Reader question - "How do you deal?"

During one of our recent training sessions, one of my clients had a great question for me.

Kim,
As you know, I spent some time in the past training for a triathlon... so I do have a bit of experience with working toward a fitness goal. And when I did complete that goal, I personally had a hard time regaining the motivation for working out and keeping up with the activities that I enjoyed so much. Once there was no longer a looming deadline, I struggled with putting forth the same effort. I felt
kinda depressed and definitely unmotivated.

After just finishing your long journey to the CrossFit Games, I wanna know... how do YOU deal with the after effects of completing a big physical goal? How do you handle the wane in motivation that tends to occur once the wind has left the sails?


This was a very insightful question!

I especially liked it because I've accumulated a bunch of different types of competitions (and participated in plenty of different competition training processes)... so I definitely have some strong thoughts on the subject.


In the past, when all my training efforts have been focused on one singular event - one important day - one deadline that becomes an obsession - I can remember feeling lost, depressed, and unmotivated when that day quickly and suddenly passes. In instances where you put so much energy, effort, and emotions into one fleeting point in time, there is a sense of loss once you no longer need to continue putting forth the same efforts.

It's funny because that statement doesn't just apply to physical goals. Any female who's ever been heavily involved in the process of planning their own wedding knows this to be true. So much time and effort is invested in every detail of one day - and when that day is over, one can go through withdrawals simply because that all-consuming project (and the anticipation & excitement that goes with it!) has completely disappeared. What will you do with yourself now??

In the same respect, my figure competition gave me a similar experience. Months and months of concerted effort and calculated details, all accumulating to produce one big goal on one big day... the moment of truth passes by so quickly in comparison to the time spent preparing. And after the elation wears off, the celebration fades, and a well-deserved break has been taken, you are left with no direction.

I had changed so much in my life for this one day that I didn't deal with the post-goal process very well after the figure competition. The problem was... there was no set plan or no new goal to put in place of the old one. I had to try to accept the idea of just letting all my hard-earned work slowly melt away so that I could return to a healthy, maintainable body composition. Getting "fatter" is not a comforting process. Even when it's a healthy level of fat and it's necessary for your wellness and livelihood :)

Anyway, if I would have had another goal to work toward - even a completely different goal - I would have handled the post-competition transition phase much more successfully. That's a huge takeaway from that experience.

But the biggest lesson from my recent competition experience is this...

I trained HARD for the CrossFit Games. I clocked a good 6 months of effort toward that massive event. But, you know what? My training wasn't solely focused on that one weekend.

While working out for constant improvement and eating for performance, I was more focused on pure progress in the activity itself! I was developing a love for a physical activity and a physically active community - and I was finding new and different ways to make it a big part of my life.

I knew that CrossFit would continue long after the Games - and I actually started to develop new goals to work on for the time when training finally ended. I began looking forward to picking up other activities that I had decided to drop in the process of training. The Games were a BIG goal, but they didn't overtake the whole picture. I could visibly see life after the competition!

So... as soon as I returned from a brutal weekend of physical challenges, I NEVER had to deal with those negative effects that were so prevalent in other post-competition phases. NEVER.

I think, my friends, that THAT is the trick.

Having goals is an excellent way to spend your time. It's an incredibly productive way to help push yourself toward limits that are beyond your current capacity.

But, to avoid that intensely unmotivated phase that follows a big physical goal, we honestly need to do 2 things... 1) Keep in touch with our passion for that physical activity and not let the goal bring us to overtraining, burnout, and obsession 2) Constantly be developing new goals - new ways to improve and get better. Because we can always be better.


I hope my epiphanies and ramblings have helped.
Or, at least, I hope they have entertained ;)

Til next time,
Kim


**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to deliberatemovement@gmail.com