You're in the driver's seat

This week I would like to remind you that when it comes to your own health, you are in the driver’s seat.  There are times when people become discouraged or lose their motivation to work on

their health because they feel that they have one limiting factor or another in their life holding them back.  These factors usually include genetics, family history, an injury, a preexisting condition or disease, or simply a lack of time.  While these conditions do exist for many people, if not most people, you should be reminded that you still have control of your health, and these limiting factors can be worked around.  You just need to be in the driver’s seat and control what you can.  If you think about it, you will see that you are in much more control than you might initially believe.

JT and Lloyd are two clients of mine who have had health conditions affecting their fitness goals.  JT is the self-proclaimed “oldest man in the gym” and while we agree he says it as joke, being in his 70’s he has some health considerations to account for when training.  He even had a freak eye injury recently that had limited his training for a brief period.  And, Lloyd needed to have his leg amputated during a very long, emergency surgery needed to save his life from a heart condition.  He had and still has several red flags for heart disease.  With these very real and serious health concerns, they have both been able to successfully work on their health for many years with me in the gym.  But they do need to be reminded from time to time that despite having these bumps in the road, they are still in the driver’s seat and are in control of their own health.

I love the analogy of being in the driver’s seat to emphasize that we are in control of our own health.  Yes, we all have some limiting factors, some more serious than others, that can be a road block to navigate around in order to achieve our fitness goals.  But just like being at the wheel of a car, we are still in the control the majority of the time.  Think about how often you get in a car and drive somewhere.  There are many things that can happen to hinder you from getting to your destination; you can be in an accident that was someone else’s fault, that wasn’t in your control; you can get a flat tire; you can simply hit traffic.  All of these events may happen at some time, and they are all out of your control.  But we don’t just stop there, or never get started for fear of them.  We find a way to best fix the situation, and then we move on.  We don’t give up on driving.  When the car is fixed, or traffic starts moving, we continue on our journey.  Anyone who faces a health road block needs to understand that it might slow you down a bit, but you are still in far more control then you think.

            Most of the time you are driving a car, you are in complete control.  Minor challenges like bad weather may alter how you drive, but you adjust and keep moving.  A more serious condition like an accident can put your car out of commission for a few weeks, but I am sure you find a way to keep getting to your destination.  The same is true for your health.  Minor challenges like having a cold, or minor injury can be worked around with small adjustments to your routine.  A serious injury may take some more time to recover from, but even a physical therapist has the goal of getting you moving again.  Remember, the vast majority of the time you are in that driver’s seat and you are in complete control!  The same is true for your health and fitness.  Look past the road blocks.  Remember that you are in the driver’s seat with your hands on the wheel.  And better yet, keep your foot on the gas pedal!  If you have a knee injury, train your upper body;  if your shoulder hurts, do some legs;  muscles are sore, do some cardio.  Just keep going!  You can navigate around most roadblocks with minor adjustments to get to a fit new you!