It’s Okay to Just Maintain | Deadlifts and Pizza Ep. 68
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get enough air time in fitness.
Sometimes you don’t want to push.
Not because you’re lazy. Not because you’ve “fallen off.” Not because you suddenly stopped caring.
You just… don’t want to chase more right now.
And the second that thought pops up, a lot of people immediately panic.
Am I losing my drive?
Am I wasting time?
Is this how people quit?
No. Relax.
This episode came from a very real conversation about that exact feeling. The one where training starts to feel heavy mentally, even if your body is still capable. And instead of listening to that signal, most of us try to override it with more discipline, more pressure, and more shoulds.
Which usually backfires.
The unspoken rule in fitness
There’s this quiet rule floating around in fitness culture that says you always need a goal.
Stronger. Leaner. Faster. More disciplined. More consistent.
Goals are fine. I like goals. I like training hard. I like seeing progress.
But when every phase of training has to be about pushing, you leave zero room for being human.
Life gets busy. Stress piles up. Sleep gets weird. Motivation dips.
That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you’re a person.
Maintenance isn’t giving up
This is where I think people get it twisted.
Maintenance gets treated like the consolation prize. Like you didn’t try hard enough to earn progress.
In reality, maintaining strength, muscle, and routine takes effort.
You’re still showing up.
You’re still training.
You’re still taking care of your body.
You’re just not forcing progress at all costs.
And honestly? That’s often the phase that keeps people training long term.
If you dread your workouts, that matters
If you constantly hate your workouts, that’s information.
Not every session is going to feel amazing. That’s normal.
But if training feels like a chore you’re dragging yourself through week after week, that’s not a motivation problem. That’s a programming or expectation problem.
Liking your workouts matters more than people want to admit.
Because enjoyment is what keeps you consistent when life gets messy.
You don’t lose everything by easing up
One of the biggest fears people have is that the second they stop pushing, everything disappears.
That’s not how bodies work.
Muscle and strength are surprisingly resilient.
You don’t lose years of progress because you stopped chasing PRs for a while. In many cases, pulling back a little actually helps people recover physically and mentally.
Which makes it easier to come back stronger later.
You’re allowed to change the goal
This part matters.
You’re allowed to want different things at different times.
You’re allowed to train hard in one season and train just to feel good in another.
Fitness doesn’t have to be a constant self improvement project.
Sometimes it can just be something you do because it makes your life better.
And that’s not settling. That’s sustainable.
If this conversation feels familiar, the full episode dives into it in a lot more detail. Listen while you’re walking, driving, or lifting something reasonably heavy.
And if you’re in a season where maintaining feels right?
You’re not broken.
You’re not falling behind.
You’re just training like someone who plans to be here for a long time.
Other Things We Cover in This Episode
The idea of having different goals besides building muscle. Maintenance is still cool.
Banded speed deadlifts
The anxiety of losing strength when you change focus temporarily
Combining cardio with strength
How a 5-1-1 tempo is great for building strength
Getting stronger at a push press or overhead press
How warm ups help you lift more
Working out with family
The physics in sports and timing
The poor quality of a lot of in person trainers
Hiphuggers coming back in style?
Q&As:
How do you stay consistent after you’ve been training consistently for a year, and working out has lost its excitement and progress has slowed dramatically.
Is it ok to only care about aesthetics, and not care as much about health and longevity?
How can I still make progress when I like a lot of variety and to change up my workout constantly?
What’s one fitness trend you wish would die already?
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Deadliftsandpizzapod@gmail.com
