Equipoise /ˈɛkwɪpɔɪz,ˈiːkwɪpɔɪz/
noun 1. balance of forces or interests.
One thing’s for sure: going from 0 to a 100 in a snap isn’t just hard, but also unsustainable. My weight had reached an alarming number. I was able(and have done so) to eat two whole big Domino’s pizzas; pizza Tuesdays was something. I thought the only way was to go from nothing to everything.
It’s not easy to go from a 2300+ caloric intake down to 1650 in one day, in one week, or even in one month. The thought of doing it perfectly scared the living crap out of me.
“perfectio propter imperfectionem”
— Lucilio Vanini
Here’s a crusty realization: Perfection is impossible. The only thing I was perfect at was being imperfect. Perfection depends on incompleteness (Vanini). You would be surprised how freeing and empowering it is once you accept that not only are you (and will always be) imperfect but also that success is exclusively dependent on progression, with failing(then standing up) being its essence. Gradual progression is the only way for a sustainable lifestyle.
The key to gradual progression is BALANCE. Wanting to reach your goal from day one is just as destructive as letting go of your goal at day one-hundred. It took time, patience, research, and a lot of annoying nights to get there. It’s not going to be easy, but if it were easy then it wouldn’t have been wanted in the first place. Understand that.
Many of us have stressors like 9–5 jobs, term papers, or physical or mental health conditions. To add on top of that a strict diet and full-fledged gym program from scratch; your body and brain won’t like it. The beauty of gradual progression is that it gives your body and brain time to adjust to changes.
Slowly but surely, your gradual ascend towards a healthier lifestyle will become the harbor of psychological comfort and physical excellence that many of us seek.
If you would like to practice gradual progression, here are a few things to do:
- Trial and error. Tip a bit to one end, then tip to the other. See which one suits you more, then take the step. At the next step, repeat. This is essential for work-life or study-life balance.
- Remind yourself: success is the result of failing. If you don’t fail, you won’t learn. What I do: once I fail, I remind myself to be happy — I’m one step closer to success.
- Keep a log of your progress. At any day you start doubting yourself, and this will happen (everyone feels this), open that log. You’ll see that yes, you’ve had many bad days, but your average is a gradual progression over time, inching closer to success.
- Practice patience. Goals require time to achieve. There is no quick-fix. No easy-fix. No 6-pack in 6 days magic trick. Do you want the real deal? Be prepared for a long and bumpy ride. It’s worth it.
If you’ve also been through your own journey, I would love to hear your stories!
