5 Simple Changes To Maximize Your Fitness Journey
Starting a new fitness journey can be very overwhelming. The decision alone to start entails admitting to something wrong in the current routine. Some might recognize a need for a change alone, while others might be in denial and simply following "doctor's orders". Whether you've decided to start on this journey on your own or because of a health scare, know that it all starts with your mind.
Your mind will dictate how you start and maintain your new found healthy habits. Most people "fail" to continue on their way to a healthier self because they go about it all wrong mentally. Here I'll be sharing with you 5 obvious but often overlooked tips for you to be successful in your fitness journey.
1-Rid Yourself From The All Or Nothing Mentality
Most people when they start anything new, particularly when they're excited about the prospect of change or anxious to see results, they commit 100% to it. As time goes on, and change don't happen as fast, or their new found enthusiasm starts to dwindle, they simply start to slack off and eventually fall off the rails entirely.
I'm here to tell you that the "all or nothing" mentality is not healthy for long term success. If you were to commit to running a marathon, you wouldn't expect that by sprinting from the front line you'd be able to maintain that pace throughout the whole 26 miles. As a matter of fact, you know that you'd have to keep a pace in order to succeed getting to the finish line, and you'd even expect some hick ups and mental blocks to surpass along the way.
Starting on a fitness journey is no different. You can't expect to make 100 changes to your lifestyle at once and be able to honor them all.
Start by committing to small changes, and making sure these changes are well established into your routine before adding new ones. Also, there will be days when you won't have the motivation to workout at all, so instead of thinking that it's better to just not do anything, commit to a 10 minutes walk or doing half of a workout plan instead of doing nothing. A 10 minutes walk it's better than sitting all day. It might not be the same as the 40mins cardio you intended to complete that day, but allowing yourself some room to do the best you can, will get you closer to your goal. Remember to take each day one moment/task at a time.
2- Prioritize Health Over Aesthetics
Often times, when someone decided to embark on a fitness journey, it's because they're dissatisfied with their current physique. Starting a new workout and nutrition plan to change the way you look is 100% valid, but as time goes by and once again change doesn't happen as fast as one expected it to, that initial motivation will start to fade away.
Change your mind by concentrating on all the health benefits working out and eating well offer! It might not be much, but I love comparing working out and eating well with dental hygiene. You know sometimes brushing your teeth and flossing can be a pain in butt, especially late at night when you're tired. You might just feel like brushing your teeth haphazardly and skip flossing all together. It might be alright once in a while to skip flossing (refer to number 1 above), but it's not alright to make it a habit.
Emphasize that working out and choosing wholesome nutritious meals, are nonnegotiable and are a part of your livelihood. Even if for 10 mins, you must move your body at least 5 times a week. Even if once a day, you must consume a variety of greens, and a portion of fruit. As you get used to incorporating these small changes mentally, you'll soon be making better choices all together.
Also, comparison is a joy killer. The only person you should be comparing yourself is to you! Get in the groove of taking progress pictures, because more often than not that bathroom scale is not showcasing the whole picture.
3-Don't eliminate everything you love from your "diet"
Refer to number 1!! The all or nothing mentality also applies to foods. Nowadays, we're bombarded with a plethora of diets that eliminates a whole food group altogether to promote weight-loss. Well, it takes not rocket scientist to figure out that by limiting food choices to individuals via eliminating certain food groups or macro-nutrients, will lead to a caloric deficit and eventually weigh-loss.
Due to health reasons, some people might be prescribed by a doctor or dietitian a specialized diet, because otherwise their bodies won't function at its optimal capacity. Some of those diets eventually hit mainstream markets in a modified way in order to appease the masses. Some of those dietary restrictions prove to be unsustainable long term, and people eventually return to the unhealthy habits they tried to change in the first place.
Following a healthy nutrition plan shouldn't mean cutting off the things you love, it simply means to find new ways to satisfy cravings through improved recipes, home made versions, or portion control. Making good choices 80% of the time, and allowing for some naughtiness once in a while, might not get you to your goal as fast as being 100% strict, but it definitely proves to be more sustainable long term.
4- Take Rest Day Seriously
Ah the good old rest day. For those who are type A personalities, really like to give their all to a cause and are anxious about change, will more often than not skip rest day. In their minds they think that resting is 1 day less to get closer to their goals. I'm one of those, and taking rest days seriously takes me more discipline than getting my butt up to workout.
Resting is as much as part of fitness as movement. Don't get me wrong, I'm not referring to sedentarism, I'm referring to the constantly pushing your body beyond its limits without taking the time to recover appropriately.
Recovery days will allow your muscles to grow, your lymphatic system to rid of toxins and fat, will allow your mind to rest, and you'll be able to perform at full capacity again instead of with a tank half full. The high levels of stress hormones that comes from pushing your body beyond its limits often, is 100% detrimental to future performance and will eventually lead to injuries.
Make Sure To Always Have A Plan
Last but not least, starting any journey without a plan will most likely make you lost and lead you to nowhere. Having a workout plan in place, meal prepping for the week, and making sure you follow through with them is the only way to make sure you stay on path.
I offer simple workout plans in PDF format that are yours forever, and you can repeat as many time as you like, while increasing weight, taking less breaks, or you can incorporate them in future programs by adding a favorite circuit at the end of a workout.
Click on the pic bellow to shop programs!
