"We do what we do because we love to do it." This comment was made by two female athletes that have accomplished big things in the fitness world. They have continued to push themselves and post some very dynamic videos of workouts that they love to do. Why did that quote grab me? It was an epiphany for me. I have used what the scale says as a big motivation along with how my clothes fit and the guilt of my own mind, but shouldn't I use positive affirmation as a motivation instead? I do what I do because I love it! I run because I love it! I do metabolic workouts because I love them! I spin, I do resistance training, I do cross training, I do hiking because I love to do them! (Even if you don't love them try saying it anyway and try switching your paradigm..afterall you do love yourself and this is a great way to love yourself is by taking care of yourself.) So what do we do with what we love to do?
Make it a Priority
Plan for fitness. Even the best athletes have days they don't want to get out of bed but THEY DO. They have a schedule and you need one too. Be specific with what your plan is for each day and what time you are working out. The night before or day of your activity have your fitness clothes and accessories laid out or packed and ready to go. We have a strong core group of Metabolic Warriors that have had to be out of town during trainings and they are quick to replace the missed trainings with other types of fitness. Try to keep to your usual routine when you are on the road. If you do a metabolic workout on Mondays & Wednesdays when you are home then try to do that when traveling too. When you are booking rooms at hotels, check out the fitness rooms online. Does your destination have local features you can take advantage of...like stairs? Frequently you can also buy day passes to local gyms. Worst case scenarios you have your body weight and floor space and as you know that can be a killer workout!
Mental Positive Reinforcement
I used to think that this meant to visualize the person I wanted to be but that can be self defeating. Instead think of words that embody how you want to feel. Example, when doing push ups avoid 'Ugh, more push ups, I hate these'. Instead try "I am strong, I can do this, just one more, just one more..." When you are doing plyometrics (jumping exercises) think "higher, stronger, faster, deeper, propel, fly..." Think it and you will do it. Mind over matter is a powerful tool.
Visualization
See yourself performing the exercise. Stand in front of the mirror and see yourself perform, with your best form, bicep curls, triceps extensions, push ups, squats, lunges, chest presses, planks...see how your body works as it moves through a full range of motion. Now that will be in your mind when you are in Metabolic Training doing those same exercises. You can also make your muscles work more efficiently when you imagine the actual muscle shortening and lengthening as you move through the range of motion.
Set Goals
With push ups I tell myself how many I am going to do and try to beat it. At other times I focus not on reps but on full range of motion or even changing hand position so that I continue to challenge myself in different ways. You should have small goals that lead to big goals. This is a game plan for success. Lets say you do shallow push ups, a big goal would be deep push ups (chest to ground). Small goals that would help you get there would be doing chest presses with a challenging weight and doing incline push ups at a full range of motion. As your chest and shoulder muscles become stronger you would progressively increase your chest press weights and decrease the incline of your push up. This same philosophy can be applied to any exercise. Spontaneous goals are great too. In the moment of Tabata or Metabolic Training as the exercises are introduced you can quickly determine how many reps you will push for. We often refer to rep goals during timed intervals because it gives you a consistent measurement. First round of training you count the reps you do, you determine if you can go harder and you set a higher rep goal for the next round. It is a game that makes time fly by. Another type of goal is event goals such as races and competitions. In those cases all training will support that event until it is accomplished. Your trainers can help you with goal setting.
Support your Fitness
If I have a plan to workout tomorrow morning (and I do) and I stay up late or over imbibe in alcohol or junk food, the next morning will be a sludgy mess that I will have to push through while feeling lousy! Things that support fitness are getting plenty of sleep and eating quality foods. These contribute to mental clarity and general well being. If you suffer from seasonal allergies then you most likely are not getting quality sleep and you most likely find yourself pushing through brain fog and muscle sludge all too frequently. Just do your best, we have no miracle answer, sorry. Post workout or on days off don't get all wackadoo on your eating. If you put bad gas in your car it performs poorly. Likewise, if you put junk in your body it performs poorly. Eat nutrient dense foods most of the time and don't beat yourself up over a few desserts. Your aim is balance.
Be Realistic
Don't judge your success by comparisons with other people. I have done that and that is also self defeating. Every single person is as unique in their needs as their DNA. It takes time to determine what your fitness program for success is, so be patient. See it as a life long endeavor not a temporary bathing suit moment. Your trainers have found that as we age, gracefully of course, that our needs change so be prepared for the adventure of constant change!:) Look at your genetics (that would be your parents and grandparents) and know what your challenges are physically and mentally. Your concern physically should predominately be related to your internal health. Cancer, heart attacks, and strokes don't have a shape, size or gender and they can effect any of us at any time but you decrease your risk significantly when you exercise. In the event that you have to deal with a health problem, surgery, or other trauma your recovery tends to be shorter and better than those that do not exercise. Lastly, variety is the spice of life and don't we all enjoy a variety of spice? I don't know anyone that wants to just have salt and pepper for seasonings. So make your fitness something you do because you love it and not an obsession of a body type.
Last Last Words:
The only disability in life is a bad attitude. – Scott Hamilton
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