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Facing Fitness Fears: Overcoming the Anxiety of Losing Progress · FitMitTuro Fitness Podcast

• 1:08
  Turo Virta: Hey, and welcome to feet meter fitness podcast. And today I'm talking about that, oh, how to overcome fear of losing progress. So if you are someone who is new, who is probably having a fear of losing, maybe you are someone who have lost a little bit, lost a lot of weight, and now you are scared that you are going to gain everything back. And all you are somebody who have for some reason have to take you have to have some kind of break within your workout, you couldn't do your workouts as planned, you were sick, or you have been in vacation or that vacation ended up being as planned for a week, it could have been a month or a couple of months. And now you are so worried that you have lost all your progress what you have made in the past. So this episode will help you to overcome with that fear of losing any progress. So that is something what I have been struggling a lot. My personal life and for example of for example, in social media, I have been lucky enough to have over 300,000 followers in here in Tik Tok, and something in Instagram over 20,000 there. But that still, it's always like that. Honestly, it hasn't been that success already. It haven't been I haven't been growing that much lately. I still make the work.
• 2:31
  Turo Virta: But I'm, I'm thinking what I'm if I'm losing all that progress, what if my all my clients, if they go away, I have been able to build and help so many people. But what if for some reason somebody is taking it away. And this is this is very common, and it's in fitness. You know, when you read some kind of success, or it could be in any part of your life, you are fear, you have that fear that it's suddenly it's all away, that everything is going so well. But then all of a sudden, it's all gone. And and this is this is what we are going to address today. And I'm going to give you some strategies how to overcome it. And this is by the way, this is one of the topics where I'm going to talk in my upcoming Senate five, free five day challenge speaker you after 35 talents, it's starting on August 21. So if you haven't been rich, registering in that silence yet, go to look at IQ in my social media profiles, or in my if you're listening podcasts, there is a link in the show notes, how to register and secure your foot in this challenge. So there we are going to go even deeper.
• 3:44
  Turo Virta: What we are going to talk talk today, so But first, let's start talking about what what is the what is that understanding what it starts understanding the root of this fear. So it's all you are you work your ass off, like you are, let's say that it's a losing weight or making some progress in your workout. So you are really you are showing some dedication, and you make countless sacrifices. And naturally, that all that idea that that effort what you have been doing, it's that it's some suddenly all away. And then however, if you think anything in, in our bodies, like what is actually happening, what I love to use that thing, good thing it on opposite sides like that our bodies, they are so resilient.
• 4:37
  Turo Virta: Like there are somebody like let's say that who is always 60 years old, who have never ever worked out a day in her life.
• 4:45
  Turo Virta: And then at some point, they are they are deciding that now I'm going to make change, and they start working out, they have made it up to 60 years without doing anything without eating any salad or anything. And suddenly they decide that now I start to take care of myself eating healthier, exercising, and they still they are still making progress, and they haven't lost it. They are still here. So they are that change doesn't happen overnight. So if you are someone who is worried about missing one workout or week of workouts don't, you are just stupid, because there are so many other people who have been decades without doing anything. So this is first fear what we are facing. So then then if you if you think it says in, in, for example, losing that scale rate or gaining that scale way back, so let's talk a little bit about metabolism. So the human body is very adaptive. So when you gain muscle or lose weight, your body's metabolic rate, it's going to change. So this is a defense mechanism. So it's ensuring that you don't starve and that understanding this And then help you to strategize. So give staircase for your maintenance fee. So this is something what most people, they never learned that they are kind of dieters for decades for years. And some of them their whole life. And, and that is causing that you are either all the time trying to lose weight, and when you are not, then you don't know what to do. And this is one of the most common missing parts, how to actually overcome the struggle of maybe losing or losing all progress, especially if it's for that you have lost significant or sorry, my English, but a lot of weight. And now you are thinking that how the hell I should be able to maintain that lost weight. So this is something that you have most of the people, they never are taking in a purpose, a period of time that they are actually learning to maintain their weight. So think it think it this way that even even it's it's a very scary thing to do.
• 7:12
  Turo Virta: But if you think that you are, you are you have lost a lot of weight, you are still not in your call rate. But you have been, let's say in a calorie deficit for three, four months.
• 7:23
  Turo Virta: And now you are in a phase that you have read some kind of success, it feels like that it's getting harder, but you are not allowing yourself that you still need you are not in your own way. So you just think that you need to try harder. But this is usually the time when for example, I when I coach people and I regularly start to recognize those patterns like that your willpower is not there, there is some maybe busy period of life, or stressful situation in a work or holiday season, when it's basically impossible to lose some weight.
• 7:58
  Turo Virta: So then receive that focus. And you should see if that progress also to trying to think now it's maybe not the smartest time to trying to lose weight, but what how about actually trying to maintain it with purpose. So for if you are, for example, somebody who is counting calories are tracking your macros. So adding those calories, adding foods, giving a little bit more freedom for yourself and learning what you are going to do after you are losing weight. So it take a month to month focusing on something else, for example on your workouts. And then when you are you are because it's helping, especially mentally.
• 8:38
  Turo Virta: And when you are in a mentally better place, you can start to reduce your calories again. But the key is that you are actually learning meanwhile, you are not in your end goal yet how to maintain your results. And this is this is the one of the key factors, how you are in overcoming goes if you are what I what I hear a lot from people who I work with, they are like that I can't eat if I eat one piece of pizza or chocolate or whatever your food, what you have some kind of fear that I can stop eating it. And I'm scared that I'm going back where I was. But if you think that where is that fear of failure coming? So you are not? You're not afraid of that meaning that failure? So it means that what you are what you are afraid is that you are you are urs scared of that what that failure will mean? So will it mean that I'm not worth it? I'm not good enough? Or, or am I I just don't have willpower I'm and this is this is you are scared of you're not scared for failure, but you are scared of that what that means if you are failure. So it's it's there are many ways how to how to actually go through the sell. So if you think it like this is what we are what I'm going to teach you in that my challenge, but that I call a little bit here on details how to how it's going like it's a fear of future and unknown. So, what I what I love to say is that when you take step into unknown, and one of these things will happen. So either you will get the result you want or you are going to get less than what you need. So if you really think it I repeat it.
• 10:32
  Turo Virta: So you are you are eternal, you're going to get the result you want or you are going to listen, you're going to get listen what you need. So there is a great story from one famous portrait teacher.
• 10:45
  Turo Virta: I can't remember her name, but it goes like this. I can and one once there was a young warrior, her teacher told her that he had to battle with her fear. See, didn't want to do that. It seemed so aggressive. It was scary. It see it seemed on frankly, but her teacher said See, had to do it and gave her instructions for the battle.
• 11:11
  Turo Virta: Today arrived, the students warrior stood on one side, and fear stood on the other. The Warrior was feeling very small, and fear was looking big and fruitful. They both had their weapons. The young warrior browsed herself and went towards her fear prorated three times and asked, may I have permission to go into battle with you?
• 11:42
  Turo Virta: Fierce eight, thank you for showing so much respect that you asked permission. Then young warrior said, How can I defeat you? Fear replied, My weapons are that I talk fast and get very close to your face. Then you get completely unnerved and do whatever I say, if I don't tell you, if I don't do what I did, if you don't do what I tell you, I have no power. You can listen to me, you can have respect for me. You can even be convinced by me. But if you don't do what I say, I have no power. Now understand your relationship with the future.
• 12:29
  Turo Virta: Future is anything but certain.
• 12:29
  Turo Virta: You have all these scenarios about your future in your head.
• 12:33
  Turo Virta: And we all have these kinds of three types of our future in our head, our head, that kind of default future, what most likely will happen, then there's kind of that what I love to call a pipe dream future, that what is like that? What would be nice, like if it's losing weight or getting fitting into that old dress if I use the weight loss examples. And then there is the first scenario future like that, what if something goes all wrong? So if if you are and then it depends, like always, where you are spending most of your times, like where you are, actually where your thoughts are, for most of us. It's, it's if you are like normal, it's a default future, maybe very little bit about that pipe dream future. And still a lot of time in that first possible scenario future. And if you think that, what if the future you will have is the one you feed the most?
• 13:37
  Turo Virta: Like? How do you feel? Very?
• 13:42
  Turo Virta: Where are your thoughts? Go? And how do you show up. So you might be now pretty close in some big aha moment now. So like, if you think like that, if you are spending most of your times having on those like adverse scenario future, it's probably going to happen if it's the default teacher what feels comfortable for what feels easy, when you don't have to face your fears, it's most likely what you are going to get, but if you are believing you are spending time you are acting like that, what what would that person do, who is having that pipe dream future. So this is this is something what is what most of us we are so scared of, of that verse scenario. And, and this is this is what this actually is not the not happening. So if you go back to weight loss, for example. So it's it's a, what actually matters is that consistency, like one off day, seed meal, or even week or even a month or year, it doesn't ruin completely your progress. It's what you do consistently over time, that saves your fitness journey. So it's kind of fitness as always, it's a marathon, it's not a sprint, and more you are able to think in a long term like if you are preventing that fear of failure, it preventing you taking actions what you're supposed to do today, your tomorrow it can be what you are dreaming of. So think like your decisions what you have made yesterday, they are the reason why are you are like today, where you are and if you might have some kind of situations.
• 15:35
  Turo Virta: I'm not here to justify your situation. I don't know what is going on in your life and I'm not justifying it. But unless you can say that, that I'm what my distance My decision is what I made yesterday, or the reason what I am today, and this is it's so hard emotionally to understand and accept, especially if you're going through hard times and challenging times. But it's it's really like how you are reacting on those challenging see To essence selling sometimes how you are responding. And it's not I'm not telling if you are having really like, you don't have to have fitness, always your priority, there are important more important things, what should be part of your journey, which might be temporarily more important. But in the long term, if you keep pushing yourself and telling yourself that I'm I'm not, I don't have time, I don't have energy, whatever your reason you are telling yourself, it's, it's not going to those decisions, it's not going to get better, your future is not going to improve if you keep repeating same things, what you have done over and over and over again. So if you go with that, go back little bit about that fear of progress, no other thing, what is I'm trying to prove you the point that that you don't need to be scared. So if you think for example, muscle memory, it's a real thing. So once if you once have gained some muscle Do you have had you are you have been athlete, for example, in your some poor have, in some point of your life, you have gained strength, regaining them after a break is faster and easier. And that is that because of that muscle memory, I love to tell my own story, I was a professional ice hockey player was doing a lot of strength training, lifting weights up to a point I turned 30, then I didn't want to do it. I retired, I didn't want to do it. I didn't do it for almost 10 years, I didn't lift any weights, and obviously lost a lot of muscle mass. But when I restarted like, Dude, it's almost two and a half years ago, when I really started shrinking it took like, I would say two to three months. And I was pretty close at the level where I was when I didn't strain didn't when I stopped strength training. So it took it didn't took it was 10 years, it was it took three months of consistent training to get not exactly the same but pretty close. And I remember it's just my examples I was using. At the time, my best times I was squatting like 200 kilos when I was younger. And when I restarted I had like 5060 kilos and my legs were shaking, I couldn't walk for a couple of days after squatting 50 kilos.
• 18:29
  Turo Virta: And I was like that holy shit man, I'm where I am, I will never get back there where I was but it was it like I said two to three months. And so that muscle memory, it's a real thing and your muscles remember their peak and you can get back there quicker than you think. But you just need to get started. So then there's obviously that mental side so of course the fear is it's more physiological than physical. So I think in like how you can face those fears and Bucha was a great it's a if you're surrounding yourself with the supportive community like in a fitness fitness group, like I have my Facebook groups for my coaching clients for my free Facebook group what is called VIP hit me to VIP fitness friends for life were all my it's my way how to connect with me asking questions and boasting there some challenges and stuff like that. So being supportive in part of that kind of group, it can be paid group it can be for free. But even in this podcast community or Tiktok you can you can keep those fears a little bit of a and and because you understand that you are not alone who have these same fears.
• 19:48
  Turo Virta: And then people are supporting you they are very good because we are usually our biggest own enemies. And this was a great example was what I actually talked today with one of my coaching clients said I said I was someone who never like six months ago, she never lifted weights and started we started with bodyweight stuff using little bit dumbbells. And Betsy was first year was to go to gym.
• 20:12
  Turo Virta: She never wanted to go to gym.
• 20:17
  Turo Virta: And then she got herself there facing her fears. And then next step was now what was today's deal after being consistent for a couple of months at the gym.
• 20:26
  Turo Virta: There was those like squats like barbells and and heavy weights and, and it was always like that those people like you did, she said that she never saw some woman using those squat using doing squats and using those heavy weights and Massey's and as he was like, no, no, this is not me. I'm not going to go there. And today actually seen send me video how she was squatting, how she was so happy about her progress and facing her fears that I'm overcoming and doing taking action going forward. They're like very, very talk But it seemed was not. So sir or she didn't feel confident of doing it. But I said that thing it's like what is the worst possible case? What could happen? Like if you are someone and you've got you are at the gym? And even there is some like, maybe they look some muscular men lift or if you are some newbie, small one woman, you are scared of doing that, can you do that same stuff, but in a fitness most of the people, not all, but it's like everything in life. Most of the people, I would say that majority, nine over 90% of people, if you are someone who is coming to you are going to gym and you are doing squats.
• 21:41
  Turo Virta: And if you did some other who person who is at the team and say that, you know, I'm a newbie, could I use this machine? Or could you show me how to do it? Or you could you take how I'm doing it if I'm doing it right? Almost all people who are little bit normal are more than happy that of course, go for it. And they are very supportive. In that ways.
• 22:06
  Turo Virta: It's the gaining that strength even they might be looking at you and thinking like that you that what is what you are doing here or something, this is the hardest fear about most of the people who are going to gym for the first time that you think that am I in the right place what I should be doing. But when you face it, then you don't like that every person who is at the gym, they haven't been they have been beginners at some point.
• 22:32
  Turo Virta: And they remember it there was no buddy or built or poor bombed with the experience at the gym, or, or with the big muscles, they all work they're up, work their way up. And I remember when I went first time for the gym and I was using I was looking also around for those people who what they are doing.
• 22:52
  Turo Virta: Why are they are so big, and they are looking neat at what I'm small one, that if you tell that, you know, this is your first time I'm scared like hell, I don't know how to use it. Of course those people they are they are they might be big they are like, like, some heart guys like fanatics. But they are very friendly, most of them and if they are not, you know what you can do then there is there will be somebody else? Who is and what what is the worst possible case what they could be telling you like that, no, I'm too busy to show it or something or then they are just assholes. So then other things if you are scared of gaining weight again, after losing losing its regular takings. So think this is this lesson, it could be some person, like having a coach community, what is helping you that you are, you are checking in what you're doing. And for example, what I use personally, like I'm not, I'm not tracking my calories, I'm not following everything perfectly. But what I do every single day, is that I wake myself, like it's not something that you need to be doing, but I'm just explaining how I do it and how it's helping me to keep my healthy weight.
• 24:10
  Turo Virta: And because you know, it's it's all about recognizing patterns, because life, you know, your working situation changes maybe your activity situation changes depending on what season of the year, there is like, but I take my weight every single day. And then I see threads I look weekly average weight. So I see I take pictures every once in a while not it's once in a month, maybe once every two three months to see how my progress is. And we're all doing some take measurements so you are seeing where your those miserable metrics where they are going.
• 24:48
  Turo Virta: And if you don't like to trend like for example average scale rate I'm that is a pretty good measurement where you see that where the trend is going like daily values will always fluctuate. But if you have one value per week, you measure it like I do every single day and take just one value, then you are looking if I look my progress, it's I'm pretty good at maintaining it. So if I decide to type or for calorie deficit, I want to lose my fat.
• 25:15
  Turo Virta: I took I take let's say two to month, month to two period of time I decided now it's time to lose fat and then after that I usually I'm pretty good maintaining so this is just a way how you can like in over a long period of time following your progress and learn to recognize what those trends are how you are feeling how is your if you have if you feel that your workouts are not going well you are starving you are you don't have energy. What is then what is causing because you have to always go route for what is for what is the race that you are having those feelings if that energy and then making those assessments and then in a long long term. You will you will see that it's you don't have that theory it's it's visual, it's in your head and and The and the best ways then to actually maintain that progress is it's mixing up your routines like don't try to follow same workout plans there is always like, what I love to use for my clients for myself. I love to mixing things like focusing on different things.
• 26:24
  Turo Virta: It's not always lifting heavy at some point, I need it for myself. But there's like a poor example. Now, I have been doing basically says the bodyweight stuff. I haven't been using any weights for past month. And it's like just with some TRX bands and some isometric exercises just basically holds.
• 26:46
  Turo Virta: And, and then next month, I'm going to go for something more performance cardio, and then it's maybe I'm lifting heavy again and bolting on like, What do you enjoy, but still keeping that kind of what is the minimum, at least some form of string thing. So this is just my way, how I do it, how I find it that works best for me. And it works for most of the, my clients do that you have to sift little bit not until you get bored that you end up quitting.
• 27:13
  Turo Virta: But just before that it stopped, you start to feel like that now, I'm not feeling very consistent.
• 27:21
  Turo Virta: So finding something, what excites you, and what makes you take x. And obviously, it's not going to be there every day. But if you are going to hate it every time, then it's time to mix your routines and listening, listening, that skill is really learning to listen, your body goes it often tells you what it needs. So all those symptoms like back pain, some pain in joints, pain somewhere, it's usually a symptom of or your body's trying to tell you that it's time to do more, if you feel all the time direct exhaust that you don't have energy, it's what your body is trying to tell you that you should be doing a bit less. And this is the tendency more tendency in part that usually your mind is telling you exactly the opposite. So if you don't do anything, your mind doesn't want to do anything, it wants to stay where you are. And if you are already doing a lot, it works also opposite. Some for fitness fanatics, if you are doing already, like you are exercising a lot, it tells you your mind is telling that you have to do more. And if you are missing something, what is your new norm, if you are missing something, it tells you that it's not going to be enough. But your body is actually very good at telling you what the what it needs. And this is all in the end. Having facing those fears and overcoming those fears, is trusting the process and yourself that there is no like what have happened in the past, it doesn't stop looking behind.
• 28:55
  Turo Virta: What have happened in the past doesn't mean anything about future. So even if you have failed in the past, it doesn't mean that automatically you're going to fail. Also in the future. It was a lesson maybe what you needed at the time, but now you are using it your strength to not repeat same mistakes over and over again.
• 29:15
  Turo Virta: Because that is something what is what means being being stupid. So trusting yours yourself and the process and the journey, what you have been ending it haven't been easy. And that but you have that knowledge and willpower to maintain your progress. So it's it's not really power. It's something what you should be not trusting completely, but you need some kind of determination and learning to keep actually those promises what you make to yourself. And the last thing, what is what still I'm struggling with myself, I have to say I have improved it, but it's okay to ask help. So it's for me was the biggest thing like I'm kind of guy that I want to do everything by myself why I would pay for someone to if I can figure it out by myself. But when I hired my first coach who was helping me with my business, with my online coaching business with my workouts, that says everything and and it's I want so much that I got faster where I want it to be with investing and then when you invest for something you some one of the best business coaches what I have had used to say that transformation begins with transaction. So when you are paying for something, you are more likely to take action. And because if you really think it like there's all information, you will find it from intimate, it's for free, but there's too much. And if you don't, you need to have somebody who is actually simplifying things and that you are focusing only on the most important things that you don't you get Most results by doing minimum effort. So what is because it's not doing more doing harder, it's for me I rather try to do it work as smart as you can as little as possible and do everything else what ever you enjoy it but don't waste your time with working so rather if you are ready to invest for personal trainer or nutritionist therapist or some any other professional, they can help you more than you need. So it's okay to ask help and and do it like I have I love to answer questions if you have a post that is even you think that you will figure out everything by yourself but ask questions, there is no vocal or anything that you will get some kind of answers but they are not always the best answers what you get, because we are all different in especially in this fitness, fitness thing, weight loss thing, we have all different situation and the plan, what is working for someone else probably won't work for you. So I so this is this is my biggest vagary and what you what I want you to do remember that ask help, and it's okay to ask. So in conclusion, so, while the fear of losing progress, it's valid. Remember that you are unique, your journey is unique.
• 32:24
  Turo Virta: So don't forget to celebrate your achievements. So this is one of the biggest things what most people are missing. They are very good at celebrating others, but very bad at celebrating himself so So pat yourself in the back. If you have been able to, let's say, maintain even small wins like actionable non scale events, you are able to maintain your lost weight. It's an achievement.
• 32:49
  Turo Virta: It's a progress from the past and celebrate it. So learn from the setbacks and always keep moving forward. Thank you for listening, this peak mental fitness podcast. I hope to see you in upcoming five day free five day feeder after 30 challenge. It's starting.
• 33:06
  Turo Virta: There's links everywhere to join. I have thought enough about it but I want to remind you one more time. So I hope to see you inside of the talents and see you soon