A bit of inspiration from Nik: 212 Degrees - The Extra Degree

At 211 degrees, water is hot.

At 212 degrees, it boils.

And with boiling water comes steam.

And steam can power a locomotive.

The one extra degree...makes all the difference.

This quote was given to me by one of my old coaches. He told me that there is a clear line between those who are mildly successful and those who are the clear winners. The clear winners push through adversity. They don't stop when it hurts. They don't stop in the face of a challenge. They go that extra degree every time--and that's why they are the clear winners.

The one extra degree is that last rep. It's adding another 5 lbs to your squat when you don't want to. It's doing an extra circuit when you feel like going home. It's pushing yourself, even though you don't believe you can do it.

Are you willing to go that extra degree?

I have been at 211 degrees, not necessarily because I didn't do the last rep or add the weight, but because I bitched and moaned while doing it. Attitude, I think, is just as important as doing that last rep, because if you have a positive attitude to your entire approach, you have a much better chance of making this a life-long change and not something you struggle through for six weeks and then go back to your old, bad habits. So my goal moving into the next week is to be more positive. This doesn't mean I won't be cranky at times, because let's face it, I'm hungry, but it does mean that I will embrace it, not suffer it. Keep the faith!