FITNESS ADVICE FOR YOU
IF IT DOESN'T CHALLENGE YOU, IT DOESN'T CHANGE YOU
October 28, 2018
So you’ve taken the first step and have started devoting yourself to becoming a healthier person from the inside out! You found a program or a fitness class and you are taking your diet to a whole new level! Congratulations! That’s often the hardest part of getting fit.
Keep in mind that results follow performance, so if you don’t advance your workouts and don't try new recipes/foods, then your results will stagnate. Take a look at the following tips/tricks to increasing your performance!
1. Have a goal
Whether you want to lose weight or get stronger, it’s a lot easier to push yourself if you know what you’re pushing yourself for. Similar to having a personal mission statement, having a fitness goal will help you stay on track and focused. Write it down. Tell your friends and family. Give yourself accountability.
2. Have a plan
Once you’ve picked a goal, it’s time figure out how you’re going to reach it. You are with me 3 days out of the week right? Okay well, what are you going to do the other days? Fitness shouldn’t be random; it should be planned.
​
3. Switch it up
Once you’ve become comfortable with the workouts, then it’s time to start pushing yourself a little bit harder. But remember, you have to work up to it first. Just as I say in my own classes while teaching...modify first...then bump it up to intermediate...then advanced! Depending on how fit you are in the beginning, the amount of time you should wait before you ramp up the intensity varies. It takes your body between three and 12 weeks to adjust to new exercise.
​
4. Focus on all the pieces
When you’re pushing your body to its limits, you need give it everything it needs. This includes rest and correct nutrition.
​
Take care of your muscles and fuel them! Food fuels your body, but only clean food will give you the fuel your body needs to push yourself as hard as possible. Junk food is referred to as ‘empty calories’ because it tends to be low in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Not only do you need to eat the right kinds of foods, you also need to eat the right amounts. In order to have the energy to push yourself hard, you need to eat enough so you don’t feel lethargic or unfocused. Plateaus are a pretty good indicator that you’re under eating. A fitness plateau is when you’re not losing any weight, but you’re not gaining it, either. By upping your calorie intake, you can give your body more fuel to help you effectively power through tough workouts.
5. Get reinforcements
Supplements can be extremely helpful when you’re body is exerting lots of energy for a long time. This guidecan help you effectively use supplements for longer workouts. Be careful WHAT supplements you grab though. NO DIET PILLS, no crazy ENERGY Drink!! Shakeology, protein bars, Beachbody’s Endurance Performance Line, a Recovery drink, WATER, WATER and WATER ;)! This will all help you become even stronger, healthier without damage of nonsense supplements that are temporary fixes.
6. Stay Motivated
Fitness can be just as much of a mental exercise as it is physical. Some days you’ll just want to give up, but that’s when it’s key to push yourself. These three tips can help you stay committed to your goals. Keep your eye on the prize so you can reach the goal you originally set for yourself.
​
7. Stay safe
Although challenging your body helps your fitness improve and progress, you should never push yourself to the point of injury. You need to learn the difference between good pain, which is being sore, and bad pain, which signals an injury. Good pain gets better over time. Bad pain gets worse. Build up steadily as your body gives you feedback. Exercise is a constant dialog with yourself.
​
Add these 7 steps into your every day fitness routine and you will see a HUGE difference ;)!