from the week before. Mind you, she had already lost nearly 10 pounds in her first month at the gym, but having one week of no change on the scale was enough for her to toss out all of those victories we celebrated a couple days prior, and focus on how miserable the scale made her feel. Soon after, she stopped showing up as consistently to classes and within two weeks she ended up cancelling her membership. Just one week of assumed stagnance was enough to halt her momentum and derail her from her journey. When she focused on the non-scale victories and how she was feeling, she had a glow about her and a skip in her step. But when she shifted her focus to the scale, it made her feel like the work she was putting in wasn’t worth it, and it led her to give up. This story feels all too familiar to too many people. It’s because weight loss tends to be the primary focus in the health and fitness industry. And the most tangible way to measure that is through a scale. So as a result, we put a lot of weight (no pun intended) on it as a measurement of our success. Even if we celebrate the non-scale victories, we still often let the scale have the final say. And yet, a scale only tells one small portion of the story. There are a wide variety of ways to measure your progress when it comes to your health. Here’s a small list of some examples:
If you are seeing positive progress in even just a few of these areas, shouldn’t that hold more weight than the number on the scale? It’s also worth mentioning that there are many different variables that can cause your weight to fluctuate. Things like water retention, stress levels, what time of day you weigh yourself, how recently you used the restroom, how recently you ate, what you ate, and menstrual cycles can all impact your weight over the course of a day (or even over the course of a couple hours). So shouldn’t we hold that measurement a little more loosely? At Worth the Work Fitness, we want to see you freed up from finding your worth in the number on the scale. We want to help you sever ties with the thing that may be dictating and limiting your abilities, self esteem, potential, and value as a human being. Because we want to see you live a wholly healthy life. And trying to control your body weight doesn’t fit into that because it doesn’t equate to health. Instead it can lead to a mess of unhealthy effects that hinder not only your physical health, but also your mental, emotional, and relational health. So we want to challenge you to change the script. Literally. Change the dialogue in your mind about what happens when you step on a scale. Take some time to reflect on your relationship with that hunk of plastic and determine if it’s causing you more harm than good. Is it controlling your mood? Is it ruining your day? Is it leading you into stress (that ends up causing you to retain weight)? Is it supporting any self deprecating thoughts? If it is, we’d encourage you to take a step back and limit how frequently you utilize it. Maybe only weigh yourself once a week, or once a month, if you still want to track progress in that way. Or better yet, maybe you decide to throw it in the trash and not use it at all. Because in our humble opinion, there are far better, more valuable ways to prove just how awesome of a human you are. So let's put this into practice. Let us know in the comments: what is one non-scale victory you can celebrate THIS WEEK? Written by Brett Henderson and Kelly Pruim |