Christmas and New Year: the time of year when fitness goals fall down the list of priorities. Work, family, parties, planning for the holidays… they all take precedence. Then comes January… the realisation hits and, for gym-lovers and the New Year resolution crew alike, all thoughts go towards a big New Year diet and fitness push.
It always starts out with good intentions, but for most people, the new habits never last. Approx. 12% of the UK population sign up for a fresh gym membership every January, but by 24 weeks in most have either quit or stopped going.
(Sorry to be a Debbie downer, but i'm here to ensure this isn't you!!)
Why does this happen? They feel like the time and effort doesn't pay off soon enough. It's a mental battle of time and effort versus reward.
This isn't helped by body images in the media, and over marketing of fad plans that set unrealistic expectations. But ask yourself… have you started the year by setting some realistic goals for YOU? And are you using your time and effort effectively?
Here are some common traps that you should avoid if you truly want to be successful at fitness in 2019.
1. Working Out vs Training
'Working out' is comparable to throwing a bunch of exercises together to make you feel tired. You can find a workout anywhere these days; just about anyone can go to the gym and copy something that looks hard with the hope that it will work.
'Training' on the other hand is a precise process of progression. It's meaningful and purposeful training that produces measurable results. Training properly does not require more effort than working out; in fact it's sometimes even less. Remember: it's all about being efficient. So plan your training to suit your exercise goals, monitor your progress and adapt the exercise difficulty, number of sets and reps accordingly. Eliminate randomness and with less effort you'll achieve visible results in less time AND won't quit by 24 weeks!
2. Crawling Out Of The Gym
If you're crawling out of the gym on your hands and knees, you're less likely to return. You won't enjoy it, and if you're aimlessly beating your body up every time then you'll see slower progress.
Your exercise plan should be designed around telling your body to do something; to achieve a SPECIFIC result. What is your fitness goal? To lose fat? Gain muscle? Build strength? To achieve results, you MUST provide your body with the right stimuli to adapt, with consistent effort over time. If you feel beaten up after the gym, it's a sign that you clearly put a lot of effort into your session, but unfortunately that effort could have been directed in the wrong direction entirely.
3. The Difference Between Smart vs Hard
Don't link your workouts to your (in)ability to get out of bed the next day, or struggles to sit on a toilet without major DOMS pain in your backside. Your training sessions should have meaning and purpose, and encourage progression rather than debilitation. That's how you catch the bug and start enjoying getting in shape.
Exercising hard and exercising smart are two very different things. Any business leader will tell you that the same rules apply to work. Make 2019 the year of exercising smart, feeling great and achieving success.
To register your interest for the TFM COACHING PROGRAM simply reply to this email or click the link below. Registration closes midnight tonight, and could be your last opportunity to work with me directly for another month.
Yours in strength and health
Gareth | |
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