JUST ONE MORE
“There’s always one more,” is something clients say during our workouts. My job as a trainer is to coax, cajole, motivate and entertain the awesome people I get to work with into doing a little more. Just one more...
Over the course of the years, doing a little extra each day adds up because the most important factor in staying active and fit throughout your life is…being active and fit.It’s not always easy, even with a great trainer cheering you on J. Life is busy and sometimes a long day at work, the kid’s baseball game or the new season of (insert your favorite show here) gets in the way. Yes, there are plenty of opportunities to skip out on your workout, no matter how much better you feel afterward and no matter how many times you have promised yourself to lose 10 pounds.
Just one more makes all the difference, but I know you still have a negative meme or two floating around in your head. Let’s take care of that right now and address some of the most common reasons…er, excuses.
“I don’t have time” is the most common excuse for not working out, but unless every minute of your schedule is crammed from the moment you awaken until you fall into bed (internet and tv time don’t count) you can choose to find time:
1. Trying arising half an hour earlier or taking a walk at lunch or before going home after work.
2. Enjoy your favorite show or podcast while doing cardio at the gym.
3. If all else fails, two-15 or three-10-minute sessions scattered throughout the day will suffice.
4. Scheduling sessions with a trainer is also a great way to hold yourself accountable.
“Exercise is boring” doesn’t count as a valid reason because I really doubt you’ve tried every, single way there is to move. It doesn’t have to happen in a gym or with a group of sweaty people. A lifelong habit of movement is much easier to develop if you do something you enjoy:
1. For instance, if you love biking outdoors, don’t make yourself run on a treadmill.
2. If planks are your nemesis, find a different way to work your core. (There are many, safe ways.)
3. Find several things you enjoy and vary your workouts for more fun and great results.
4. If you are achievement driven, set a clear fitness goal and this will make the process more enjoyable.
Small Choices Lead to Big Changes
“I’m not seeing results.” While the sometimes unrealistic number you want to see on the scale may not appear as quickly as you would like, remember you did not create your body overnight. Small choices made repeatedly lead to big changes:
1. Choose to workout hard throughout your entire session (and give me one more).
2. Find a way to drink eight glasses of water today.
3. Decide to leave the last slice of pizza for tomorrow’s lunch.
4. What is the best choice you can make right now?
“I can’t stick with it,” is a lie some of us believe because, maybe, you’ve tried and failed…try again. A common mistake is trying to do too much too soon and then getting burned out or injured. This time, do it differently:
1. Start from where you are with one small, attainable goal in sight.
2. Write out the specific reasons for your goal.
3. Build consistency first and only add intensity, sets or time to your workouts every other week.
4. Be flexible in your approach while you keep your vision for yourself in mind.
“I’m too embarrassed,” is the deep, dark meme you may not want to acknowledge. You don’t have to admit to anyone else that you don’t like the way you look or feel today. You deserve to feel your best and live your greatest life:
1. How you think is everything. Inundate yourself with positive influences including the media you consume, the people around you and the thoughts you think.
2. Decide on what you want. Choose who you want to become and write down the specific steps you will take to become that person.
3. Take responsibility for your choices and actions. You are here now. Forgive yourself and anyone else you may blame for where and what you are.
4. Persist through all of the excuses, missteps and regrets. Your future is determined by what you do right now.
C’mon my friend, you’re just getting started!