“And they lived happily every after……”
It’s the ending of every classic fairy tale. Once the main characters have found each other, vanquished their foes and made everything perfect, they go off to a life of perfection.
It’s an idea that saturates our modern day culture. If you can find the perfect mate, drive the perfect car and work the perfect job then you too will live happily ever after. (Yea right)
The same can be said for our fitness culture as well. Never ending health and wellness will be yours if you can just find that one perfect diet or workout program. If you’re current program isn’t perfect then it’s not the one, so it’s best to ditch it and keep looking for that perfect program. Once again, this idea is a complete myth.
No program will ever be perfect for you. There will always be some sort of shortcomings that don’t agree with you. Maybe that running program doesn’t agree with your schedule. Maybe the new power lifting routine isn’t keeping you conditioned for MMA and maybe that new eating plan just isn’t quite giving you the energy you want.
Oh sure, there are plenty of testimonials out there from people who claim that the program is the answer to their prayers, but I promise you they are hiding the down sides. You best friend who’s in love with body building isn’t telling you about how he wakes up every day with pain in his lower back. Or maybe your co worker who loves her vegan “lifestyle” isn’t going to tell you about the time she slipped up and had a burger at the drive-in last week.
Nothing is perfect. Even if it is, it won’t stay that way for long. Your goals will change, your preferences will shift, and your resources will also change. There was once a time when I wanted nothing to do but ride my bike for hours every single day. At the time, it was my love and passion and the perfect workout. Now, While I still enjoy riding my bike, I think I would go mad if I rode my bike 2-3 hours every day. Not to mention the fact that my schedule really wouldn’t allow it. While bike riding was perfect for me back in college, it’s not going to even come close to fitting the bill these days.
Realizing that there’s no such thing as a perfect program isn’t a bad thing. It’s a very good thing. It means you can custom build your program however you wish. You’re free to discard any piece or part of your program you don’t like. You can also include anything you want as well. Maybe you’re a kettlebell enthusiast, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hop on a weight machine now and then.
Always remember, building the perfect program is about building it around what works for you. That’s not only your best chance at being happy ever after, but also your best chance at being happy right now.
