Answer
Answered by Phil Learney on 03/09/2012
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Make 2011 physically your best year yet!
For close to 20 years now at the turn of New Year I’ve watched hundreds of people cross the entry gates of multiples of gyms. In the beginning this is a goal orientated and concerted change on the persons behalf but why in over 90% of cases does this not last?
Remember who we are. The Third Space, we’re the go between Home and Work and there to provide a balance. For so many that space appears to fill for a short while then becomes very vacant once again…..until next year.
Why do we fail?
We live in a society that always works on the principle that MORE is better. The one exception is dieting where we consider less often to be better. When our motivation is the highest we need to strike whilst the iron is hot and make sure that doesn’t revert back to how it was.
Small Changes
Don’t change it all at once. Becoming physically better is fundamentally based around training, nutrition and rest.
‘In the new year I’m going to train more, eat better and get more sleep’
Repeated that a few times? Too many people want to change everything all at once and expect to happen upon the perfect solution.
If I have a client who eats McDonalds everyday for lunch and has done for the past year I’m going to struggle to change that habit. My goal initially would be to make their choices better and reduce that daily trip. Over time they will go less and less and that mediocre choice that had moved from a bad choice is no longer needed.
Plan to make a small change every 3-5 days and maintain them. If you struggle to maintain them don’t make another until you can.
A ‘small’ change I would class as something like starting to eat breakfast.
The same applies to training, if you went to the gym every few weeks in 2010 plan to go once a week to begin with. This way your motivation remains high and you are actually eager to get in again. Build that up slowly until you regularly get there 3-4 times a week.
‘Fail to Plan Plan to Fail’
I cannot emphasise this enough. I could walk into any gym on this planet and randomly ask anyone what they’re training for and what they’re doing today. The blank look and shrug of the shoulders is fairly common.
Know what you will eat at least the day before. Know before you get to the gym what you intend to do and what its purpose is.
Write down your goals and how you intend pursuing them. Bring them into one of the trainers at The Third Space and we can get you set off on the right path.
A few tips and small changes.
Nutrition
- Eat breakfast without fail. This kick starts your metabolism, without it you burn significantly less energy every day.
- Go to work on an Egg - a very old advertising slogan for Eggs but the fact is most westerners diets have a lack of protein in them, particularly breakfast.
- Try and move away from the ‘traditional’ toast or grain based cereal for breakfast.
- If its manmade avoid it. Simple rule.
- Avoid soft drinks. Too much sugar and sweeteners, simple.
- Eat regularly. Don’t go 3-4 hours without food. Trust me your blood sugar will become unstable and you’ll move your directional food choices towards high energy, high fat, high sugar foods.
- Reduce your alcohol intake.
Training
1. Get consistent. Don't worry about trivial things like what are the best times to train etc just get in!
2. Consider your goals and your current physical state. If you're overweight running is a bad option. Your joints don't need that kind of stress. If your intention is to gain weight that CAN'T be done without more food. If you want tone and shape just lift weights. Unless you eat more food you physiologically cannot gain more size!
3. Get a trainer for a few sessions. Pursuing your goals with bad technique or bad structure is time badly spent. You can learn more in a few hours with a good trainer than you could learn in a year alone. You wouldn't think of fixing your computer on your own right.......? The human body is a tad more complex and needs the same kind of care.
4. Don't overdo it. For most people 3-4 times per week is more than enough gym time to see notable results. More is not always better!
Members usage of gyms hits an all time high often followed by a steady drop. The key in the new year is consistency. Train regularly, eat well, and get some sleep. Keep it simple and reap the rewards!
Here's to a happy and healthy new year!
Phil Learney - Personal Trainer