Inspiration: The Guiding Light

 Now that you have a brief overview on the fundamentals of fueling your body, the time has come to discuss something even more dire. How to fuel your mind. Inspiration, the food of the spirit.
Fitness is not merely a physical endeavor. To affect a change on the outside, there must be a source of power surging from within. The vision, the vessel of transmutation. It could be the reason you are here, taking the time to read this article. Once you have this vision in mind, and you can feel it's influence, hold fast, and don't lose sight. For, when you fall away, you will notice that your motivation withers. 

Name Your Poison

A big reason many people start off on the right foot only to wind up in fitness limbo, is that they neglect to feed the vision, and let it starve. This happens for many reasons. The mundane day to day dealings of life taking precedence, feeling like you don't have the time, or feeling like a failure when you stumble. If you suffer a lapse of willpower (it happens), don't let your vision lapse along with it. Making mistakes, indulging here and there, aren't going to be the end all be all of your fitness goals. Deciding to succumb to defeat will be. If thats the road you choose to take know that you will be defeated again, and again with each passing day until you decide to overcome. The realities of why you initiated a change in the first place are going to haunt you whether you have the inner strength to address them or not. 

The Answer Lies Within

Think of the vision as your guide. Before putting something into your body, before deciding when or what kind of workout to tackle,  think, "Will this bring me closer to my vision?". If the answer is yes, then see yourself becoming this inspired image with each positive stride you make. 

No Limits

Many people have taken to rallying against the standards of beauty and fitness portrayed in the media. They believe it creates an atmosphere that promotes low self-esteem, because the standards are "unrealistic". Well, who says that a vision of fitness has to be? After all, the fitter, slimmer, toned, shredded, pumped you (whatever your goal may be), isn't real yet either. Until you decide to make it so. Never limit yourself. In my first post, I referred to my choice to denounce steroid use. That doesn't mean I'm not inspired by the super natural physiques that have utilized them. I can still attempt to be strong, and as fit as I can be without them. If you wish to compete as a pro bodybuilder, that's another story. I can only speak for those who desire fitness, for fitness sake.  By striving for a feat that is deemed unrealistic, your potential vastly expands. You know your going to have to be more disciplined then the next person to accomplish even a fraction of your goal. 

In the end, we all fight the same losing battle. To look like a warrior in this life you must think like one, feel like one, eat like one, and train like one. Everyday become sharper, leaner, and stronger than the day before to face the days ahead. To face the inevitable.