The MOST important thing you've learned...

[Guest guest4729]

...since starting to work out.

I don't want to see 10 things or 5 things. I want you to narrow it down to ONE thing. One thing that you feel is necessary to share with everyone else. Perhaps it's something you wish you knew when you started working out or something that you just learned yesterday. I'd love to hear it!

Most important thing I've learned: Weight fluctuates. A lot. You can't beat yourself up because your weight hasn't budged. It isn't the end all, be all. Your actual measurements are a better measure of your losses (or gains). You should not base your success solely on the number on the scale.

Life lessons from other members(summary):

• Don’t expect change to happen overnight.

• Most people don’t care enough to really improve themselves.

• Consistency in and of itself is an ok. goal to have.

• Form is everything

• Don’t let other people change the way you feel about your choices; don’t let them negatively influence you.

• Foam rollers can and will hurt like a bitch, but they’re also your friend.

• Lifting heavy is great, but living properly is even better.

• Time under iron + time in the kitchen = awesome results.

• Spot reducing doesn’t work – diet and exercise does.

• It’s a lifestyle.

• This is MY/YOUR journey, not someone else’s.

• Fall down nine times. Stand up ten.

• Don’t feel like lifting right now? Do it anyway.

• (Crossfit) Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications – it means you’re smart.

• Your goals are interconnected into a personalized big picture.

• Learn to listen to what your body is saying to you.

• Push yourself and don’t be afraid to fail.

• There are reasons and then there are excuses.

• By giving up, you lose your chance to succeed. Get back on track and you’ll go far.

• If you don’t have calluses on your hands after a workout, you’re doing it wrong.

• No matter how crappy you feel, you’re always one workout away from a better mood.

• Sometimes you fail. That’s okay. Get back up and in the game.

• Lifting weights is fun.

• Success begins and ends with motivation.

[ETFnerd]

I don't look like george clooney i've been told, although I swear I do every time I look in the mirror...

[shutterpillar]

Don't expect change to happen overnight.

I don't know how many times I have gotten frustrated with myself because I was expecting some miracle to happen and I would wake up one morning smoking hot. Its a goal... it will be achieved with time.

[CapN_Tommy_Sunshine]

One thing that I have learned, and still find really hard to accept, is that most people don't really care to improve themselves. I have been really excited about my changes over the last couple of years, and I really want to share my knowledge with friends, family, and co-workers. They will ask sometimes, but people don't really want to put in the effort. My boss actually mentioned something to me about it, as some of my co-workers had mentioned to him that I drone on like an obsessed zealot at times. They have seen my changes, and I tell them how little effort I actually put into it (eat paleo: meat, veggies, some fruit, no grains or legumes -- simple!, and exercise 3 -5 hours a week - that's nothing!), but they still don't want to even try. I get a lot of the: "but I don't want to look bulky like a guy" or "all that meat will give you a heart attack".

[ebm1224]

that consistency in and of itself is an ok goal to have. yes, i could give you a neverending list of every feature of my body i want to improve - i want to look good and feel good. but, in truth, i can't MAKE my body look how i want it to. the only thing i really can DO is keep with the program. i used to say to myself "i'm gonna go to the gym every day from here on"...and i might for a week or two. but i've been much more successful since setting the more manageable goal of working out 3 days a week. it's about the long term.

[bigm141414]

The number one thing I have learned is this: Form is everything.

Without good form you are going to get hurt. And if you get hurt you are going to get discouraged. And if you get discouraged then you start eating ice cream and pizza like there is no tomorrow. Even if it means taking a month to nail down everything then take the time. I can't stress that enough.

[girlysogroovy]

I think the most important thing I've learned is that you can't let other people change the way you feel about your choices or influence you negatively. This is true in the larger sense, as in, your choices are yours and you should be proud of them. But more specifically, and more subtly, is to not let other people change your routines or erode your willpower. For example, if you're going out to eat with friends, make sure you're clear about the kinds of things you're willing to eat or not. Or maybe that night is your workout night and you don't want to miss it. Don't just go along with something because you don't want to make a fuss. It's important to you, so make that clear (as nicely as possible) and your friends will understand. Don't compromise and feel guilty later or have a setback because of it.

[LRB]

The foam roller hurts like a bitch but it is your friend. If you don't use it, you will regret it.

And by "you" I mean "I." I have bursitis in my hip because my IT band is super-tight and presses against the bursa, which then gets inflamed. If I don't stretch and use the foam roller to break up adhesions, I am screwed. I've always known stretching is good. But now I know how crucial the foam roller is.

[This is Seth]

Ahh BigM took mine!

I've learned that while it's great to lift heavy, it's more important to lift properly.

I can lift a whole lot of weight, but if my form isn't on point then I'm prone to hurt myself. I've reset a few times in order to focus on how to lift instead of just lifting. Spreading your feet another 8 inches apart, hinging your hips another 5 degrees, moving your thumbs to the other side of the bar... tiny changes that make a huge difference in your squat.

[scotticus]

It's a marathon, not a sprint. The only way to get really awesome results is to put in the time under the iron and in the kitchen.

[Mb82]

No matter how many situps I do I won't get rid of my stomach without changing my diet and doing other exercises.

[scott82962]

It's a lifestyle.

[Rivanariko]

This is MY journey, not someone else's. What worked for them is awesome, and worth giving a shot, but ultimately, I need to figure out what works for ME, not what has worked for everyone else in the universe.

[Atalan]

Fall down nine times. Stand up 10.

[notanartmajor]

Don't feel like lifting right now? Do it anyway.

[oystergirl]

LB.....amen sister! For me its slow and steady wins the race. I have sprinted before, but then I have sat on my ass for 6 months getting over it!

[AKLulu]

For me in CrossFit - Never be afraid to ask for modifications, that means you're SMART.

[Durandal]

How my goals are interconnected into a personalized big picture. +2 to STR also gives me a boost to my other stats (energy/CON, concentration/INT, even confidence/CHA), all of which will be important to realizing my life goals.

[Zorch]

The most important thing I've learned is how to listen to what my body's saying. When I started working out I'd sometimes under-eat or over-train (and consequently under-recover) and end up feeling awful. Now I'm much better at reading my body's queues and judging whether I should push a little harder because I'm really dialed in, or if I need to consider an extra day off.

The above trust in my body's messages has resulted in me feeling better and being less stressed about my workouts.

[scarletleavy]

Tough question.

Push yourself and don't be afraid to fail. This is probably the biggest one for me, I think I always held myself back because I was afraid to fail and not be "good enough". I am good enough and failing is part of the journey.

[DAO]

There are reasons and excuses. It's good to identify which is what, and why.

[LeoDiablo2]

One thing I have learned is by giving up, you lose your chance to succeed. Get back on track and it will lead you to somewhere.

[Jabba the Hupp]

Most important thing I've learned?

If you don't have calluses on your hands after a workout, you're doing it wrong.

[ZenGwen]

No matter how crap I feel, I'm always one workout away from a better mood.

[demonslayer]

No matter how crap I feel, I'm always one workout away from a better mood.

I had another one in mind, but no, I think this one is the most important for me too.