Should you be competitive to look your best?
Here’s a little story.
On the second day of my recent holiday in Dubrovnik last October, I awoke to find David peacefully lounging on the balcony just outside the sliding doors of our bedroom. I grabbed my skipping rope and a resistance band, eager to fit in a brief 20-30 minute workout before joining him on the deck chairs. After completing the workout, I challenged myself to 50 push-ups, dividing them into two sets of 25.
David observed in silence, and I sensed it was best not to invite him to join in. Approximately an hour later, he quietly rose, muttered something about not having done pushups in a long time, and proceeded to perform an impressive set of 110 push-ups, dividing them into four sets. I was genuinely impressed, knowing that he hadn’t engaged in push-ups for several years.
Just before we set off for the day, I informed our son Kash that his dad had completed 110 push-ups and shared the video on our family chat group. Kash was duly impressed. Later, he casually mentioned, “Hmm, I haven’t done push-ups in years. I’ll give it a shot tomorrow and see how many I can do.” And that’s how the Pitan Family Dubrovnik Push-Up Leaderboard came into existence. When Kash told me how many pushups he did, I decided to elevate my level a bit. Unbeknownst to each other, we quietly started competing.
Your environment holds more significance than you might realise.
I frequently emphasise the critical role of our environment and how it can significantly impact our health, either positively or negatively. Your environment encompasses everything that surrounds you: the people, places, customs (both social and cultural), and the things in your life. An unhealthy environment can greatly increase the likelihood of you facing health challenges. Conversely, when you surround yourself with individuals who embrace a healthy lifestyle, you naturally gravitate toward that way of living. This theory is well supported by extensive research.
It’s advisable to encircle yourself with people who align with how you aspire to look and feel. Transformation takes time, and it’s more beneficial to be the least fit in a group of active individuals, as it motivates you to improve, rather than being the fittest among a group of couch potatoes. Within communities, humans tend to naturally conform to the prevailing norms to foster a sense of belonging. If the majority of those around you are leading a sedentary lifestyle, you might, out of a desire for connection, discover yourself drawn to join them on the couch.
In a heartfelt moment of gratitude, my 21-year-old daughter recently conveyed her thankfulness for the early exposure to sports in her life. She recognised that this strong foundation, coupled with the unwavering commitment of our family over the years, has made it easier for her to maintain her fitness and well-being today.
The fact is, being in close proximity to me will make it impossible for anyone to stay unfit. As a healthy lifestyle coach, whether it’s through my own example, a direct invitation or my coaching program, I will get you moving to improve your health and fitness.
Family Holiday Push Up Leader Board
For many, exercise may seem like a tedious task, but when a competitive element is introduced, the dynamics change entirely. It suddenly becomes more engaging and enjoyable.
As you see from the stats below, I instantly became more competitive as soon as someone else joined in. I made the conscious decision to up my game, driven by the fitness levels of those around me. This exemplifies the significant impact your environment can have on your journey toward improved health and fitness. It can serve as a wellspring of inspiration.
At the end of the day, what did I gain by being competitive? I successfully preserved my upper body lean muscle mass, strength, and achieved well-toned arms. Truth be told, it didn’t really matter who finished first or last; what truly matters is that we were all motivated, and collectively, we sustained our strength.
- Kash: 110 + 100 + 100 + 50 + 55 = 415
- David: 110 + 120 + 120 = 350
- Kehinde: 50 + 75 + 100 + 100 = 325
Because he’s competitive, David suggested the best way to know the actual leader is to divide the total number of pushups over the days we did them. This knocked Kash off the top spot. 🤣
- David (350/3) = 116.66
- Kash (415/5) = 83
- Kehinde (325/4) = 81.25
To conclude, must you be competitive to be fit and healthy?
Nope. However, if you struggle with consistency, introducing a competitive element can be fun, motivational, keep you focused and determined. Your gain is improved fitness, less toxic body fat and better health.
5 Comments.
Great write up – you’re all Champions but Kash was the true winner! Very inspiring family!
Kash was the winner jor!! Love the environment influence, who you hang out with matters a great deal.
Great write up as usual… and yes l love healthy competition 👍🏽
So true, grear write-up. What a family! I imagine what I’d look like with you as my neighbor….. hold on, I like the image in my head. This has inspired me to see how many push ups i can do this week and hopefully i enjoy it enough to continue.
Love it! I’ll intentionally reach out to friends of like minds and engage in some healthy competition.