When I was learning how to drive my parents only had stick shifts because a manual transmission used to be cheaper, and my parents were DC public school teachers. They let me take my driving test on a borrowed automatic, but driving anywhere meant tackling the stick shift.
One time I was really excited because I had a girl (I wasn’t related to) in the car. My excitement quickly turned into anxiety and embarrassment after I stalled out 2 times just getting out of the parking spot. I struggled and jerked my way to the first stoplight, but when the light turned green I stalled out again. That’s when my “date” pointed out that my parking break was still on.
It didn’t matter that I was doing the right things: my timing with the clutch and gas were correct. The oil had been hanged. I had a full tank of gas. None of these positives could consistently overcome the power of the parking break.
Sometimes when we’re trying to lose weight or get in better shape we can be doing everything right, but keep getting stalled out, or feel like we have to fight and struggle for a tiny bit of progress. This usually means we’ve left “the breaks” on.
What are “the breaks”? These are the most common ones we’ve seen:
- Keeping tempting foods in the house. We are creatures of our environment. When we’re tired or have an awful day, we turn to the easiest path to pleasure. This is usually 1,000 calories of ice cream and chips
- Pushing through pain. While discomfort and fatigue are part of fitness, joint pain is not. Pushing through pain usually earns you more pain, which eats at your motivation and gradually shrinks your body’s ability to move.
- Being dehydrated. Being hydrated helps you feel full and improves your ability to work hard, and to recover from your workouts.
- Being tired. Shorting your sleep literally gives you the munchies. The hungrier you are the more you eat. The more tired your brain the worse your food choices are, and the lower your NEAT.
- Going to the grocery store while hungry and/or without a list. When you’re hungry everything looks better, and you end up with a kitchen full of temptation that will be very hard to throw away since you spent your hard earned money on it.
Are your breaks on?!! If so, check out our 10 Day Spark!