Have you ever wondered how some people just love working out? How they manage to get up at 4:30 am every morning to run in the cold. You vow every Monday that “today will be different” yet those with the drive to find fitness success seem to just pass you by. These people have different motivations than you, they understand why fitness is important, rather than undertaking it to either lose weight or gain muscle. Believe it or not, you can be like these people as well. The below tips are just 5 secrets to fitness success. Don’t believe me? Give them a go, I guarantee they will make a difference in your life.
Research
Sometimes I forget that the everyday individual does not have access to the knowledge I have gained over the course of my university studies and career. I know as soon as most of you see the word research, you may be automatically turned off. However, information is key to understanding why health and fitness are important. The great thing is, you don’t need to hunt down a library book when you have google at your fingertips. Yes you will find conflicting information, which is where my trusty friend “Google Scholar” comes in. Research journal article sit here and you can guarantee what you read is based off hours of research and study. is correct. If you are still struggling to find good information, locate a good trainer who will point you in the right direction.
Try to work out the same time, most days
I know this is asking a lot but getting your body into a routine will make it easier to achieve your fitness goals. You may wonder how some people can get up at 4am every morning. It is simple, they have trained their bodies to wake up at that time. Yes it may be hard at first but give it a couple of weeks and you will be waking up before your alarm.
Understand health and fitness comes in all shapes and sizes
Health and fitness is not all about eating veggies, drinking protein and running 10km a day, however that may suit some individuals lifestyle. By definition, health is a state of complete mental, physical and social well-being. And fitness is the ability to meet the demands of all environments. Combine these two and you will get why I said health and fitness comes in all shapes and sizes.
Stop exercising to lose weight, exercise for your health
I know so many people who participate in “8 week challenges” just to lose weight. They tell me, “for those 8 weeks I will be strict with my eating, I will work out everyday and I will NOT slip up”. When I hear this I sigh on the inside. I know their fitness journey will not be any longer than 8 weeks and they will slip off once their challenge ends. You see they have their “why” all mixed up. They are not exercising to feel good and embrace being healthy, rather they are doing it to reach a goal weight or to fit into a dress for a wedding. Not to mention the diets and intense training regimes are often unsustainable over long periods of time.
Know what you are going to do before you do it
Unless you have a personal trainer or attend fitness classes, it is difficult to come up with training routines everyday. Try sitting down at the end of each week and plan your training days for the following week. Going into each week with a plan will ensure you stick to it.
Try to enjoy it
I know I said these were the 5 secrets to fitness success but I couldn’t help myself, so I decided to add a bonus just for you guys. Exercise is hard work, it requires commitment every day. In order to stay dedicated to the cause, you MUST enjoy it. Now this is not to say you must force yourself to enjoy running, because we all know running is not for everyone. Take your time to find what you actually enjoy doing. Whether is be yoga, muay thai training, HIIT or CrossFit, find what suits you and stick with it. Trust me, you will find it much easier to get up every morning if you enjoy what you are doing.
