One of the most important aspects of any Fitness program or Fat Loss program is that you have to want to do it. You want to make those sacrifices; you want to go through the pain. No one can force you; sure, you might have the initial push to follow a Personal Trainer or a new Fitness Program, but to stick at something you have to enjoy it. Love is a strong word, and I probably don’t love working out. I enjoy it and look forward to going in the gym, but for the pain it gives me it would be hard to love. I like to think of Fitness as more of a relationship, you have your highs and lows and you have to work at it, but in the end you realize she isn’t that bad….I hope the wife doesn’t read this!
Take each step slowly
I see far too many people giving up because they don’t see results fast enough. What is fast enough? Well to some it’s within 4 weeks. If you are clinically obese, following any fitness program will result in significant appearance changes within 4 weeks. For the rest of us that just want to get in shape, it takes time. There isn’t a program out there that will make you lose 10lb in 7 days, trust me. Anything that makes claims like “Lose Weight in a Week” in my opinion is a scam, they are misleading – you don’t want to lose weight in a week, you want to lose FAT. There is a huge difference. Take one-step at a time, make your workout more effective and focus on the fundamentals – Diet, Nutrition and Exercise. Start small and work your way up.
Plan, plan, plan and then record it
I personally record everything, from what I put in my mouth each day to how many reps I’ve done to how I felt during the workout. Not only does it allow me to look back and see what went right or wrong, but also allows me to see progress. Like I’ve said before Fitness isn’t a quick fix, it’s a lifestyle choice and anything that helps me see what worked and what didn’t is a real asset. To be honest this is really how I started Fitness Blog. You could do the same, start your own Fitness Blogs – there is nothing more motivating than when you are sharing progress with the world.
Allow for downtime and relax
Beginners are usually full of energy and eagerness to kick start their transformation, but more often than not this is their downfall. I’ve been there, working out 6 days each week, body splits, supersets, interval training, and that was all before lunch. Less is most definitely more. As a beginner, you should be working out no more that 3 to 4 days per week. The other days are designated REST days. You need them; your body needs them, and will thank you for them. Remember that muscle building / body transformation occurs outside the gym, when we allow the body time to recover and repair. Neglect this and you will stunt your progress and growth. You’ve been Warned!
Realize we all have bad days
I have more than my fair share of these, but I bounce back. Don’t beat yourself up for failing the last set of squats, or failing to hit the target weight on your bench press. These things happen. In my case, it’s usually down to trying too hard. Take a rest, come back and try again. We all hit plateaus; it’s how you deal with them that sets you apart from the rest.
Diet
Diet is another area I see a lot of folks really stressing about. If you eat healthy 6 days of the week then having a few slices of pizza Saturday night is not going to kill you. Accept these cravings and get them out of your system, it’s the best plan of attack. Your body may well thank you for this additional calories. Definitely another area where writing everything down helps. You will quickly realize that in the big scheme of things the pizza didn’t have such an impact.
We all hit plateaus, it’s how you deal with them that sets you apart from the rest….
Remember Take it slowly, write it down and rest.
Different approaches work for different people, what works for you? Do you have a Personal Trainer? or simple follow your own Fitness Program? How do you keep Motivated?
