Remember Why You Started
To stick with a workout program, it helps to remember why you started. If your goal was for external reasons, such as a spouse encouragement to workout, it may not work. You have to do it because you want to feel good and feel good about yourself in the process. Studies show that people who have internal reasons for exercising and healthy eating, who are doing it for themselves, stick with the program longer and are more successful. That doesn’t mean that getting fit for a class reunion still can’t be a driving force. It can, but will only drive you to the date of the reunion. You may feel so great at that point, your purpose may change to a “just for you” reason.
Don’t expect miracles and stick with it.
You probably won’t find perfection the first, second or any future workouts. You’re a work in progress. Remember that when you want to go full steam and do a zillion push-ups, but find one is too hard. Everyone struggles at first. You should remember not only why you started, but how hard it was when you started. That gives you a good idea of your progress. When you struggle at first, take note and use it as a benchmark to measure future progress.
Just work your hardest and let your body do the rest.
If you’re following your trainer’s instructions and working your hardest, sometimes you just have to have a little faith. I know one client that was amazing. She did everything precisely as I asked and worked like a crazy person. She had great results and when I asked her about it, she said when I told the group that anyone that sticks with the program will get great results. She had failed many times before and was bound and determined disprove my statement, but had to follow every instruction to the letter to do that. She didn’t prove me wrong, but it was the determination to do so that drove her to success. Use whatever works.
Get a visual to help.
People have used dream boards to achieve all types of success. You can use a picture of yourself before you gained the weight and one now, buy clothing in a smaller size and prominently display it or whatever tangible visual works for you. Maybe weight loss isn’t a goal, but endurance and strength is. Fill a bucket until it’s hard to carry more than a few steps and then once a week measure how far you can carry it. You’ll be amazed at your improvement.
Workout with a friend to get extra support and be generous giving it back to them.
If you overate or missed a session at the gym, don’t feel guilty. It’s only one day. Just continue your program as though there were no interruption.
Make working out and eating healthy a habit. That’s tough to do at first, but once you do, you’ll feel odd doing anything different.
Pat yourself on the back occasionally. Give yourself a little credit for all the work you’ve done thus far, rather than thinking you should be doing more. A positive feeling will keep you going to the gym.
If you’ve never heard of HIIT—High Intensity Interval Training—you haven’t read much on working out. It’s one of the hottest ways of maximizing your workout time. It involves a rotation between giving any type of exercise a 100 percent effort followed by a period of recovery for an equal or longer time. If you’re a runner, you’d run at top speed for a minute and then jog for one or two and back to top speed again. Not only is this great for achieving cardio fitness faster, since it gets the heart pumping at top speed, but it also helps burn fat fast.
When you transform yourself by getting into shape, you’ll notice the difference in how you look and feel, but there are other transformations going on besides just the physical. I’ve watched hundreds of clients lose weight and look fantastic afterward, but I’ve also seen an amazing transformation in their whole outlook on life. Many have more confidence and often become more outgoing. Those who were understress look and act like a weight was lifted from their shoulders. They may lose weight and inches, but they’re gaining so much more in the process.
Circuit training isn’t a specific exercise, but rather a method of exercising. When you’re doing circuit training you move quickly through several different types of exercises or stations quickly. The types of exercises work various muscle groups, either to build strength or flexibility. There’s little time to rest between stations, so you’ll be getting a cardio workout too. One of the huge benefits of circuit training is that it adjusts easily to all levels of fitness. You set the pace for your exercise, even if you do have to move to the next station when time is called.
Getting the best body ever isn’t easy, but it is possible. It isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible, especially when you have the right fitness program. At Iron Fit, we help you achieve your goal with circuit training that’s sure to get the results you want. It won’t take long before you’ll start to notice a distinct improvement with more muscle tissue and less fat. You’ll shed extra pounds quickly, while building muscles, endurance and range of motion.
If you have fitness goals, you’ll find it far easier and a lot more motivating. Just deciding you’ll get into shape isn’t a goal, since you can’t measure your success or even know when you’ve reached your goals. A fitness goal is like a road map with a specific destination. You know where you start and where your trip ends, so plotting out the journey to reach it is far easier. When you weigh in and get a physical assessment when you first start, you have the starting point of your destination. Your ultimate fitness goal is your ultimate destination.
There’s a reason many people are working to get stronger. Not only does it make them look great, it makes them feel great too. Getting stronger involves working on endurance too. Not everyone that starts on the journey with a great body and crazy athletic skills. In fact, most of my clients are out of shape in the beginning and the most athletic thing they do is mow the lawn or carry full dishes to the table. They’re often scared, but still brave enough to put themselves on the line and try something new. That’s a quality I appreciate and respect.