People oftentimes think the best workouts cause the most soreness and pain.
Or, the most effective diets bring about the most discomfort and misery.
Why do we believe better health requires constant suffering?
Change can be associated with pain, but it’s not measured in soreness or restriction.
Some workouts will make you hurt. Some diets will make you hungry. But, these adjustments should be — for the most part — temporary.
When you start from scratch, begin a new plan, or have taken time off, almost anything you do can create friction or discomfort. And that’s OK.
Growth is a byproduct of adaptation. You are built to adapt, learn, improve, and become more efficient. It’s a part of evolution.
But, when you evolve, the hard becomes familiar. It’s how you survive and thrive.
If you live in the darkness, turning on a light is painful.
But, that doesn’t mean you’re meant to stay in the darkness.
Once you’re in the light enough, the brightness is a welcome relief — not a harsh reaction.
The pain you want comes in the form of awareness.
When you’re on the right path, you see clearly — and that can sting.
When you’re on the right path, you see clearly — and that can sting.
You recognize the bad habits you formed, the health you neglected, or the time that passed without taking action.
Once you adapt to change — like living in the light — the pain will go away. Your awareness soothes.
Good change reduces pain.
Bad change keeps you in it.
If everything you do causes pain, then you haven’t found the light. You’re actually crawling deeper into the dark.
Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.