Does something hurt? Take a pill. Have a headache? Take a pill. Have an upset stomach? Take a pill. Its become the norm to resolve our problems or issues with a pill. If the condition is bad, I understand that taking medication is the best course of action. However, pills are being taken even when symptoms are mild. There are cases where students are taking Adderall to help them study better. When I was growing up, it was just “suck it up and you’ll be fine.”
Now, I know society has gotten sophisticated in the past 20 years and you can’t say things like that. But, it seems like pills are what people gravitate towards fixing their problems. How is this affecting the fitness industry?
This reliance on a substance can lead to a downward spiral. “Don’t worry. I’ll just take a pill afterward ” This is what one of my clients said when she was experiencing pain during an exercise. If I let the client have her way, then it just leads to a dangerous habit. What would happen if the pain didn’t go away? She would resort to finding a stronger drug or taking more of it. “It’s not working. Maybe I just need to take more.” What does this sound like? A drug addict, right? So how can we change the course of action?
Identifying the cause of the pain is the start. Masking the pain with a pill can only do so much. When it works, it works. However, if it doesn’t, then what is next? That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. Good ole’ fashion hard work. Putting in hours and hours of exercising, stretching, and eating right.
Isn’t there a pill for this?
People wish there was a pill for exercise. Isn’t there a pill for this? I don’t know how many times I got asked this in the past 12 years I have been a personal trainer. The answer is no. And I hope it stays that way. If a pill was created that helps you to get in shape, it’s over. No need to work out relentless hours and be in caloric deficiency to achieve results? I’m sure most people will say yes to the idea. However, this isn’t the case and you gotta put effort if you want to achieve results.
There’s a difference between relying on a pill versus taking it out of necessity. When it comes to fitness, part of the reason people resort to relying on a substance is that they want to so bad and so fast. Understand that fitness is not a sprint, but a marathon. Enjoy the process. At times, it may not be the smoothest ride, but trust that it will get to your destination. Hope you liked this week’s blog. stay tuned for more next Wed. Kei
Comments