Throughout my years, being a personal trainer and working with individuals to help them change their bad habits and form strong new healthy ones, it is more and more obvious to me that those that succeed and really conquer their new healthy lifestyle are those that are committed to change.
Clients who hire a trainer or join a gym and give themselves 3 months, 6 weeks, whatever length of time are, in my opinion, destined to fail. Why? They are limiting themselves.
They are choosing unrealistic time frames and also setting bogus goals. Just because the latest supermodel does 500 crunches a day and apparently gets a flat stomach from doing that, doesn’t mean you will too.
What “they” also forget to tell you, is she works with a trainer daily for several hours and just because journalists like to “dumb” things down for the general population they give you small tidbits of information that they know people out there are suckers for.
I’ve NEVER in all my 10 years of training seen that by doing 500 sit-ups/crunches that a client achieves a flat stomach or a six pack! NEVER!!!
Now I don’t class myself as a trainer who knows little, I feel my knowledge and experience is vast, so trust me I’d tell you if one type of exercise worked!
To change your whole body takes time, yes you can do it 12 weeks but what about the up keep?
If you don’t use it, you lose it! Muscle requires constant increase to see constant change. You cannot have a set routine that you do 3-4 times per week and expect to see change after 4-5 weeks.
Fitness levels (cardiovascular) also require constant change and increase. You know what if feels like when you keep doing the same thing over and over, right? Easy, unchallenging and boring!
Mix up your routine, constantly, to suit your current fitness levels and you will see a big change in your results. Change is good! Push yourself a little harder. Lift weights (and make them heavy while you’re at it!), Try a Tabata workout or some other HIIT workout.
Do hill sprints instead of your normal running route. Experience what it is like to not be able to breath properly because you’ve worked yourself to the point of exhaustion!
This is perfectly fine and normal (obviously incorporate appropriate down time, recovery and lower intensity sessions) yes you’ll feel like you want to vomit or have a few head spins but this is what is feels like to push the limits.
Remember: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Thank you Mr Einstein
More Tips For BEing The Change:
– Don’t make excuses! Just get in there and do it!
– Take before and after photos so you can physically compare.
– Take girth measurements (Waist, hips, bicep shoulders, thighs, chest etc) You will objectively be able to see change here. If you are not changing you aren’t working correctly, assess your plan and seek professional help.
– Consistency! You can’t expect change if you train twice one week, nothing the next, then once the following week, have a break followed then by an eating binge then your back on the wagon with 4 training sessions in one week to then get an injury. You catch my drift?
You can’t be sporadic with your training, aim for 2-3 sessions per week in the first 4 weeks then up it to 3-6 thereafter. Yes! You will not die from training (properly!) 6 days per week. Did you know our bodies are designed to do over 3 hours of physical activity per day?
– Get help: Hire a trainer! Nothing gets you results quicker than with someone who knows how to direct you and formulate a proper routine for you than a trainer.
Unfortunately your bad habits (overeating and not exercising) will cost you money in the long run. That is the price you pay for bad lifestyle habits!
– Keep a journal, write a blog or join a weight loss forum: Note your moods, feelings/emotions. What scares you, what is exciting about your journey.
This journal will be your confidante, use it to help you achieve your dreams. The great things about Having a blog/being a member of an online forum is you can share with others what you are feeling and motivate each other along. You don’t have to go it alone.
Advice From Our Transformers:
Roger: “When I started my weight loss journey, I didn’t focus on the whole end number of kilos I had to lose. instead, I took it kilo by kilo”
Amanda: “My previous training/eating wasn’t working until I realised I needed to address the psychological part of my weight loss. For example, reevaluate my motivation, understand what caused me to binge eat and finally accept changes in my life rather than scared of it.
Once I was to sort myself out mentally, with Nat’s help, I was able to attack my goals with a ferocity that i didn’t even know i had in me.”
Nadia: “My Attitude had to have a complete adjustment during my whole weight loss process. I had to learn to be strong and stop apologising for everything and just get on with it.
Developing a positive attitude was the key – I let go of my old self and the negativity associated with myself”.
