How to get active no matter what shape you’re in now…
25/04/2020
Lockdown is in full swing, and you’ve probably looked out of your window as well as scanned social media and seen several people exercising…
When I first had an interest in exercise, I didn’t know where to start or what to do, and everything seemed very daunting…
If you’re sat there feeling like this and thinking, “I don’t know what to do or how to do it” then you’re not alone…
Here are some great tips on how to get active, boost your moral and lead a more exceptional quality of life…
#1 Start Small
Don’t try to run before you can walk. Trying to change everything all at once is not a good plan of action. It often leads to failure.
Start small.
Small changes… lead to big changes further down the line.
One thing that’s often overlooked is building small ‘daily habits’. For example, there are many things you do each day that you don’t even think about, such as brushing your teeth or locking the door when you leave the house. These habits are second nature and become automated without conscious thought.
So, although running a 10k or going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week might be your goal…
How do you get there in a sustainable way?
Start small – breakdown your goal into bite-sized chunks…
For example, if you’re goal is to run a 10k, how about:
- Week 1: walking each day for 20-30 minutes
- Week 2-10: following the couch to 5k program
- Week 11-15: building up to 7.5k
- Week 15-20: running your first 10k
Of course, the above is just an example. You could achieve your goal more quickly, or spread it out over a year. As long as you are taking action and making progress, that’s the main thing.
If you’re goal is to train at the gym, why not start with some home workouts?
For example…
Why not start with ten push-ups in the morning and evening, a 5-minute ab session 1-2 times a week, and aiming to walk 5,000 steps a day?
Small goals like this are achievable, they won’t break your body, and it won’t take much time (approx 20-30 mins per day).
Here are some workouts you can try at home:
Resistance Band Workout:
Six Minute Ab Workout:
#2 Work On Your Mindset
How many times have you tried getting in shape?
How many diets have you attempted?
The likelihood is that this isn’t the first time you’ve tried to make a positive change to your health and fitness?
Don’t worry though…
I’m not trying to make you feel bad. We’ve all failed at times. In the past, I’ve set myself goals…and not followed through, or have fallen off-plan.
It’s normal.
That said, why not make this the last time it happens?
Let’s leave the excuses behind and make a long-lasting change that lasts for years to come…
Sound good?
Well, it’s actually much more than dieting and following a workout plan. The real transformation starts with your mindset.
When you improve your mindset, your results will be phenomenal. You’ll be unstoppable.
There are lots of ways you can do this, such as:
- Reading books – I’d recommend reading The Chimp Paradox and Mindset.
- Hiring a life coach
- Speaking to a counsellor, or doing over the phone therapy
- Meditating
As well as making time for your workouts and planning your meals, make sure to factor in at least 10-20 minutes per day, improving your mindset.
#3 Technique, technique, technique!
Practice does indeed make perfect and don’t be afraid to seek out a coach or personal trainer to help.
When it comes to any exercise… good technique is essential for a magnitude of reasons, such as:
- Injury prevention
- Targeting the correct muscles
- Improving your posture
Whether you’re choosing to start running or to lift weights for the first time, you’ll want to make sure you’re training correctly and also getting the most bang for your buck with your workouts.
You may have watched workout videos on Youtube and felt unsure as to whether you’re performing the exercise(s) correctly?
Such as when doing squats, asking yourself…
“Am I going low enough?”
“Should my back be straight?”
“Am I supposed to feel it in my knees?”
Etc.
This is when you need an excellent coach to help you. Your coach will be able to breakdown exercise techniques in a way that suits your body shape and makes sense to you. Good coaches simplify training and help you to build up your confidence.
If you want to take your performance to the next level and speed up your results, why not hire a personal trainer?
As of writing this article, it’s COVID-19, so many gyms are closed. At LEP Fitness, we are doing virtual personal training sessions. Check out what members have to say about their experience…
#4 Workout with a buddy
This could be your husband, wife, friend, or a member of your family.
Changing your lifestyle can be daunting, and if your goals match up with someone else’s, you can do it together and inspire each other every step of the way.
You can boost each other as you go along, striving for the next milestone together and holding one another accountable.
For example, say you were both wanting to run a 5k to raise money for charity…
You can set a time each week to workout, for example:
- Monday: meet at 7am for a run
- Tuesday: virtual circuit class (7am)
- Wednesday: Joint virtual personal training session (7am)
- Thursday: rest
- Friday: meet at 7am for a run
- Saturday: rest
The above is just an example, but hopefully, you get the gist.
#5 Buy equipment you can use at home
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a gym to lose weight…I know, music to your ears…
Why not invest in your health by buying some resistance bands, dumbbells, a weighted sandbag, a yoga mat, or a pull-up bar?
All of these items are great options for getting fit in the comfort of your own home, and they are affordable.
Once you’ve bought your home gym equipment, you’re good to go…
You can follow programmes online, here are some posts that we’ve written to help you:
During this pandemic period, I’m seeing it as a challenge to myself to come up with new ways to train as I have been very reliant on having a gym in my life.
Final Words…
All the methods mentioned above can drastically help you on your quest to get fitter. Start by incorporating one of the tips in this post for the next week. Then next week, add another and keep going until you succeed.
Take care and stay safe,
Ollie (LEP Fitness)