There are many extremes in the Fitness Industry that make you feel like you are always failing. Staying fit isn’t something that everyone finds easy. Many individuals have a difficult time finding a way to stay active that they enjoy and that isn’t too much of a chore.
Fitness is frequently depicted as an all-or-nothing, super intense, and somewhat elitist pursuit. The advice can often be extreme, and you frequently feel like a failure for not being committed enough, disciplined enough, or motivated enough.
However, going to extreme measures to be healthy and fit is not necessary. In fact, we believe that attempting to do so often leads to burnout and of course failure.
So in this article, I want to share with you a few principles for staying in good realistic shape.
These principles have developed as we have had the chance to work with and learn from hundreds of individuals over the past 8 years working as personal trainers.
You can adapt these principles to suit your personal approach to fitness, making them easier to sustain and more enjoyable.
Fitness Should Be Only One Part Of Your Life
You don’t need to make your entire world revolve around working out, the key to long-term success is integrating fitness into your life without taking it over.
People often let their busy schedules take over, work, family, and social lives taking the front seat and letting staying in shape slip off the agenda until they realise just how far they have let it slip.
It’s a common story, work and life got in the way then you suddenly noticed you’re 20+ kilos overweight and tasks that were easy are now becoming a chore. So you dust off your trainers and run at 100 miles per hour into a training programme committing your whole existence to it, only to realise you can’t take the pace, bosh and you’re done residing yourself to being overweight forever. It really doesn’t need to be this way, the all-or-nothing approach is rarely the right way to go.
If you have a busy week, but still want to fit in a workout. Start small try an at-home exercise alone or start working with a mobile personal trainer once or twice a week only to start, then build up over time. Having an at-home workout can help you stay consistent with your fitness routine and fit fitness into your week without taking over your life.
Focus On Well-Being Rather Than On Being Lean
The world we live in today is one where people are constantly bombarded with images of celebrities who are depicted as perfect and have “perfect physiques”. Consequently, many people are left feeling dissatisfied with their own bodies. To combat this, it is important to remember that each and every one of us is unique and the Hollywood definition of perfection is far from healthy.
In addition, it is important to focus on having a healthier lifestyle instead of just focusing on being fit or staying in shape. A healthy lifestyle can help you feel better about yourself and can also help you lead a longer, healthier and more productive life than someone who is continually chasing unattainable results, going on crash diets and setting unrealistic expectations of themselves.
Consistency, NOT Intensity
It is always better to show up at a manageable effort level and stay until the end rather than it is to go extremely hard and then have to quit because of soreness or injury.
Committing to a healthier lifestyle, improving your diet and training regularly and you’re going to see long-term results such as weight loss and muscle gain. You’re also likely to improve your health and work towards preventing diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
Although intense workouts are beneficial, you can’t always work out at a high intensity. It’s fine to reduce the intensity of your workouts in order to be more consistent in the long run. Be flexible with your routine depending on how you feeling, remember everything is subject to change, so instead of smashing yourself to bits all of the time, think about adding a bit more intense when you can and taking your foot off the gas a little when you’re tired or stressed, you body will thank you for it.
Enjoyment Is Of The Highest Priority
If you are not having fun with your workouts, you won’t be able to sustain them for the long haul. The “perfect” workout routine is the one that you will do consistently, and actually enjoying the process is a key factor.
You are far more likely to stick with a training programme that you enjoy if it feels like a chore the likelihood of you hitting your goals is slim. There are so many different types of workouts you can do to keep fit, finding your groove can take some time but I firmly believe there is something for everyone, whether it be Olympic lifting or hiking, it’s just a matter of trying things until finding what resonates with you.
Of course, there are types of training that are more effective for specific outcomes, however, if you take no pleasure from them it’s going to be a very hard slog getting it done, my suggestion would be to put your energy into the things you enjoy.
Have Some Accountability
Having someone to hold you accountable helps you stay consistent and motivated. You can stay on track by working out with a gym community, hiring a personal trainer, a workout partner, or a program to follow.
Having a workout partner can be very helpful, especially if you like to work out regularly. Having a workout partner can help motivate you and make it easier to stay accountable when working out.
A workout partner can be either a friend with that you share a similar goal or a personal trainer. When working with a personal trainer, you have someone who keeps tabs on your progress and ensures you’re continuing to move in the right direction. Since a personal trainer is an experienced professional they will help you to create a more effective workout routine that fits your needs and lifestyle. If you want to hear us expand on each of these principles in even more depth. Get in touch now!
