If you haven’t yet found exercise you enjoy, if you’re doing the bare minimum you put into your my fitness pal to hopefully burn a few calories then you are not creating a lifestyle.
Some steps will definitely be harder than others…
but if you’re not enjoying any of them your fitness journey won’t take you very far. Loving physical activity and moving your body is such a game changer but this isn’t to say you can get where you want if you don’t apply a bit of discipline. This is to talk more about balance and to discuss a different perspective on priorities.
The way you think about exercise becomes part of a positive feedback loop into your diet. If you’re really enjoying the workouts, if you really bring mindfulness and start to think about how you can reach new heights with it then good nutrition choices and training choices will become that much more instinctive.
When you’re setting your goals make a special note on priorities.
– What are you trying to achieve?
– Would you like to a see a broader, more developed back
– Are you hoping to add some shape to your legs?
Maybe you’re thinking about those upcoming hikes and peaks you want to reach, enjoying the journey as well as the view.
Have you seen an older family member struggle to get out from their chair and you think; I don’t want that to be me? Jot these down.
Flow your training schedule from there and try to keep things balanced.
For example:
If your goals were all of the above then you’d be looking at:
– incorporating a weightlifting routine that will build muscle.
– Then you’d be looking at getting some cardio in. A HIIT Day and about three 20-minute cardio sessions could be sufficient.
– To remain agile and mobile then having a good stretch routine to follow your workouts is enough and functional training could take you to the next level.
Play a bit of sport
You may have a crazy or inconsistent schedule not conducive social sport. Be creative, be a problem solver. Find ways around your schedule to get some social sport in. It will do wonders for your mental as well as physical health.
If you have kids, make time for kicking a ball around with them. Humans are social animals who evolved playing cooperative ‘sport’ daily. Hunting and gathering, running and other various forms of socialised activity. Getting into this behaviour is pure and natural stress relief and the resulting biological responses that manifest during and after are critical for many bodily processes such as regulating hormones, facilitating healthy sleep patterns and improving your immune response.
If you find yourself with an hour spare to meet a friend at the park for a bit of footy, leap at the opportunity like your ancestors would have leaped up a tree together for berries.