I want you to stop and think about the first time you ever walked into a gym, or the first moment when you decided you wanted to get your fitness on track. Did you talk to a trainer? What did they tell you? Maybe you went to the internet searching for answers? What did you find? Seriously, think about it…what did you find and then think about how it made you feel?
Did you feel overwhelmed, overloaded with information? Maybe you were left feeling conflicted when you found two pieces of opposite advice promising the same results. Were you met with fitness programs that required huge time commitments or programs that just didn’t sound very fun. Maybe you felt like you had to completely overhaul your lifestyle in order to get to those goals. And maybe, you just closed all the internet tabs and said “not today, maybe I’ll try again next week.” Any of this sound familiar?
Many of the initial consultations I’ve had start off the same way. You start by asking a client what their goals are and they often rattle something about wanting to be in the gym 5-6 days a week and they want to eat “clean”. For many people based on where they’re currently at, this requires a complete lifestyle overhaul…and then there is the added complication that they want it to happen…yesterday. The first thing I ask any client when I hear this is…”Is this realistic for you?”
Often the answer is “no”, especially when we start to break down their schedule and all the other commitments they have going on in their lives. It’s just not something that will work in their lifestyle because hey…we’re all busy. Health and fitness should not be stressful. Let me repeat that…health and fitness should NOT be stressful! It should not consume your life and all your thoughts, it should not be something that you have to completely rearrange your life to get in. Instead, it should be something that you enjoy, something you look forward to.
So what does your fitness journey look like then? Well…it looks like what works for you. Honestly…it’s as simple as that. A lot of people have a hard time wrapping their heads around this so keep reading for 5 ways to bring health and fitness into your life without letting it run your life.
Tip 1: Meet Yourself Where You Are At
No matter where you are on your health and fitness journey you need to start by meeting yourself where you are currently at. What exactly does that mean? In simple terms it means start small. When people begin their health and fitness journies they often start with the intention of overhauling their entire life all at once. A better and more sustainable way to do this is to start with small and simple changes. Choose just one thing that you can start today to move yourself towards better health, yes you heard me right…just one. And then take that one thing and make it so simple and easy to achieve that there is no doubt in your mind that you can achieve it. I’m talking as simple as packing your gym bag or setting out your clothes or filling 3 water bottles with the intention of drinking them. That’s how simple it can be and that is how you should be starting. Remember to meet yourself where you are because in this very moment you are right where you are meant to be and small steps will get you to where you want to go.
Tip 2: Make Fitness Fun
Are you a runner? No…well then don’t choose running as your form of exercise. Hate going to the gym…well then don’t plan on being there 3 days a week lifting weights. We don’t tend to stick to things that we don’t enjoy so my tip here…just don’t put yourself through it. Choose activities that you enjoy and you are more likely to do them. Choose something you dread and it will take so much more effort to get yourself to do it…and I know that you have better places to put your energy. Not sure what you like? Start by trying out some things. If you find something you like great, if you find something you don’t enjoy move on to the next thing. Enjoyment of exercise makes it soooooo much easier to continue to do over the long-term, so just have fun with it!
Tip 3: Consider Your Lifestyle
Are you a busy mom running 3 kids in different directions? Do you have a job that demands your attention 60 hours a week? Do you have hobbies that you enjoy doing that take up the majority of your free time? Great…then don’t set yourself up to go to the gym 6 days a week. The reality is that most people can’t make that happen. When I started in the industry, I felt the pressure to be lifting weights and putting hard work in at least 5-6 days a week…but the reality was my life was busy, I was commuting an hour to and from work each day, working full 8 hour days, trying to maintain the relationships in my life and planning a wedding. Now I set myself up for 3-4 weight training sessions a week and walk as many days as I can because that is what is realistic for my life. Consider what you have going on in your life right now. Think about your work or school (or both), your hobbies, your family (and their commitments), your home and all the other things. Once you’ve taken all those things into account then start to look at what you can realistically fit into your schedule. Can only get 2 gym sessions in a week…okay cool then that’s what you strive for. Get rid of the idea that exercise needs to be structured and killing yourself every day of the week…which brings me to my next point.
Tip 4: Change Your Perspective
Stop thinking that exercise HAS to take place in the gym and HAS to include the use of a lot of equipment, or you HAVE to get super sweaty or sore for it to “count”. Seriously, get rid of those thoughts right now…I’ll wait! Exercise and activity can look very different for a lot of people. Maybe you do enjoy lifting weights or running, but I want you to know that it doesn’t have to look like this. Maybe you play recreational sports, maybe you chase your kids around the yard, maybe you like a leisure bike ride or walk, maybe you enjoy hiking trails, maybe you walk your dog everyday. All of these are getting you up and moving, remember that. You don’t have to break a massive sweat and feel sore the next day for it to “count”. Remind yourself of this often. Think about it…maybe you are already being more active than you think you are so don’t discount those things, they all play a role in a healthy, active lifestyle.
Tip 5: Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Miss a day or have a bad week, guess what…we all do, so don’t beat yourself up for it. Take a minute to re-evaluate your goal. Remember, it should only be ONE goal and you should be at least 90% confident that you can achieve that goal. If this is not the case then take a minute to adjust your goal to something that you are 90% sure you can achieve. If you are sure you can achieve it and you just had a less than perfect day or week then accept it and move on. Not all days or weeks will be perfect…and that is okay. What’s important is that we head into the next week with clear goals and a good mindset (which beating yourself up doesn’t lend itself well to by the way). We all get to hit the reset button, and we don’t need to dwell when things don’t go exactly to plan. The past is the past, leave it there and look forward.
There you have it! My top 5 tips for not letting health and fitness run your life. Health and fitness are an important part of our lives and there is nothing wrong with striving to better yourself. But letting health and fitness become all consuming isn’t worth it. It’s important to enjoy the process of getting to your goals, not just the goals themselves.
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See you next week!
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